The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots [Hardcover]

Geoffrey Budworth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

A beautifully illustrated full-color guide to knots for home, camp, and the outdoors, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step diagrams and instructions for tying over eighty knots. Three hundred and thirty illustrations and ninety full-color photographs guide the reader through the stages of tying each knot correctly and safely. Included are knots for sailing, fishing, climbing, crafts, and a host of other pursuits. Along with the description of how to tie each knot is a detailed history of the knot and an explanation of its practical and decorative uses. (91/4 X 111/4, 164 pages, color photos, illustrations)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A beautifully illustrated full-color guide to knots for home, camp, and the outdoors, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step diagrams and instructions for tying over eighty knots. Three hundred and thirty illustrations and ninety full-color photographs guide the reader through the stages of tying each knot correctly and safely.Included are knots for sailing, fishing, climbing, crafts, and a host of other pursuits. Along with the description of how to tie each knot is a detailed history of the knot and an explanation of its practical and decorative uses. (91/4 X 111/4, 164 pages, color photos, illustrations)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158574073X
• ISBN-13: 978-1585740734
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another good basic overview of knot tying, October 11, 2002

By 

Brian A. Glennon "BAG" (South Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots (Paperback)

Its nice to see some of the knots found in Ashley's tied in line and with a variety of interesting background objects (such as chess pieces, Mah Jong pieces, bolts, chisels, or pens) to provide scale. In his work, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS (c.2000), Mr. Geoffrey Budsworth, a retired British police inspector and now an important knot tying enthusiast, has provided a 160 page coffee table book with just eighty-two examples of the 3,900 knots found in Ashley's, in big color glossy pictures.

Each colored photograph is accompanied by a clear tonal computer drawing of how to form the bend, hitch, knot, or braid, and a brief description of its application. Pointing, hitching, or grafting are absent as well as fender making or rope mats. The work covered only useful knots, and this brevity serves a purpose. By displaying all the practical information on a single page, Mr. Budworth had wisely provided an instant learning forum at a glance. This is important so that no time is wasted while instructing semi-literate co-workers the way a knot is meant to be tied and used while standing in the rain, snow, or under a blazing sun. I hope other knot books adopt a similar presentation style.

The size of the book is a drawback though, and since most knot application discussions take place on site, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS might be covered in paint, tar, or bird mess as it gets carted around under piers, engine rooms, aloft, or other dank places which would injure those glossy photographs.

There are a few shortcomings - One is that the book hardly fits the description of an 'encyclopedia', and might be subject to misinterpretation; and two, the book contains two serious knot tying errors: first on page 140, item #2 in the Lapp Knot, and second on page 31, item #4 in that the Miller's Knot is actually a Strangle Knot, which I'm sure the author had no control over the editorial process (including the Granny Knot on the front cover).

Overall, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS contains good knot history, cordage history, and pragmatic tying and use instruction in a brief and thorough format. This book will have many applications other than hitching a ride in a rigger's bucket up a mast, flagpole, or bridge stanchion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book to learn the most common knots, October 1, 2001

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots (Hardcover)

The Encyclopedia of Knots covers most of the basic knots that a person would be likely to need under normal conditions. The high point of this book is the quality of the illustrations. Between drawn illustrations and large photographs it is easy to follow along. The knots are correct and the illustrations represent the knots as tied. This may sound like what you should expect from a knot book but it has been my experience that it is often not the case. Between books that show the wrong illustration with the knot, leave out a step or suddenly show it from a different direction it is hard to find a good book with these items done correctly. This book does a great job of getting the illustrations right and is easy enough to follow along with that anyone can be tying knots correctly quickly. It also includes some knot history and explains how each knot should be used. A beautifully printed hardback book, I really only had one problem with it. For several of the knots the illustrations were clear but the method described and illustrated was not the easiest way to tie the knot. For example, I know of noone who really ties a figure of eight loop using the method indicated. The end result is the same and so this tying method is valid, but simply not the easiest. Still, even with a more complex method of tying the knot illustrated it is so well illustrated that you have no problem tying it that way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Over eighty of the world's most useful knots, April 27, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots (Hardcover)

There have been other knot books on the market, but Geoffrey Budworth's Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Knots is more lavishly illustrated than most, providing hundreds of color photos and illustrations which tell the best way to tie a knot for particular uses. Over eighty of the world's most useful knots are well detailed in a fine home reference.