Two Ways to Tie a Bowline
Quick Summary
You are going to learn two methods for tying the Bowline, which Brandon Nelson calls the most useful knot you might ever learn. This includes the common "rabbit hole" technique and a specialized method for securing the knot around an object like a pipe or ring. You’ll want to master the Bowline because it creates a reliable loop at the end of a rope, is easy to tie and untie, and is trusted by sailors and rock climbers because it retains about 70% of the rope’s overall strength.
What you'll need and what to do
To try what's taught in the video, here's what you'll need and the exact steps to follow.
What You Will Need
• Rope.
• A pipe or a ring (for the second technique).
Action Steps
Common Technique (Rabbit Hole)
1. Come up from the end of the rope.
2. Make an overhand loop to create the rabbit hole.
3. Bring the end of the rope (the rabbit) up out of the hole.
4. Go around the standing part of the rope (the tree).
5. Bring the end (the rabbit) back into the hole.
6. Pull the knot tight.
Technique for Tying Around a Pipe or Ring
7. Start from the standing end of the rope.
8. Make an overhand loop.
9. Push a small loop up through the overhand loop.
10. Hold the small loop in place.
11. Take the working end of the rope underneath your pipe or ring.
12. Go up through the small loop with the working end.
13. Hold the working end with your hand.
14. Pull the knot tight.
15. Practice tying these knots.
Word for word video transcript
Hey everyone, Brandon Nelson, and in one minute I'm going to show you two ways to tie the most useful knot you might ever learn, the Bolan. The Bolan is commonly used by sailors and rock climbers to make a loop in the end of a rope. It's very easy to tie and untie and it retains about two thirds or about 70% of the strength of the rope.
Let's start by teaching you the most common technique. And this is cool because there's a story to it. Okay, we come up from the end of the rope back up here and we make the rabbit hole with an overhand loop. Then this guy, this end is the rabbit. He comes up out of the hole. He goes around the tree and the rabbit goes back in the hole. And you pull it tight. And that is the bowling.
Let's show you one more time from this angle. We make make our overhand loop to make the rabbit hole. The rabbit comes up out of the hole, goes around the tree and back into the hole, and there's the bowling.
Okay, the second technique is a great way to tie a bowl around a pipe or a ring. So, we're going to start from the standing end of the rope. We're going to make our overhand loop. Then, we're going to push a small loop up through it. And we're just going to hold that there that's waiting for us. Now we take our working end. We go underneath our pipe. And then I just take it, go up through my loop and hold it with this hand as I pull it tight. And presto, there's our bowling.
Again, one more time from a different angle. From the standing end, we make that overhand loop. Push a small loop up through it. Hold it. Take our working end around the pipe up through our loop. Hold it with this hand. And Pull. And there's our bowling.
Do yourself a favor and practice tying these knots. I use these knots all the time. This has been Brandon Nelson for 1 Minute. I'll see you next time.
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