The common whipping is the simplest type of

whipping knot A whipping knot or whipping is a binding of twine or whipcord around the end of a rope to prevent its natural tendency to fray. Some whippings are finished cleanly, as by drawing the bitter end of the cordage beneath the whipping itself. Ot ...

, a series of knots intended to stop a

rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly ...

from unravelling. As it can slip off the rope easily, the common whipping should not be used for rope ends that will be handled. This whipping knot is also called 'wolf' whipping in some parts of the world. The '

Hangman's knot The hangman's knot or hangman's noose (also known as a collar during the Elizabethan era) is a knot most often associated with its use in hanging a person. For a hanging, the knot of the rope is typically placed under or just behind the left ...

' is a variation of this whipping knot. The benefit of a common whipping is that no tools are necessary and the rope does not need to be unlaid. The problem is that it will slide off the end of the rope with little provocation. Other whippings avoid this by interleaving the whipping with the strands of the rope and creating friction with the strands to avoid slipping. Normally a natural fibre rope is whipped with twine. The size of the rope dictates the size of the twine. Any twine can be used, but tarred two strand hemp (marline) is preferred. Artificial-fibre ropes should have their ends fused by heat rather than whipped to prevent unravelling.

Process

See also

References

Further reading