A Tale of Two Friction Knots: Taut Line vs. Blake’s Hitch

[Islander]

Stuck on the sofa after a total knee replacement, I have had plenty of time to contemplate the meaning of life, what women want, and is there a God. Having answered those questions, I returned to the study of more important topics, like bushcraft.

Playing with different knots, I stumbled across a page on arborist knots. As folks who trust their knots with their lives, I figured I could definitely learn something.

One new knot I found is the Blake's Hitch. It's a friction knot that works well for all the same tasks as the taut-line hitch (a.k.a. tent-line hitch) that most of us learn in Scouts or when first discovering handy knots for camping or boating.

I own several tents and shelters and have had mixed results with taut-line hitches. Some, like the Zpacks pocket tarp, require high tension on some of their guy outs. From reading up on and testing the Blake's Hitch it appears to hold better. It's not quite as as easy to tie, but is very simple in structure and easy to remember. I'm going to try it out this year on the many short winter hunting trips I take in December.

Blake's Hitch (just four wraps and pass line through the first two)


Taut-Line Hitch

 

[Fishdart]

Always good to keep some knots, bends, and hitches in the memory hole. For my money, I prefer the Adjustable Grip Hitch to the tautline. I use it exclusively on guyouts and ridgelines for hammocking and tarp use.

 

[Werty]

I've been diving down this rabbit hole for about 3 months now. Good luck!

 

[Dsnow9]

As an arborist I will tell you those knots are pretty old school now for life support but can be useful for applications like you are using. If it isn’t holding trying using a thinner line or different material for your Blake’s. You can also add more wraps, say 6 total but still only pass under the last two.

 

[Islander]

As an arborist I will tell you those knots are pretty old school now for life support but can be useful for applications like you are using. If it isn’t holding trying using a thinner line or different material for your Blake’s. You can also add more wraps, say 6 total but still only pass under the last two.

D9,

For a tent guy out, any suggestions for a simple knot that works as well or better and is easier to tie?

You using the French Prusik for an assent line?

 

[Islander]

Always good to keep some knots, bends, and hitches in the memory hole. For my money, I prefer the Adjustable Grip Hitch to the tautline. I use it exclusively on guyouts and ridgelines for hammocking and tarp use.

And just like that I changed what knot I'm going to use this season.

 

[longbow51]

This is not very elegant, but very simple, great in wind and rain/snow. I found it in a backpacking tent manual. Simply tie your loop of choice (bowline, figure eight, some even use a slip knot loop but I don't), loop the running end around the tent stake, back through the loop, pull tight, and tie off with a half hitch. Easily adjusted, and doesn't slip if it gets icy. Easy to teach to kids. Again, not worthy of the elegant knots listed above, which I too love.

 

[Islander]

This is not very elegant, but very simple, great in wind and rain/snow. I found it in a backpacking tent manual. Simply tie your loop of choice (bowline, figure eight, some even use a slip knot loop but I don't), loop the running end around the tent stake, back through the loop, pull tight, and tie off with a half hitch. Easily adjusted, and doesn't slip if it gets icy. Easy to teach to kids. Again, not worthy of the elegant knots listed above, which I too love.

View attachment 149707

In that case use the Truckers Hitch. Great time to practice that knot.

I like the sliding knots because literally they work by just sliding and no retying.

I like the non-slip top loop version of the truckers hitch. It's a little more complicated but easier to untie if you get really high loads on the knot during use.

 

[longbow51]

In that case use the Truckers Hitch. Great time to practice that knot.

I like the sliding knots because literally they work by just sliding and no retying.

Again, any loop is fine, including the slippery half hitch used in some trucker's hitches (your version uses a directional figure of eight). The advantage to the permanent loop is that if a storm hits in the mountains, you have to just tie a half hitch and you're done.

 

[Ben Sellers]

This is not very elegant, but very simple, great in wind and rain/snow. I found it in a backpacking tent manual. Simply tie your loop of choice (bowline, figure eight, some even use a slip knot loop but I don't), loop the running end around the tent stake, back through the loop, pull tight, and tie off with a half hitch. Easily adjusted, and doesn't slip if it gets icy. Easy to teach to kids. Again, not worthy of the elegant knots listed above, which I too love.

View attachment 149707

I use this on regularly because it lets me pull a line tight and keep it that way. It’s also easy.

 

[Dsnow9]

D9,

For a tent guy out, any suggestions for a simple knot that works as well or better and is easier to tie?

You using the French Prusik for an assent line?

For a tent guy out I use a modified english Prussik, with 4 wraps up and two down. It allows it to bite a little bit better, 2 wraps towards the stake.

When it comes to climbing I use a number of mechanical friction devices now. Constant friction and don’t burn out line hitch chordage.

 

[Bluejeep]

I feel like a one trick pony. I just use the taught line hitch. Hasn't failed me yet, if it does, then I will look for something else.

The grip hitch does look very easy though

 

[JFish]

The trucker hitch is one of my favorites for guy lines, and some kayak stuff. I like the looks of those fancy tensioner knots above, I may have to try one. Now I cheat and use Lineloc adjusters.

 

[Islander]

For a tent guy out I use a modified english Prussik, with 4 wraps up and two down. It allows it to bite a little bit better, 2 wraps towards the stake.

When it comes to climbing I use a number of mechanical friction devices now. Constant friction and don’t burn out line hitch chordage.

It's wlld how simple events lead to big developments. A little over a year after goofing with knots on the sofa, I'm all in on safe tree climbing. Just bought a Rope Runner, harness, etc. Class starts this Sunday. If I can swing it, I plan on taking a 40-hour arborist course!

It all started when I was stuck on the sofa last year. The kicker that took me over the edge was climbing a tree in my yard to trim a branch that was hanging over my neighbor's yard. Afterwards I thought, "Let's learn how to do this in a safe way!"

 

[Dsnow9]

It's wlld how simple events lead to big developments. A little over a year after goofing with knots on the sofa, I'm all in on safe tree climbing. Just bought a Rope Runner, harness, etc. Class starts this Sunday. If I can swing it, I plan on taking a full week arborist course!

It all started when I was stuck on the sofa last year. The kicker that took me over the edge was climbing a tree in my yard to trim a branch that was hanging over my neighbor's yard. Afterwards I thought, "Let's learn how to do this in a safe way!"

What class are you taking?

 

[Islander]

What class are you taking?

Nothing final, but I have been looking at this website:

Basic Arborist - Training and Workshops for Arborists | ACRT Arborist Training

he Basic Arborist class is built for individuals looking for instruction on professional tree care training and on climbing with a rope and saddle.

training.acrt.com

We have TONS of trees in the neighborhood.

 

[yakimanoob]

My God, I miss live oak trees. (I'm an Alabama boy living in central WA).

Tautline hitch all day son. The Blake's hitch might work but I imagine the slip force is much lower* since you only have one wrap that's actually grabbing the mainline (the rest of the knot is basically a waste of time).

I'm a firm believer in keeping the number of knots you know to a minimum. If you need the knot, try and get to the point where you can tie it when you're totally gassed out, your fingers are numb from cold, and you can barely think straight. This is accomplished by regular repetition and nothing else. The more knots you practice for the same application, the more likely you are to be confused when things are on the line.


*I just noticed in the OP diagram that the Blake's Hitch is shown with two different diameters of rope, and the tautline is shown with one. Generally speaking, a thinner line will always grip better on a thicker line compared to two lines of the same diameter. I'm still putting my money on the tautline hitch gripping better than the Blake's if the same line is used for both knots.