Talk:Hangman's knot

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I was about to write this then decided maybe we should not describe here how to tie this. Hmph. --Justfred

Some would say that's stifling the free interchange of information. But anyway... This article could certainly do with fleshing out. It doesn't stand well on it's own. Darac 21:57, 5 Nov 2003 (UTC)

I also believe there is absolutely no reason to leave out information. My memory tells that there are actually two versions of the knot. One can be pulled open and another one can not. The non-opening version can be pulled tightly shut in order to make a very convenient throwing weight for an end of any rope of suitable thickness. --blades 01:48, May 11, 2004 (UTC)

The article seems to have improved. The thirteen turns sounds like one of those things that people keep adding to myths and stories to make them seem more mystical. Then again, maybe it is something people would really have done to make the event seem more mystical. I am not a hangman, so I can't tell for sure :) --blades 09:42, 30 May 2004 (UTC)

Contents 1 Name change 2 thirteen loops 3 Not dangerous? 4 Other uses 5 History 6 Copyright? 7 Rope length 8 13 Loops Legality

[edit] Name change

I believe the correct name for this knot is the "Hangman's knot". A noose is the simplest kind of running knot. - From the Morrow guide to knots. ISBN 0-688-01226-4

[edit] thirteen loops

I thought a Hangman's noose traditionally had thirteen loops. Is this not true?

Pud 01:40, 15 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Each additional loop adds friction to the knot, so you adjust the number of loops according to how easily you want the knot to slide, and depending on the type and condition of the rope. 7 loops is the normal way of tying this knot (for natural rope), while 13 loops makes the knot look rather ugly (very elongated on most ropes) and a bit more unstable as the knot itself starts to bend.

I'll write some more on the main page if nobody minds, as there are "significant non-infringing [to life] uses" of the knot, and lots of history, politics and intregue to write about. Ojw 19:18, 5 Feb 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Not dangerous?

User:64.40.45.208 wrote "There is nothing intrinsically dangerous about the hangman's noose itself.". Howabout its tendancy to shut easily and not open? Ojw 19:23, 3 Mar 2005 (UTC) I think, for the sake of pretty much everyone, and whatever credibility Wikipedia might have, this article would be better off without a "Tying it" section.

[edit] Other uses

I added a section on other uses. Basically a "hangman's knot" is the same as fishing's uni knot. I was going to give directions on tying it on the uni knot page, but wondered if maybe I should remove the other uses section that I put in with the link to the uni knot page for all the reasons listed above.

[edit] History

Is there a reason why the line "this knot was offten used to kil slaves and people that were accused of being a witch. They would have the knot around your neck and make you stand on a deck then they would push you off causing the tightness of the rope to beak your neck" is there? It seems rather pointless as a) the spelling is poor, b) its pointing out a specific use when the actual use was more general (i.e. not just slaves and witches, also used from horse back), and c) it's preceded by the line "The Hangman's Knot was used on ropes in Colonial America as well as England during the 17th and 18th centuries as a way to execute condemned people easily. The knot would break a person's neck if tied correctly, otherwise the person was simply left to strangle to death."

If there is feel free to revert it, otherwise I removed this bit of repitition. 01:55, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Copyright?

Most text is directly copied and the rest just a re-written version of http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/hangmansnoose.html

[edit] Rope length

Is their not a formula to calculate the length of the rope considering the weight of the person? I think this is relevant information that should be added.

Yes, there is. But it's not relevant to the knot, only to the practice of hanging which is where it's referenced. RedHillian 00:16, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 13 Loops Legality

I had never heard before reading this article that 13 coils in the noose is believed by many to be illegal. Regardless of its legality, does anyone have have any research/proof/links demonstrating if it is truly legal or not? Snopes has nothing, and the only thing I can find online is some poor soul commenting on a MetaCafe video, claiming that most states banned it sometime after 1957. --LoganK 19:22, 4 January 2007 (UTC)