But for everyone else their approach is "here is my problem - can knots solve it and if so how?" and that is just as valid an approach to encouraging people to learn more. In short I would like to see the "6 problems" rather than the "6 knots" - same thing actually but better marketing?
Barry
Ok.
Lets get that started then.
1. Camping
One example from myself:
Whenever I put a tent up, I went about that by attaching the ropes to the tent pegs and then tighten them by putting the pegs into the ground at the spot where the ropes are tight. Idealy the tent peg is put in the ground in an angle, pointing to the tent and often the ropes are slack afterwards or the annoying stone in the ground, just at the perfect spot, spoils your endeavor. Until I learned about knots and in particular the adjustable grip hitch. Just put the pegs in nicely at a convenient spot were there is no stone in the ground, hook the grip hitches over the pegs and tighten them by sliding the grip hitch up. It usually stays tight, if not, re-tighten it every now and then or re-tie the grip hitch with extra turns for more friction. When done camping, loosen it by sliding the grip hitch down and the loop can stay in for the next time you use it. Simple, efficient and my friends wanted to learn it straight away.
2. You need to put a pole into the ground or you need to get one out of the ground?
> use a prusik or a klemheist.
Have a look at the pictures in the german wikipedia artikel about the prusik (in the section: "Heim und Garten"> "home and garden") for some nice examples. >
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/PrusikknotenPut a prusik around the pole and you have a nice handle to use your body weight to drive the pole into the ground or pull it out. Put a lever into the handle for heavy duty, use the prusik principle for makeshift ladder rungs, climb up a rope or pole (for whatever reason, to have a look around perhaps?) using the prusik etc.
3. You need to tie something down on the rack of your bike? Try a gleipnir or constrictor
4. You need to use a rope to clime onto something? > make a makeshift rope ladder with butterfly loops or tie stopper knots (figure eight, double overhand knot etc.) into the rope for grip
5. you need a simple yet reliable way of attaching a fishing hook to a piece of string? > use the palomar loop
6. you have two ropes but they are both not long enough for the task at hand? > join them with a zeppelin bend
7. you constantly have to tie your shoes because the shoelaces are so slippery that they keep opening? > try the "Double Slip Knot" instead>
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/secureknot.htm8. You have to hang a hammock? > try the Siberian Hitch etc.
9. you need a temporary or makeshift whipping, or you don't have a cable tie but need one ? > use a constrictor
10. you need a quick, secure fixed loop> use a bowline
...
I think that list might get longer then the list of knots that you may need.
A combination of both approaches might be what we need.
Find a good, alround basic set of knots that is secure and versatile. (such as the surrey six, but I would swap the sheet bend with the zeppelin bend for starters)
1. Teach every knot not just by itself but with at least one good example of when to use it.
2. Combine them in multiple ways to fulfill many a task so that YOU DON'T have to go through a long list of possible scenarios (and never quite covering them all). Rather teach this Lecter's handful of knots in such a way that the learner feels comfortable with using them in many different scenarios. That way, even if they do not always have the perfect knot for every scenario, they have at least a viable solution based on the basic set of knots they learned.
The surrey six is one example but chances are they come back for more once they found that the figure 8 e.g. is awkward as a bend or hitch and difficult to untie, that the constrictor can be a bitch to untie when used as a binder, that the figure 8 hitch is just not good enough for hanging a hammock, that the sheet bend may come lose or is prone to slip in certain materials (well, they could fall back on the figure 8 bend, but that one is a jammer) etc.
But at least they used a secure and easy knot for the time being and that is what it is all about. If they come back for more, teach them better knots for the specific tasks they have or an upgraded basic set (advanced set) that includes e.g. the adjustable grip hitch, the gleipnir, the siberian or the buntline hitch, the prusik knot etc.