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How to Tie an Overhand Knot

Easy
🏠 Everyday⛺ Camping🪢 General

The overhand knot is the most basic stopper knot — it prevents a rope end from pulling through a hole, ring, or grommet, and is the foundation of many more complex knots.

How to Tie a Overhand Knot Step by Step

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Written Instructions — Overhand Knot

  1. Hold rope near end Take about 6 inches of working end.
  2. Form a loop Cross working end over standing part to form a loop.
  3. Pass working end through loop Take working end through loop from behind, coming upward to the front.
  4. Pull tight Pull both ends to cinch the knot firmly.

Tips for Tying a Overhand Knot

  • The overhand is the building block of many other knots — the surgeon's knot, the figure eight, the fisherman's knot all start with variations of an overhand.
  • Difficult to untie after heavy loading — use a figure eight as a stopper when you may need to remove the knot later.
  • For a neater appearance, tie two overhand knots close together — they form a neat pair that lies flatter.
  • The overhand tied in the middle of a rope is the simplest way to shorten it temporarily.

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