Figure-of-eight knot

The figure-eight knot is a type of knot

Knot

A knot is a method for fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or more segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object—the "load"...

. It is very important in both sailing

Sailing

Sailing is the art of controlling a boat with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat...

 and rock climbing

Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up or across natural rock formations or man-made rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route...

 as a method of stopping ropes from running out of retaining devices. Unlike the overhand knot

Overhand knot

The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, fisherman's knot and water knot. The overhand knot is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is intended to be...

, which will bind iron-hard under strain, often requiring the rope to be cut, the figure of eight can be easily untied after even the greatest strain.
Different types of figure-eight knots:

• Double figure-eight knot (figure-eight loop): used like an overhand loop
  Overhand loop
  The Overhand loop is a simple knot which forms a fixed loop in a rope. Made by tying an Overhand knot in the bight, it can be tied anywhere along a rope . The knot can be used for attaching clips, hooks, other rope, etc. But has the disadvantage that it is likely to jam tight when the rope has...
  
   knot. This type of knot can be used in prusik climbing when used in conjunction with a Swiss seat, a climbing rope, and locking carabiner
  Carabiner
  A carabiner or karabiner is a metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate. The loop part opposite the gate is referred to as the spine. It can quickly and reversibly connect components in safety-critical systems...
  
   designed for climbing, to ascend or descend with minimal equipment and effort.
• Figure-eight splice knot: used to quickly and effectively splice together two ropes, not necessarily of equal diameter. This knot is tied starting with a loose figure eight knot on one rope (the larger-diameter one if unequal), and threading of the other rope's running end through the first figure eight, starting at the first figure-eight's running end and paralleling the path of the first rope through the figure eight until the second's ropes running end lies parallel against first's standing end. The result is two figure-eight knots, each partly inside the other and tightening its hold on the other when they are pulled in opposite directions. This can be a permanent or temporary splice. While it precludes the ropes' slipping relative to each other, it is a typical knot in having less strength than the straight ropes. A blood knot
  Blood knot
  A blood knot is most usefully employed for joining sections of monofilament nylon line while maintaining a high portion of the line's inherent strength. Other knots used for this purpose can cause a substantial loss of strength...
  
  is a better knot for rope splicing, but is more difficult to achieve.

How to Tie

• Make a bight in a rope
• Loop the other side through the bight
• Loop the loop x2
• Pull

External links

• Grog's Animated Knots: How to tie the figure of eight knot