The klemheist knot or French Machard knot is a type of

friction hitch A friction hitch is a kind of knot used to attach one rope to another in a way that is easily adjusted. These knots are commonly used in climbing as part of single-rope technique, doubled-rope technique and as "ratchets" to capture progress on a ...

that grips the rope when weight is applied, and is free to move when the weight is released. It is used similarly to a Prusik knot or the

Bachmann knot The Bachmann hitch (sometimes misspelled 'Bachman') is a friction hitch, named after the Austrian alpinist Franz Bachmann. It is useful when the friction hitch needs to be reset quickly or often or made to be self-tending as in crevasse and self ...

to ascend or descend a

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders), to small boulders. Climbing is done ...

rope. One advantage is that

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can be used as an alternative to cord. The Klemheist is easier to slide up than a Prusik. The klemheist is also a way to attach a snubber to the anchor rope of small boats, with the advantage that it is easy to undo.Eric Vola, �
Le nœud Machard et son histoire
», site du CAF-Marseille, 2015 Sometimes the knot name is misspelled as kleimheist, with an extra i.

Technique

Make a secure loop of a cord (see

Double fisherman's knot The double fisherman's knot or grapevine knot is a bend. This knot and the triple fisherman's knot are the variations used most often in climbing, arboriculture, and search and rescue. The knot is formed by tying a double overhand knot, in its ...

) that is definitely narrower than the rope. Wrap from one end around the rope two or three times in a direction that will be down. The loose end is then threaded through the starting end, and carefully tightened to leave the wraps neat. In use, strain must be taken only on the hanging end. If the knot slips when load is placed on the hanging loop, re-tie around the climbing rope another time or two, until there is no slippage. Holding around the wraps will let you slide the knot up or down. Making the wraps slide when the hitch is under tension will create friction heat on the rope and the knot.

References

External links

*
Chockstone: Friction KnotsMark Adams's "Son of a Hitch: A Genealogy of Arborists’ Climbing Hitches"
{{Knots Climbing knots

Technique

See also

References

External links