The Overhand on a bight is an Overhand knot that is tied with a bight of rope instead of a rope’s end.
It consists of a fixed loop at the end of a rope or anywhere along the line.
Let’s learn this knot in detail.
Overhand on a Bight Details
Type: Loop
Other Names: Overhand Loop, Overhand Loop Knot
ABoK Reference: #518, #1009, #1046
How to Tie an Overhand on a Bight Knot
- Make an Overhand loop with the bight.
- Pass the bight through the loop.
- Tighten the knot.
How do you know you have tied this right? Just look for the set of two parallel lines in the knot.
To untie, hold the knot and push the standing end upwards. The knot starts to spill out.
Quick TIP
Need a temporary loop knot that is easy to untie? Try Slipped Overhand loop knot.
It’s like the regular Overhand loop knot but is much easier to untie.
To tie this, tie an Overhand knot with the bight. Then fold the bight and feed it through the loop.
You have just tied Slipped Overhand loop knot.
When you are just done using it, just pull the withdraw loop to untie the knot.
If you need to secure the Overhand loop knot further, tie Double Overhand loop.
It’s similar to Overhand loop knot but it consists of two turns around the loop.
Overhand on a Bight Knot Strength
The simple Overhand Knot retains the rope strength by 50% to 60%.
The Relative strength of the rope can increase up to 80% if you tie Overhand on a bight.
That said, it’s not used at sea because it can jam and becomes difficult to untie after it has been loaded.
In fact there are times you may need to cut it off.
Overhand on a Bight vs Bowline Knot
The Overhand loop knot is not a weak knot per se, but it jams after taking a heavy load.
If you want a secure knot that is easy to untie, Bowline Knot is the best fit for you.
But it can shake loose when there is no tension in the line.
Fun Fact: Believe it or not, the Overhand on a Bight isn’t recommended by the Boy Scouts. Why? Because it looks similar to Bowline.
Overhand on a Bight vs Figure 8 Loop Knot
The Figure 8 loop (Figure 8 follow through loop in particular) is used for attaching rope to a climbing harness.
It has a high relative knot strength (around 85%) and is used as a standard tie in knot.
The Overhand on a bight is weaker than Figure 8 loop, but it’s not the weakest knot.
It’s used in climbing to setup anchors and clipping the rope to the carabiners.
The Overhand loop knot is less bulky and requires less rope than Figure 8 loop.
The main advantage of the Figure 8 loop over the Overhand loop is that it’s easier to untie after heavy loads.
That said, there are other non jamming mid loop knots like the Alpine butterfly and Directional Figure 8.
Related Article: How to tie perfect figure 8 knot
Pros and Cons
The Overhand loop knot is an easy knot to tie as everyone knows how to tie a basic Overhand knot.
It can be tied anywhere along the rope, so you don’t need a working end per se.
It’s difficult to untie after it has been loaded.
Applications and Uses
The Overhand loop knot is used to tie hooks or lures in the fishing line.
It’s used to build anchors and attach the midline of a rope to a carabiner or climbing gear.
If you are out camping, it’s used to create adjustable guy lines or attach ropes to stakes or trees.
It’s also for everyday use like making loops in lanyards or tying parcels.
It’s used in kite flying for securing the kite lines. There are better alternatives like Figure 8 loop paired with Lark’s head knot.
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