There's been some discussion about "strongest" versus "most practical".
Please *NB* that there is also the point that "
strength"
is usually left undefined, and presumed to be measurable
by a standard test device --as opposed to, say, quantities
of loading at forces that wouldn't be expected to break the
rope.
Where I have had problems is with rope slipping out of knots. I fell out of a tree once, due to this type of failure. It was a Carrick bend, that the rope slipped out of - I was surprised, having thought that the knot's over-and-under weaves would provide enough friction to keep that from happening.
THIS statement of a "weave" suggests that that is
how you left the knot!? For, the usual completion
will transform the lattice form (my term for the usual
orientation for tying it) into a knot not all so different
from others, and so not likely to be so described.
If so, I think that we can appreciate how such an
unfinished structure might have failed (tails too short,
capsizing done unequally). Because, otherwise,
a
carrick bend shouldn't fail. Hmmm, unless
it's tied in the (referring to the lattice state)
ends-on-same-side version --that has been cited
as potentially (YMMV w/rope) insecure version!
This is why granny knots (and square knots, too, under some circumstances) are said to be so bad - they're easy to capsize, and once capsized, they slide right apart.
No,
granny knots shouldn't
capsize --they've
a fair chance to jam and hold, depending how well
set they are (Ashley remarks about this chance).
As for the
square knot capsizing, well, that is
a given method for untying one. Frankly, I'm not all
so sure that this is a probable event, especially if
the knot's been heavily loaded. (Ashley made an
oft'-quoted assertion about this vulnerability, too,
but somehow that didn't discourage the knot being
kept in regularly published sailors' knots sets,
and even required ... .) Fortunately, there are
many other end-2-end knots to choose from,
though none so brief & trim.
--dl*
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