Down the rabbit hole we go...

 

Would this count?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPKbxGEwNgs

Nix, you gonna show us how you tie your shoe laces?

Nix, you gonna show us how you tie your shoe laces?

This is how I do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O-xaJrao1w

Should have used this as an entry...

 

This is how I do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O-xaJrao1w

Should have used this as an entry...

 

I do it that way too!

This is how I do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O-xaJrao1w

Should have used this as an entry...

 

That's a cool way to tie it, but not a different knot as a result 

Nix, you gonna show us how you tie your shoe laces?

Yeah, I guess I owe you guys this method of shoe lace tying. I call it a "double slip knot" or a "Doubly slippery Surgeon's knot". This is very similar, but knot identical to Ashley's "Double slip knot". Close enough, though.

I had never had a pair of shoes or boots come untied using this method. I tie it so often that my fingers do it without thought. If I try to tie my shoes in some other way, I have to slow down and think about it. I say this because it may seem a bit more complex than a standard lace tie, but once you get it down, it becomes second nature.

This knot starts out much like a standard slipped Reef knot (Square knot) by forming a simple half-knot with the two laces:


(This is knot one of my shoes, it just seemed easier to use a roll of towels to visually demonstrate this knot.)


Left over right, followed by right over left:





Now, like a slippery Reef knot, a bight is formed with one tail and pushed under the crossed laces:





The above is a Slippery Reef knot. You could be done here, but this is not very secure (as we've already warned about the Reef knot).

So, a second bight is formed with the second tail and passed through the Reef knot:





In the above photo, you can see that the two bights form two slip knots. The working ends form two half-knots over one half-knot (a Surgeon's or Ligature knot).

It is a simple, but important, matter to cinch the knot up and dress it a bit:





So, two slip knots, their tails pinched in the center of the knot. In addition, the Surgeon's knot feature is inherently less likely to spill or fall apart. Those two features make this lace tying knot very secure and reliable.

Awl cinched up tight:





As I said, this knot has never failed me with any lace material or 550 cord. I highly recommend it. 

But I do have another method I like called the Mountaineer tie...........

Interesting

 

Try it.

I make the first half-knot as usual, then tie the two slip knots at the same time: cross the tails, tuck the two bights through the center of the knot in opposite directions. Snug down. Done.

It is as fast as anything.

And your shoes will not come untied.   

I do it that way too!

 

Here is my "Mountaneer's Bootlace knot".

I don't know what the actual name is, but I ran across this knot in a mountaineering book as the recommend knot to keep you from stepping on your untied laces, tripping, and falling to your death. Motivated me to learn it...... 


Step 1, using my demonstration "boot":

We start with a simple half-knot and form a bight with one of the free tails. I'm right handed, so I make a bight in the right hand tail, but it can be tied either way.





Step 2: the other free tail is wrapped around the bight twice and then used to form a second bight (Fuzzy might call them "ears".):





Step 3: the second bight then gets fed through the two twists made around the first bight:





This completes the knot, although it still needs to be dressed and tightened:





Step 4: be sure to dress it carefully and cinch tight.





This is another secure lace knot. Very secure if dressed and cinched!  The extra twist provides a bit more grip and friction, making this knot less prone to spill than standard knots. Again, I've never had this knot come undone.

However....I find this knot a bit more fiddly to tie and dress than the "Double Slip Knot" variant I described a few posts ago. So I don't often use this knot. Nevertheless, I tie my laces with this one just to practice it and keep it in mind.

Try it.

I make the first half-knot as usual, then tie the two slip knots at the same time: cross the tails, tuck the two bights through the centRE of the knot in opposite directions. Snug down. Done.

It is as fast as anything.

And your shoes will not come untied.   

I think if you make the Surgeon's knot with both tails going through where the opposite loop is, ie, by tying the knot with both loops twice around each other, instead of slippery bites, the tails hold even stronger. They also come out to the sides, instead of the middle, making everything look more balanced and "normal"

Maybe it depends on the lace material. My work boots have zips up the inside so once laces are tied to fit my foot, I don't have to untie and retie every time I take off and put on my boots

I think if you make the Surgeon's knot with both tails going through where the opposite loop is, ie, by tying the knot with both loops twice around each other, instead of slippery bites, the tails hold even stronger. They also come out to the sides, instead of the middle, making everything look more balanced and "normal"

Maybe it depends on the lace material. My work boots have zips up the inside so once laces are tied to fit my foot, I don't have to untie and retie every time I take off and put on my boots

I think you are describing Ashley's version. Which may be better than mine. I just find mine is easier to tie. And has never failed me.   

I think you are describing Ashley's version. Which may be better than mine. I just find mine is easier to tie. And has never failed me.   

I'll need to check that out. Ok, Knot 1219 by the looks, he calls it the double slip knot. Actually, 1216 looks to be a half and half of 1219 and yours 

Also, if tying hiking boots with long laces, if you tie the double overhand on the first knot, the lace is less likely to slip back out as you fiddle with your bites 

Great point!   

