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KA

Diagram

Sheet Bend

Becket bend · Weaver's knot

Join two ropes of unequal or similar diameter. Form the bight in the thicker rope; use the Double Sheet Bend when the size difference is marked.

Bend · Beginner · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Sheet Bend, finishedSheet Bend, finished

Finished structure

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

  1. Fold the thicker rope back on itself to make a bightThe thicker rope is folded back on itself into a bight, and the end of the thinner rope lies close to the bight's closed end.
    1Bight in the thicker rope
    2Thinner rope's end
    Move 1 of 1Fold the thicker rope back on itself to make a bightYou should now see: A bight in the thicker rope, with the thinner rope's end beside its closed end.

    Step 01

    Fold a bight in the end of the thicker or stiffer rope and hold it in one hand, with the short tail of the bight lying alongside its standing part.

    You should now see

    A narrow U in the thicker rope, tail and standing part side by side, with the thinner rope still free.

    If it goes wrong

    Making the bight in the thinner rope. The thick rope then has to wrap a bight too thin to hold it, and the bend can pull out as soon as it is loaded.

    Fix: Swap the roles before going on: let the thin rope go and fold the bight in the thicker rope instead.

    Why: The thinner, more flexible rope does all the wrapping and tucking. It grips best bent around a bight that is at least as thick as it is.

  2. Pass the thinner rope up through the bight from underneathThe end of the thinner rope comes up through the bight from underneath, near the bight's closed end.
    1Up through the bight
    Move 1 of 1Pass the thinner rope up through the bight from underneathYou should now see: The thinner rope coming up through the bight from behind, with plenty of end above it.

    Step 02

    Bring the working end of the thinner rope up through the bight from underneath, leaving plenty of end to wrap with.

    You should now see

    The thin rope rising out of the U from below, with a good length of working end free above the bight.

    If it goes wrong

    Leaving too little end to work with. A short end is fiddly to tuck, and a sheet bend with short tails is the one most likely to roll out.

    Fix: Pull more of the thin rope through the bight now, while nothing is wrapped. Leave more tail on the thinner rope than on the thick one.

    Why: Entering from underneath and then following step 3 as written finishes with both tails on the same side of the knot.

  3. Take it round behind both parts of the bight, the short end firstThe thinner rope's end goes over the bight's short end, round behind both parts of the bight, and back to the front.
    1Behind both parts of the bight
    Move 1 of 2Take it round behind both parts of the bight, the short end first
    Tuck the end under itself, between itself and the bightThe end of the thinner rope is tucked under its own standing part where that comes up through the bight, and lies along the bight.
    1Tucked under itself
    Move 2 of 2Tuck the end under itself, between itself and the bightYou should now see: The thinner rope's end tucked under its own standing part and lying along the bight, not over the top of itself.

    Step 03

    Take the thin rope around behind both legs of the bight, tail leg first, then tuck it under itself so it is trapped between its own strand and the bight.

    You should now see

    The thin rope wrapped around both legs of the bight with its end pinned flat under its own strand, lying across the bight and not through it.

    If it goes wrong

    Going around only one leg of the bight, or laying the end over itself instead of under. Either way nothing holds the tuck down, and the thin rope slides off when you pull.

    Fix: Unwrap back to where the thin rope comes up through the bight, go around behind both legs, and tuck the end under its own strand.

    Why: When the ropes load, the thin rope's standing part presses the tucked end against the bight. That pinch is the grip of the whole bend.

  4. Pull both standing parts to dress it, with both short ends on the same sideThe finished sheet bend: the thinner rope's turn closed round the bight, with both short ends lying on the same side of the knot.
    Move 1 of 1Pull both standing parts to dress it, with both short ends on the same sideYou should now see: Both short ends leaving the knot on the same side. Short ends on opposite sides is the left-handed sheet bend, which slips.

    Step 04

    Hold both standing parts and pull them apart to draw the knot up, then check which side of the knot each short tail comes out on.

    You should now see

    A compact knot with both short tails on the same side, and a good tail left on each rope, longer on the thinner one.

    If it goes wrong

    Tails ending on opposite sides of the knot. That is the left-handed sheet bend, which looks almost the same but is less reliable.

    Fix: Pull it apart and tie it again, taking the thin rope behind the tail leg of the bight first. For a critical load, leave both tails much longer.

    Why: Animated Knots notes that the ends in its animation were left short and must be left much longer for critical loads. Hook the Horizon names short tails as the commonest reason a sheet bend rolls out.

Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

Sheet-bend family

Bight in the thicker rope; tails same side; extra turn if the diameters differ.

  • !Bight in the thinner rope — the join spills
  • !Tails on opposite sides (left-handed sheet bend)
  • !Only one turn on a mismatch job — that is a single sheet bend asked to do double work
Fails when
  • !Tails finish on opposite sides of the knot
  • !Tails left short, so the bend rolls out
  • !Slack and snatch loading in slick or springy rope
  • !Ropes far apart in size joined with a single turn
Geometry

  • Bight in the thinner rope

    Bend spills as soon as the thick rope loads

    The bight belongs in the thicker rope · step 01

  • Tails opposite sides

    Left-handed sheet bend slips

    Same-side tails are the lock · step 04

  • Missing tuck

    This is a hitch, not a bend

    The working end must tuck under its own standing part · step 03

If you saw this

  • Bend walks or spills

    Check

    • ?Tails same side
    • ?Bight in the thicker rope

    Then

    • →Retie same-side tails
    • →Step to double sheet bend

  • Bight in the thinner rope

    Check

    • ?Bend spills as soon as the thick rope loads
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Tails opposite sides

    Check

    • ?Left-handed sheet bend slips
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Missing tuck

    Check

    • ?This is a hitch, not a bend
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

Not ideal for

  • ×Marked diameter mismatch (use Double Sheet Bend)
  • ×Slick HMPE
  • ×A permanent join (splice)

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