ClimbingClimbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or other parts of the body to ascend steep topographical objects that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders) to small boulders. Climbing is done for locomotion, sporting recreation, for competition, and in trades that rely on ascension, such as construction and military operations.
Bight (knot)In knot tying, a bight is a curved section or slack part between the two ends of a rope, string, or yarn. A knot that can be tied using only the bight of a rope, without access to the ends, is described as in the bight. The term "bight" is also used in a more specific way when describing Turk's head knots, indicating how many repetitions of braiding are made in the circuit of a given knot.Climbing ropeA climbing rope is a rope that is used in climbing. It is a critical part of an extensive chain of protective equipment (which also includes climbing harnesses, anchors, belay devices, and carabiners) used by climbers to help prevent potentially fatal fall-related accidents. Climbing ropes must meet very strict requirements so that they do not break in the event of an accidental fall.
Reef knotThe reef knot, or square knot, is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is sometimes also referred to as a Hercules knot or Heracles knot. The knot is formed by tying a left-handed overhand knot between two ends, instead of around one end, and then a right-handed overhand knot via the same procedure, or vice versa.
Wire ropeWire rope is composed of as few as two solid metal wires twisted into a helix that forms a composite rope, in a pattern known as laid rope. Larger diameter wire rope consists of multiple strands of such laid rope in a pattern known as cable laid. Manufactured using an industrial machine known as a strander, the wires are fed through a series of barrels and spun into their final composite orientation.
The Ashley Book of KnotsThe Ashley Book of Knots (ABoK) is an encyclopedia of knots written and illustrated by the American sailor and artist Clifford W. Ashley. First published in 1944, it was the culmination of over 11 years of work. The book contains 3,857 numbered entries and approximately 7,000 illustrations. The entries include knot instructions, uses, and some histories, categorized by type or function. It remains one of the most important and comprehensive books on knots.
CurveIn mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point.
RopeA rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly constructed cord, string, and twine. ConstructionRope may be constructed of any long, fibrous material (e.g., rattan, a natural material), but generally is constructed of certain natural or synthetic fibres.
List of knot terminologyThis page explains commonly used terms related to knots. BBendA bend is a knot used to join two lengths of rope. BightA bight is a slack part in the middle of a rope, usually a curve or loop. Knots that can be tied without access to either end of the rope are called knots in the bight. To tie a knot with a bight is to double up the rope into a bight and then tie the knot using the double rope.
HelixA helix (; pl.helices) is a shape like a cylindrical coil spring or the thread of a machine screw. It is a type of smoothskew curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined helices, and many proteins have helical substructures, known as alpha helices. The word helix comes from the Greek word ἕλιξ, "twisted, curved".
SpiralIn mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving further away as it revolves around the point. It is a subtype of whorled patterns, a broad group that also includes concentric objects.
KnotA 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 bend fastens two ends of a rope to each other; a loop knot is any knot creating a loop; and splice denotes any multi-strand knot, including bends and loops.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.