The butterfly bend is a
knot
A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...
used to join the ends of two ropes together. It is the analogous
bend form of the
butterfly loop,
in that it is the butterfly loop with the loop cut.
The observation that the butterfly loop is secure enough to isolate a worn or damaged section of rope within the loop indicated that the bend form of the knot would be similarly secure.
History
When Phil D. Smith made the first known presentation of the
Hunter's bend in 1953 (under the name "rigger's bend"),
he described it as a modification to the butterfly bend.
While the bend form had been known to mountaineers, nautical rigger Brion Toss brought the knot to a wider audience when he published it in 1975. Unaware of the earlier publication, Toss called the butterfly bend the strait bend after the
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about long that is the Salish Sea's outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The international boundary between Canada and the United States runs down the centre ...
.
Tying
The butterfly bend can be tied using a subset of the methods used for tying the loop form by holding the two rope ends together and treating them as if they were a single
bight
The word is derived from Old English ''byht'' (“bend, angle, corner; bay, bight”). In modern English, bight may refer to:
* Bight (geography), recess of a coast, bay, or other curved feature
* Bight (knot), a curved section, slack part, or loo ...
. However, specific methods have been developed for tying the bend form directly, including the one shown below and characterizable using the
mnemonic device
A mnemonic ( ) device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval (remembering) in the human memory for better understanding.
Mnemonics make use of elaborative encoding, retrieval cues, and imagery ...
"A ''d'' through a ''b''; 'twist the two and toward me":
Security
A properly tied butterfly bend should be as secure as the equivalent loop form.
However, subtle positioning errors during the above shown tying method can result in a similar looking but insecure bend knot.
See also
*
Knot
A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...
*
List of bend knots
This is a list of bends. A bend is a knot used to join two lengths of rope. They are used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. Bend knots are classified based on their ability to be tightened or released, th ...
*
List of knots
This list of knots includes many alternative names for common knots and lashings. Knot names have evolved over time, and there are many conflicting or confusing naming issues. The overhand knot, for example, is also known as the thumb knot. The ...
References
{{Knots
Bend knots