# What have I been tying? (knots) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607 "2013-06-22T02:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/1 "2013-06-22T02:23:28Z")
For a while now, I thought I knew how to tie an alpine butterfly loop. When I exerted pressure on it, I noticed that my knot was topologically identical to a slip knot with the slipping end used to throw a half hitch around the loop of the slip knot. This seemed to work like the aforementioned alpine butterfly loop, but I discovered an error in my procedure. I would like to know if the knot I have been tying has a name. Does it sound familiar to anyone who can suss out my description? Thanks, Rob ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/2 "2013-06-22T02:47:09Z")
There’s a ‘false butterfly’ knot, but I couldn’t find any details of what it actually is. ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/3 "2013-06-22T02:53:57Z")
Could you link a picture? I’m a bit of a knot guy. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/4 "2013-06-22T03:03:01Z")
I am not sure where to host one. I could email you one in a PM. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/5 "2013-06-22T03:08:52Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > For a while now, I thought I knew how to tie an alpine butterfly loop. When I exerted pressure on it, I noticed that my knot was topologically identical to a slip knot with the slipping end used to throw a half hitch around the loop of the slip knot. This seemed to work like the aforementioned alpine butterfly loop, but I discovered an error in my procedure. I would like to know if the knot I have been tying has a name. Does it sound familiar to anyone who can suss out my description? > > Thanks, > Rob Pressure ? tension… The common problem with inventing a knot is that it comes undone when the load is off. (if it comes undone when under normal load its not a knot .. ) Half hitches are used to ‘lock’ knots. For example, if you have a clove hitch, its fine if the tension is constant and from a constant direction. but if it was say a horse trying to pull the clove hitch off, the changes in direction can undo it.. Even a bowline can come undone when wobbled back and forth, without a locking knot on the tail to lock it tightly. If you get the alpine hitch wrong, you get a clove hitch. Or if the half hitches are opposites, its a thumb knot. You can then use another half hitch to lock the clove hitch or thumb knot. But can you web search up a picture of the slip knot you refer to ? There are all sorts of knots referred to as slip knots - I see that the loop made with a clove hitch may be called a slip knot. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-tying-knots/661607/6 "2013-06-22T17:05:28Z")
[The type of slip knot I am talking about.](http://www.animatedknots.com/slip/index.php?Categ=basics&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com) If the tag end were longer and you used it to throw a half hitch over the loop of the slip knot, you will have the knot I am referring to. Thanks, Rob