Knots (Pocket Guide Series) [Hardcover]

Richard Hopkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2003 | Series: Pocket Guide Series

Knots are needed to tie up parcels and hitch a horse, and for camping, fishing, climbing, and sailing. Featuring easy-to-follow guides to over 100 knots, each illustrated with specially commissioned photographs, Knots teaches everything from the basics to more unfamiliar knots. Each section looks at specialty equipment and their related knots and gives a glossary of terms with pointers on how best to tie each one. Over 700 color illustrations are included.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, Richard Hopkins has been tying knots for years; he was first taught by his father when only three or four years old. These early lessons became the basis of an interest in practical knots that hasn't waned. Richard has written numerous articles on knots and outdoor pursuits over the years. His skills with a rope recently led to his inclusion in a team that reconstructed an Iron Age chariot for BBC television.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571459812
• ISBN-13: 978-1571459817
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Instructional
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > General
  • #40 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Sports > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Most knots are clear and concise, but there are errors, May 25, 2007

By 

D. Shea - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knots (Pocket Guide Series) (Hardcover)

Pg. 116 - Jug or Bottle Sling

Instructions are to "...take the bottom of the front loop and weave it through the crossings of the other two side loops." However the illustration shows the line passing under, not over the second crossing. This coupled with poorly worded directions in general made it very difficult to accurately recreate this knot. After several attempts however I was able to discern exactly what the author was defining as "Loop A" and "Loop B" in spite of the poorly labeled diagram.

In general this is a great book, but errors like this should have been rectified by a proof reading and the diagrams on some of the more complex knots could be better labeled. Placing an "A" at the top of a picture with no arrow to discern which loop is being referenced and labels no where near the intended loop they are meant to describe make for frustrating attempts the first few times you are trying to learn a new knot.

Still, I would recommend this book as a reference. For the most part it is well done. I would have ranked it higher but the mistakes in the diagrams lead me to give this a 3/5. Hopefully they revise the drawings in later editions to save other folks some frustration when learning the jug sling.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear and concise, October 12, 2003

By 

OutdoorEnthusiast (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knots (Pocket Guide Series) (Hardcover)

I've looked at a lot of knot books from people like Ashley, Budworth, and Pawson. This is easily one of the best! It's very user-friendly, with clear instructions and good drawings. Most of the knots are practical so it isn't cluttered with esoteric fancy knots that do nothing. My only caveat is a bit more could be said about pros and cons of various knots.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding little book!, September 27, 2007

By 

Charlie™ (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Knots (Pocket Guide Series) (Hardcover)

This is a great reference for anyone doing beginner to intermediate knot tying in a wide range of fields. I bought it for nautical reference and teaching on a training vessel, but it covers climbing and other fields with equal aplomb. It's not a comprehensive reference, but it's VERY thorough for any practical use, and it covers some background, tools and theory as well. Great book. Small size (meaning small print... but easy to take with you). Very clean and clear images. Well worth adding to your library.