Albright Special

Tying procedure — Albright Special

1. Step 01 / 4

   Bend the end of the heavier line back on itself to form a loop, and hold its two strands together.

   You should now see: A loop in the heavier line with both strands lying side by side and the closed end of the loop pointing toward the lighter line.

   If it goes wrong: Making the loop in the lighter line. The thick line cannot be wrapped tightly around a thin loop, and the join will not hold.

   Fix: Swap the roles: the heavier line makes the loop and the lighter line does the wrapping.

   Why: The join works because the thin line bites down onto the stiff, doubled heavy line, which is built for joins between lines of very different diameters.

   1Bend of the loop

   2Lighter line's end

   Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Fold the heavier line back on itself to make a long loop

   Hold: Left hand holds the two legs of the loop together. Move: Right hand lays the lighter line alongside, its end by the bend of the loop.

   You should now see: A long loop in the heavier line, with the lighter line lying alongside and its end beside the bend.

2. Step 02 / 4

   Push about 25 cm (10 in) of the lighter line through the loop, then wrap it back over itself and both strands of the loop 10 times, working toward the closed end of the loop.

   You should now see: Ten tight wraps lying side by side over the light line and both loop strands, ending near the closed end of the loop.

   If it goes wrong: Wraps that cross, overlap or leave gaps, seen as a lumpy or uneven sleeve. It happens when the light line is not kept under tension between wraps.

   Fix: Unwind the wraps and start again, pinching each wrap in place against the loop while you make the next.

   Why: The wraps pin the light line's own tag against the heavy line, so the thin line grips along the whole length of the sleeve rather than at one point.

   1Up through the loop by the bend

   Step 2 of 4 · move 1 of 2

   Push the lighter line up through the loop by the bend and lay it along the loop

   Hold: Left hand holds the loop open by the bend. Move: Right hand pushes the lighter line up through the loop and along both legs.

3. 1Ten turns toward the bend

   Step 2 of 4 · move 2 of 2

   Wind it back toward the bend, ten tight turns over itself and both legs

   Hold: Left hand pinches the turns as they build. Move: Right hand winds the lighter line round both legs and its own line, toward the bend.

   You should now see: Ten even turns over both legs of the loop and the lighter line's own run, stopping just short of the bend.

4. Step 03 / 4

   Pass the tag of the lighter line back through the loop, so it comes out on the same side of the loop that it went in.

   You should now see: The light-line tag and the light standing line both coming out of the loop on the same side, next to each other.

   If it goes wrong: Bringing the tag out on the opposite side of the loop from where the light line entered. The two light-line strands then sit on different sides of the loop.

   Fix: Pull the tag back out of the loop and pass it through again so it comes out beside the light standing line.

   Why: NetKnots notes that you can wrap front to back or back to front with the same result, as long as the lines leave on the same side of the loop.

   1Back through, same side

   Step 3 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Pass the end back down through the loop beside where it came up

   Hold: Left hand holds the turns from springing loose. Move: Right hand passes the end back down through the loop next to the line's first pass.

   You should now see: The lighter line's end leaving the loop on the same side it came in, right beside its own standing part.

5. Step 04 / 4

   Holding both heavy strands, slide the wraps to the closed end of the loop without pushing them off. Wet the knot, pull the light line's tag and standing line to tighten, and trim both tags.

   You should now see: A tight sleeve of wraps sitting at the closed end of the loop, with the heavy line and light line leaving the knot in a straight line.

   If it goes wrong: Sliding the wraps off the end of the loop, or tightening with the wraps still far from the closed end. The join bends at the knot or the wraps loosen when pulled.

   Fix: If the wraps slid off the loop, pull the knot apart and tie it again. If they were tightened far from the closed end, cut it off and retie.

   Why: Seated at the closed end, the wraps bear against the bend of the heavy line. Pulling both ends of the light line closes each wrap down evenly before the join takes load.

   Step 4 of 4 · move 1 of 2

   Wet it and pull both standing lines to seat the turns against the bend

   Hold: Left hand pulls the lighter line's standing part. Move: Right hand pulls the heavier line's standing part the other way, slowly.

6. Step 4 of 4 · move 2 of 2

   Trim both ends close

   Hold: Left hand holds the knot. Move: Right hand trims the heavier line's end and the lighter line's end close.

   You should now see: A tight block of turns against the bend of the loop, the two lines leaving it in a straight line, and two short ends.