| Grief knot | |
|---|---|
| Names | Grief knot, What knot, Whatnot, Grass bend, Reeving-line bend |
| Category | Trick |
| Category #2 | Bend |
| Related | Reef knot, Thief knot, Granny knot |
| Releasing | Non-jamming |
| Typical use | Used for jokes and tricks. It unrolls itself under a light load. |
| Caveat | Highly insecure |
| ABoK | #1208, #1406, #1407, #1459, #1490, #2579 |
A grief knot (also what knot) is a knot which combines the features of a granny knot and a thief knot, producing a result which is not generally useful for working purposes. Its name is an example of a portmanteau, from granny and thief.
The grief knot resembles the granny knot, but tied in trans form as opposed to cis form. This means that the working ends come out diagonally from each other, whereas a granny knot's ends both come out on the same side. It unravels rather elegantly: as tension is applied, the ropes rotate like little cogs, each one twisting to feed the rope through the knot.[1]
Contents |
To tie the grief knot, tie a single overhand knot, as if starting a reef knot. Then thrust the two free ends together down through the center of the just-tied overhand knot.[2] Twist the free ends to form half hitches to lock, twist the other way for the granny knot-like configuration that rolls apart when the standing parts are pulled.
The starkly differing behavior of the knot, depending on how it is arranged, has been exploited as the basis of a parlor trick.[1] When pulling on the standing ends the knot starts slipping and the working ends become crossed. By twisting the working ends so that they uncross and then recross in reverse, the knot's structure is changed so that it will no longer slip. The twisting motion has been paralleled to the turning of a key, "locking" and "unlocking" the knot.
Because the grief knot is known to slip apart "with astonishing ease",[2] it is considered one of the most insecure of knots.[3]
However, in its locked opposing half-hitch arrangement the grief knot has been used as a practical bend for tying together flat materials, such as straps, belts, blades of grass, and similar materials. This is because the flat shape helps to prevent the knot from accidentally "unlocking". When used in this manner the knot is known as a grass bend.[4]