Tight knots can be frustrating to deal with.
In most cases, it’s tempting to simply cut the rope and move on. But that’s not always necessary!
Most knots, even the toughest ones, can be undone with the right techniques and a bit of patience.
In this article, I’ll show how to untie a tight knot without making things worse. I’ll get the why, the how, and the tools to use when your fingers start to feel useless.
So, let’s start!
Why Do Knots Get So Tight in the First Place?
Knots tighten because of pressure and friction.
When you pull a rope tight, the rope segments press together each other and the friction between the fibres locks the knot.
That’s why the more pressure you put on a knot, the more it locks in place.
Not only that, it gets worse with certain materials.
Cotton ropes swell up when they’re wet and also grip down hard. The synthetic ropes might feel slippery at first, but once they tighten, they lock up like crazy.
Even time matters: if the knot has been sitting overnight, it’ll feel like it’s fused as the fibres settle down and conform to each other’s shapes.
Over-tightening and pulling a knot too much in the first place is the surefire way to make it harder to untie later.
In summary, knots become stubborn due to friction and pressure. The trick to untying them is to remove the pressure and create slack.
First Things First: Try This with Just Your Fingers
If the knot isn’t old or wet, you can probably undo it with your fingers. Here’s what you can do:
Look for the ends and loops sticking out
First, find where your rope starts and ends. That’s your way in.
Trace the rope through the mess and look for any little bump or loop you can pull on to get some slack.
Don’t pull hard, it will only make it worse.
Go slow, loosen one strand at a time
Instead of pulling the strands, try pushing parts of the knot from the inside.
Grab any loose loop and give it a little wiggle back and forth. Keep poking around until something shifts or moves a bit.
It might feel like nothing is happening, but keep going. Every little bit helps.
Twist with the rope, not against it
Twist the knot gently along the rope’s natural curl. Go with the flow of the rope and see if you can pull a loop out.
Use your nails or thumbs to open a gap
Stick your thumbnail into the tightest loop and press gently to see if you can wedge it apart.
Every small space you create is progress.
And here’s the thing: Once you get some slack, don’t lose it. Keep that looseness as you move forward.
When Fingers Aren’t Enough: Bring in the Tools
If you are still stuck, it’s time to grab some helpers around the house. Here are some effective tools and tips:
Tap the knot
A gentle knock can help loosen the fibers.
You can use a wooden spoon or a hammer to tap on the knot.
This can shake loose the compact loops and create tiny gaps.
Use a needle
If you have a small knot (like in fabric or jewelry), a sewing needle or a safety pin can work best.
Insert the tip of the pin into the center of the knot and wiggle it gently until the knot opens up so you can pull it out with your fingers.
Try a paperclip or a corkscrew
A blunt corkscrew can be used to push through the strands of the knot and then twist and wiggle it to break the friction.
A paperclip or a hairpin can be used with lighter cords.
The idea is to insert something slim and strong to loosen the tight turns.
Grab tweezers or pliers
If you have got thick ropes, use pliers to grab a single strand at a time and gently pull it out.
Just go slow and don’t crush the rope. Be careful to actually loosen it and not tighten it. Push against the locked parts of the knots so it opens rather than making it tighter.
You can use a flathead screwdriver or even a fork can open up tight knots.
Lubricate the knot
Lubrication helps tight knots slide.
Use a drop of dish soap or hair conditioner, rub it into the knot, and keep working it.
Use Marlinspike
For very tough knots, people prefer to use a specialty tool like the Marlinspike. It’s a steel spike sailors use to loosen the knot.
You can even use your nail or a metal pen tip. Just don’t hurt your fingers!
Special Cases (Because Not All Knots Are the Same)
Sometimes, different situation calls for tweaks to the basic approach. Here’s how I deal with the tough ones:
Wet rope
Water can tighten the natural fibers by swelling them. If your rope got wet in the rain, give it time to dry out first before you start to untie.
Sometimes, warm water can relax the synthetic rope and make it easier to undo the knot. That said, avoid soaking a dry synthetic cord in water as it can stiffen the material.
If the rope is already wet and jammed, tug to create slack while shaking the water out. Make sure to dry and clean the rope to prevent mildew.
Shoelaces
The small knots in the shoes can be surprisingly stubborn.
First, take off the shoes. Untie the bow loops by pulling the loops back through, not the ends. Always try loosening from the loops rather than the ends.
You can also push a spoon handle into the loop and twist to open things up. Once a little slack appears, pull the loops through.
Paracord
Paracord often has an inner core inside a braided sheath.
You can try pulling a bit of core on one end with the pliers gripping the sheath. This can free up slack in the tightest part.
Once you have a wiggle room, untie it as you would untie any other rope.
If the melted end is stuck in the knot, carefully trim just the tip and remelt it once you untie it.
What Not to Do
In order to avoid turning the knot into a ruined one, steer clear of these common mistakes:
- Don’t yank harder. Seriously. More force means more friction and a tighter knot. Focus on creating slack, but remember that pulling an end can tighten other parts.
- Don’t apply excessive heat. Some might think a quick burn will shrink the fiber and untie the knot, but fire ruins the ropes.
- Don’t apply superglue or tape to fix the rope. That’s the fastest way to make it permanent, you’ll never untie that.
- Don’t cut it prematurely. Cutting should be the last resort when the rope is scrap. If you must cut, try to cut in such a way that you can salvage the rest.
- Don’t neglect safety. If you’re using sharp tools, take care not to damage yourself.
How to Avoid Tight Knots Next Time
Now that you have conquered the knot, here’s how to prevent the next one:
- Leave a little slack if you are tying down luggage, bundling cables, or lacing shoes. Don’t cinch it down too hard if you know you’ll need to undo it later.
- Use a quick-release knot when you can. For instance, you can tie the tarp corner with a halter hitch instead of using the other stopper knots.
- Coil ropes properly. Use twist ties or velcro tapes on extension cords and garden hoses.
- Always clean the rope before you put it away. Dirt makes knots cling harder the longer it sits.
- Keep things organized. Don’t mix jewelry chains, hang them separately, or put them in pouches.
- Certain tying techniques make the knot easier to untie. For instance, this method of tying the Figure 8 follow through makes untying easier.
Tight knots don’t need to be a headache. If you stay calm, work slowly, and use the right trick for the job, even the tightest tangle will give in.
Happy untying!
