A third type of knots are those which are used where a rope is too long
and where it is awkward to have the free ends hanging loose or where
the ends are in use and the slack must be taken up in the middle of the
rope. These are known as shortening knots. They are also sometimes used
merely for ornament.
Fig. 36. The Chain knot is frequently used for shortening and is made
by forming a running loop, then drawing a bight of the rope through the
loop, and a second bight through the first and so on until the rope has
been shortened sufficiently. The free end should then be fastened by
passing a toggle or the end of the rope through this last loop. To
undo this shortening is very simple as all that is necessary is to
either remove the toggle from the last loop or remove the end of the
rope if it were used, and then pull on the free end until the knot is
completely unraveled.
[Illustration: _Fig. 36_]
Fig. 37. The Whipped Shortening or Bend Shortening is one of the most
easily made and is well adapted to heavy ropes where a shortening must
be made quickly and where it is not to withstand a heavy strain.
Fig. 38. Three-fold Shortening is started by making an Over-hand knot
and continuing to tuck the end through the loop three more times, and
drawing tight.
Fig. 39. The Sheep-shank or Dog-shank as it is sometimes called, is one
of the most widely used of all shortenings. It is made in several forms
but the first form shown, while adaptable to fairly stiff ropes, will
not withstand much strain. It is used for shortening electric light
cords.
Fig. 40. Sheep-shank for free end rope is similar to the plain
Sheep-shank except the free end of the rope is passed through the
loop. This makes a secure shortening, but it can not be used where
the ends of the rope are not free.
[Illustration: _Fig. 37; Fig. 38; Fig. 39; Fig. 40; Fig. 41_]
Fig. 41. A Sheep-shank with toggle, is a plain Sheep-shank with the
toggle inserted as shown, and makes the shortening as secure as that
shown in Fig. 38. It is also easily untied.
[Illustration: _Fig. 42_]
Fig. 42. Sheep-shank with ends whipped is the same as in a plain
Sheep-shank except the loop is whipped to the standing part of the
rope. This makes the shortening as secure as those shown in Fig. 38,
and Fig. 39.
[Illustration: _Fig. 43_]
Fig. 43. Bow-shortening is an ordinary knot in the middle of a rope
in which a double bend has previously been made. It is not adapted to
heavy ropes nor will it stand a heavy strain successfully.