Rope Work Within the Theatre

See also the thread http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...ears-pick-lines-grid-who-has-good-design.html .
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As for type of rope, while traditionally manila has been used, there are many synthetics available today with none/few of the old problems. Stage-Set X is popular, as is Multiline II. If black rope is desirable, there's ShowBraid, among others.
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If my hands know how to tie a shoelace knot, clove hitch, and bowline, I'm happy.
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tjrobb said:
I heard "bowline" came from its use in archery. Anyone know about this?
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Not according to that most authoritative of sources, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowline :
The bowline knot is thought to have been first mentioned in John Smith's 1627 work A Seaman's Grammar under the name Boling knot. Smith considered the knot to be strong and secure, saying, "The Boling knot is also so firmly made and fastened by the bridles into the cringles of the sails, they will break, or the sail split before it will slip."[6][7]
Another possible finding was discovered on the rigging of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu's solar ship during an excavation, although this has not been proven in fact to be the bowline.[8]
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I use the bowline, clove hitch, half hitches, tautline hitch, lark's head and what we call a theatre knot. That is really just a modified shoetie that allows you to hide the pipe you are tying drapes to. Some call it an opera knot, just depends where you learned it. I occasionally use a square knot and a sheetbend. I know many more but I just don't use them much. I learned most of my knot tying from other riggers however I have been a merit badge counseler for years for scouts.
 
GBtimex said:
O how I love me some knots.


There are TONS of good books on knot tying but the key is to figure out what are you are going to be doing with them. There is one knot which I have never used before but always wanted to called the icicle hitch and its used for hanging something off of a smooth pole.

Icicle Hitch (Loop Method) | How to tie the Icicle Hitch | Climbing Knots

GBTimex,
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Thank you for that link, I've never been able to get that one to work correctly. I also never had a need for the knot, but it is awesome.

As I say "Yes there IS a knot for everything"

I learned 'em all in the Boy Scouts, the ones I use often are:
Clove hitch
2 Half Hitches
Taughtline
Bowline
Alpine Butterfly (my favorite knot of all)
Square Lashing
Daisy Chain (at least I'd consider it one)

It definitely shouldn't be used as common practice, but knowing how to tie my own harness has proved useful in the past.
 
It definitely shouldn't be used as common practice, but knowing how to tie my own harness has proved useful in the past.[/QUOTE]


I was once shown how to make the swiss seat. Is that the harness knot you are talking about?
 
I know a lot of knots but the ones I use most are:
Bowline
Prussic
Clove Hitch
Overhand
Timber hitch
I use a lot of other knots as the situation requires, but those are the day-in/day-out knots.
 
I would say that my most commonly-used knots in theatre are the clove hitch, bowline, and shoe bow. Just today, while at a community theatre workday, I used (and taught) bowlines, clove hitches, square knots, and sheet bends.
 
This is all good stuff gang (from a guy who uses more rope in a day than I'd like to admit).

Couple things:
Remember that a knot always takes away some degree of strength in your rope.

For example, a Figure 8 on a bight (not "bite") results in about 20% efficiency loss. In other words, if your rope had a safe working load of 100 lbs. before tying the knot, it has an 80 lbs. safe working load after tying the knot.
A bowline will reduce your efficiency by 27% to 33%!!!.

(My source for these numbers is Skala/Ropeworks, who have trained me in rope access. Just thought I should say.) So knowing knots is half the equation, knowing the application of knots is the other.

My other favorite thing lately is seizings as well. I hate frayed, nasty, shredded ends on ropes. Eeeeesh.
 
What Rigger? said:
This is all good stuff gang (from a guy who uses more rope in a day than I'd like to admit).

Couple things:
Remember that a knot always takes away some degree of strength in your rope.

For example, a Figure 8 on a bight (not "bite") results in about 20% efficiency loss. In other words, if your rope had a safe working load of 100 lbs. before tying the knot, it has an 80 lbs. safe working load after tying the knot.
A bowline will reduce your efficiency by 27% to 33%!!!.

(My source for these numbers is Skala/Ropeworks, who have trained me in rope access. Just thought I should say.) So knowing knots is half the equation, knowing the application of knots is the other.

My other favorite thing lately is seizings as well. I hate frayed, nasty, shredded ends on ropes. Eeeeesh.
Click to expand...
In a related subject, remember that knotting anything has the same deratig situation. So do not tie any rigging element such as span sets. I do a lot of touring acts so I use rachet straps on a daily basis. I have no idea why anyone would tie a knot in a rachet but I see it all the time.
 
Awwe too bad I am late into the discussion (things have been crazy with this tornado!).

I made a collaborative Wiki article on this AGES ago(here), and also made wiki entries for many of the most common knots. Never finished them all.

I agree that the primary knots you need to know are the:
Bowline
Clove Hitch (properly cinched of course)
Bow (shoelace)
butterfly
Sheet Bend (or Double)
Prusick

With these (and knowledge on how to use a cleat, etc) you can do just about anything that requires a rope.

I loves me some rope :)
 
So many knots!
Keeping in mind that most of us work in theatre there's also the side of rope or rigging as scenery.
I've used Cat's Paw, Monkey's Fist, Traditional Noose, Cartoonishly Large Cleat Hitch, Circus Knot and some other (probably named, but I don't know them) knots such as a traditional kimono sash knot in shows for the visual effect.
I learned the basics of knots from sailing.
 
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