Andrew’s Note:  A prepper buddy of mine has been experimenting with and teaching himself knots recently…got me to thinking about what basic knots a prepper should know and as I do for many prepper skills…I went to look for military wisdom on the subject that I could apply to the art and study of preparedness…Prepography.  The following information is from TC 21-3 Soldier’s Handbook for Individual Operations and Survival in Cold Weather Areas (Approved for Public Release).

USEFUL KNOTS

A rope is only a limp coil of hemp or nylon. It is useful only when you are able to attach it to itself or another object. The six basic knots described below will fit all your needs for tying rope together or onto equipment or personnel.

THE HALF HITCH

The half hitch is used to secure the end of a rope to some other object or to secure other knots.

THE OVERHAND KNOT

The overhand knot is used to make a knotted rope for a handline or to temporarily whip the end of a rope to keep it from unraveling.

THE SQUARE KNOT

The square knot is used to tie the ends of two ropes of equal width together. The knot should be secured by tying a half hitch on each side of the knot. If properly tied, the square knot will not slip or jam. Be careful to follow Figure 10-16 or you may end up with a “granny knot,” which can slip and jam.

THE CLOVE HITCH

The clove hitch is the most useful of the hitches. It can be used to tie the end of a rope to a post or eye, or it can be used to secure the middle of a rope without using the ends.

THE DOUBLE SHEET BEND

The double sheet bend is used for tying two ropes together of different width.

THE BOWLINE

The bowline is used to form a loop on the end of the rope that will not slip.

Remember the qualities of a good knot: it is easy to tie, it does not jam and become hard to untie, and it does not slip when weight is put on it.