It's the 21st century. I keep my shoes on with velcro.

My sandals don't even use velcro......   

My sandals don't even use velcro......   

You wear flip-flops?

You wear flip-flops?

Well....not when I'm bowling.....duh.....

I realize that it has been a while and that no prizes have been spotted in the many pages of this thread......

Some of you may be wondering (as I bloody well am)  what happened to the prizes. Did Nix screw up the mailing addresses again?  Were the prizes ever sent?  Did the prizes get lost in the Bermuda Triangle?




Well, I thought I'd lay some these questions to rest.......

•  Yes, the prizes were sent out. (quite some time ago!)
•  Yes, I may have messed up the addresses. (In which case, hopefully they will be "returned to sender'.)
•  No, they were knot lost in the Bermuda Triangle. Advanced tracking systems indicate that both prizes are languishing in the Customs offices of the respective prize winners countries. (Bottom shelf, left hand side of the left most cabinet in enki's case. Middle shelf of the far right rack, behind some boxes of semi-conductors and cases of canned peaches, in Vitor's case.)

There is no telling when these customs departments will be willing to release the prizes or how much ransom they will demand. Please stand by for further updates. 

In the meantime, I thought I'd entertain y'awl with one of my favorite bends, the Vice Versa Bend, a.k.a. the Reever knot.

I like this bend because it is, 1) lovely in it's symetry, 2) secure, 3) easy to untie.  The Vice Versa is less likely to shake out than some others and has proven to be quite strong. It is my go-to bend.

First, put a loop in one of the lines to be joined:





Next, feed the working end of the other line through the loop of the first (red) line and then over its standing end. The direction the second (blue) line is passed through the loop is important.





The second (blue) line is then passed under the first (red) line and crossed up over the standing end of the first (red) line to form a loop in the second (blue) line, 'capturing' the first (red) line. You can see the symmetry starting to build.





The working end of the second (blue) line is passed back through the loop of the first (red) line in the opposite direction as it first passed.





In a symmetric manner, the working end of the first (red) line is passed through the loop of the second (blue) line. The Vice Versa is done.





Here it is, awl snugged up:





Knot only is this a fun and easy knot to tie, it is visually pleasing and very secure. Give it a try! 

Yup, mine's been sitting at the customs office in Zagreb since Monday, got moved a bit two days later, but didn't leave the office. I expected it might happen as it seems all intercontinental?? packages go to quarantine for a week or two, had the same happen with a Lumintop Tool a month or so back, cause of Covid I guess. Hopefully next week and no fees, fingers crossed.

Digging around on the 'net I found a snapshot of this nice use of the Vice Versa to make a paracord bracelet that looks like it is adjustable. (I'd use a double Grinner for the adjustable knots to provide a bit more friction, but cool idea!)

Yup, mine's been sitting at the customs office in Zagreb since Monday, got moved a bit two days later, but didn't leave the office. I expected it might happen as it seems all intercontinental?? packages go to quarantine for a week or two, had the same happen with a Lumintop Tool a month or so back, cause of Covid I guess. Hopefully next week and no fees, fingers crossed.

 

Uuu, I like that one , Nix

Really, my favorite bend. 


....although the Zeppelin bend is a close second. 

Vitor's prize is still waiting some action from the overbureaucratic brazilian customs.
(I have one theory: It employ only Vogons)

Enviado de meu moto g(6) usando o Tapatalk

In the meantime, I thought I'd entertain y'awl with one of my favorite bends, the Vice Versa Bend, a.k.a. the Reever knot.

I like this bend because it is, 1) lovely in it's symetry, 2) secure, 3) easy to untie.  The Vice Versa is less likely to shake out than some others and has proven to be quite strong. It is my go-to bend.

First, put a loop in one of the lines to be joined:

(Image removed from quote.)



Next, feed the working end of the other line through the loop of the first (red) line and then over its standing end. The direction the second (blue) line is passed through the loop is important.

(Image removed from quote.)



The second (blue) line is then passed under the first (red) line and crossed up over the standing end of the first (red) line to form a loop in the second (blue) line, 'capturing' the first (red) line. You can see the symmetry starting to build.

(Image removed from quote.)



The working end of the second (blue) line is passed back through the loop of the first (red) line in the opposite direction as it first passed.

(Image removed from quote.)



In a symmetric manner, the working end of the first (red) line is passed through the loop of the second (blue) line. The Vice Versa is done.

(Image removed from quote.)



Here it is, awl snugged up:

(Image removed from quote.)



Knot only is this a fun and easy knot to tie, it is visually pleasing and very secure. Give it a try! 

Beautifull knot Nix

Enviado de meu moto g(6) usando o Tapatalk

 


I think Vitor has more patience than I do......