Ashley Stopper

Tying procedure — Ashley Stopper

1. Step 01 / 4

   Leaving a long working end, tie a loose slip knot near the end of the rope, pulling a bight of the standing part through the overhand so the loop shrinks when you pull the standing part.

   You should now see: A loose overhand on the working-end side with an open loop coming out of it. A gentle tug on the standing part makes the loop smaller.

   If it goes wrong: Pulling the bight through from the working end instead. You notice it because tugging the standing part does not shrink the loop, while pulling the working end spills the knot.

   Fix: Pull the working end to spill the knot, then tie it again with the bight taken from the standing part.

   Why: This loop is what closes around the working end in step 3. It can only close when the standing part is pulled if the loop is made from the standing part.

   1Open loop, a bight of the standing part

   2Overhand

   3Working end

   Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Tie a loose slip knot near the end, pulling a bight of the standing part through

   Hold: Left hand holds the standing part above the knot

   Move: Right hand pulls a bight of the standing part through the overhand, leaving a long end

   You should now see: A loose overhand on the working-end side with an open loop below it; tugging the standing part shrinks the loop.

2. Step 02 / 4

   Tuck the working end through the open loop and draw a little of it through, keeping the loop loose around it.

   You should now see: The working end passes through the loop and hangs out the far side, with the loop still sitting loosely around it.

   If it goes wrong: Tucking the working end through the overhand instead of the loop. When the standing part is pulled later, the loop closes on nothing and a plain overhand is left.

   Fix: Pull the working end back out and feed it through the loop of standing part, which is the loop that shrinks when you tug the standing part.

   Why: The working end has to be inside the loop before anything is tightened. The loop closing around it is what makes the extra lobe.

   1Through the loop

   Step 2 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Tuck the working end through the open loop and draw a little of it through

   Hold: Left hand holds the slip knot and keeps the loop loose

   Move: Right hand passes the working end through the loop from the front and out the back

   You should now see: The working end passes through the loop and hangs out the far side, the loop still loose round it.

3. Step 03 / 4

   Pull the overhand part snug first, then pull the working end tight, and last pull the standing part hard so the loop closes down on the working end.

   You should now see: The loop has disappeared into the knot. On the underside, where the standing part enters, three separate lobes sit in a neat triangle.

   If it goes wrong: Hauling on the standing part before the overhand is snug. The loop drags out or closes in the wrong place, and the underside shows only two lobes, like a plain overhand.

   Fix: If only two lobes show, open the knot back to the slip knot, check the working end is inside the loop, and tighten again in order: overhand, working end, standing part.

   Why: Animated Knots gives this order because the overhand has to be snug before the standing part closes the loop. That keeps the loop seated around the working end instead of pulling out of the knot.

   1Overhand snug

   Step 3 of 4 · move 1 of 3

   Pull the overhand snug first, then pull the working end tight

   Hold: Left hand holds the standing part without pulling it

   Move: Right hand works the overhand snug round the loop's legs, then pulls the working end

4. 1Loop closing on the end

   Step 3 of 4 · move 2 of 3

   Now pull the standing part, so the loop draws up round the working end

   Hold: Right hand holds the working end

   Move: Left hand pulls the standing part steadily upward

5. 1Loop closed on the end

   Step 3 of 4 · move 3 of 3

   Pull the standing part hard last, so the loop closes down on the working end

   Hold: Right hand holds the working end

   Move: Left hand pulls the standing part until the loop disappears into the knot

   You should now see: The loop has closed into the knot round the working end, leaving three lobes where the standing part enters.

6. Step 04 / 4

   Work any slack out of the lobes with your fingers, pull the standing part once more, then test the knot against the block, fairlead or hole it is meant to stop.

   You should now see: A firm, round knot with no loose lobe, which stops at the opening without starting to squeeze into it.

   If it goes wrong: A loose knot, or one too small for the opening, that starts to pull into the block under load. It also gets tried as a way to join two ropes, which a stopper cannot do.

   Fix: If it is loose, retie and tighten in order. If it is tight and still pulls in, the opening is too big for this knot. To join two ropes, use a bend such as a sheet bend.

   Why: Ashley described this knot for holes too large for a figure-eight, and Animated Knots calls it the bulkiest of the simple stoppers and less likely than a figure-eight to shake loose.

   Step 4 of 4 · move 1 of 2

   Work the slack out of the lobes, then pull the standing part once more

   Hold: Left hand pulls the standing part once more

   Move: Right hand works each lobe firm with the fingers

7. 1Lobe: overhand, left

   2Lobe: overhand, right, where it turns over

   3Lobe: closed loop

   Step 4 of 4 · move 2 of 2

   Look along the standing part at the three lobes, then test it against the opening

   Hold: Left hand holds the standing part through the block or hole

   Move: Right hand turns the knot to see its underside, then lets it bear on the opening

   You should now see: A firm, round knot with no loose lobe, which stops at the opening without squeezing into it.