KNOTS – A COMPLETE GUIDE by Lindsey Philpott Price: £ 17.99 Published by New Holland ISBN 1 84330 455 4 (hardback) 1 84330 456 2 (paperback)
New Holland Say Knowing the right knot to use – and how to tie it – is an invaluable skill for anyone involved in outdoor activities. There are literally thousands of knots, for a wide variety of applications, with new knots being devised each year. ‘Knots: A Complete Guide’ provides comprehensive instructions for tying more than 110 of the knots most commonly used in outdoor pursuits such as climbing, hiking, boating, camping and fishing.
An illustration from the book
An introductory section outlines the basics of rope construction, maintenance and care, as well as the many different types of ropes and cordage, and delves into the history of knots and knot tying. Each knot entry is shown in step-by-step photographs, with detailed tying instructions as well as tips and lore, advice on strength and security, and a key system which indicates the applications most suitable for each. Whether constructing a make-shift camp or rigging a sail, towing a car or rock climbing, ‘Knots’ will prove an indispensable guide.
The Author Lindsey Philpott is the President and co-founder of the Pacific Americas Branch of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. He was first introduced to knotting as a Wolf Cub and Boy Scout in his native England. After emigrating to the United States, he worked as an engineer for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District. Today, he teaches decorative intricate knotwork and basic knots in marlinespike seamanship classes to children and adults alike. Licensed by the US Coast Guard as a Captain, he enjoys teaching up-and-coming captains the intricacies of rigging and ropework, as well as volunteering as a rigger and mate on many of the square-rigged vessels. His involvement with knotting has extended to acting as an expert witness in several murder cases and becoming proficient in Chinese knotting. He has an extensive library of books and pamphlets on knotting, and a collection of knot-related tools and artefacts that completely fills one room of his house in Long Beach, California.
FISHINGmagic VERDICT
This is the best book on knots I’ve seen. Never mind the descriptive text and the history of the knots, the cover price is worth it just for the extremely clear step-by-step photographs of the tying of the knots.
There are plenty of angler’s knots to learn and there are lots of knots for other applications that will also serve the angler well.
There are some anomalies, for instance, the knot we British anglers know as The Grinner (invented by Walker and named after his young son who grinned a lot) is something entirely different in the book. Not that we should blame the author for that as it was probably Walker who unknowingly named his knot after an existing knot!
Nevertheless, an excellent book that every angler would be glad to have on his bookshelf.
