Double Sheet Bend

Tying procedure — Double Sheet Bend

1. Step 01 / 4

   Fold a bight in the end of the thicker rope and hold it closed, with the short tail of the bight lying beside its standing part.

   You should now see: A narrow U in the thicker rope with both legs together, and the thin rope free and ready to feed in.

   If it goes wrong: Making the bight in the thinner rope. Where the ropes differ a lot in size, a thin bight cannot hold the thick rope and the bend pulls apart under load.

   Fix: Let go and start over with the bight in the thicker rope. The thin rope is the one that does the wrapping.

   Why: This version is for ropes of clearly different sizes. The extra turn at step 3 gives the thin rope more grip on a bight much thicker than itself.

   1Bight in the thicker rope

   2Thinner rope's end

   Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Fold the thicker rope back on itself to make a bight

   Hold: Left hand holds the bight closed, its closed end toward the other rope. Move: Right hand brings the thinner rope's end up beside the bight.

   You should now see: A narrow bight in the thicker rope, with the thinner rope's end beside its closed end.

2. Step 02 / 4

   Push the working end of the thinner rope up through the bight from underneath, and pull through enough to make two full turns around the bight and a tuck.

   You should now see: The thin rope rising out of the U with a long working end free, and the bight still held closed in your other hand.

   If it goes wrong: Pulling through only enough rope for a single sheet bend. The end runs out partway through the second turn and leaves a stub too short to tuck.

   Fix: Feed more of the thin rope through the bight before wrapping, so the end is still long after two turns and the tuck.

   Why: Each turn around a thick bight uses up a lot of thin rope. Measuring the end now saves unwrapping later.

   1Up through the bight

   Step 2 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Push the thinner rope up through the bight, with enough end for two turns

   Hold: Left hand holds the bight flat. Move: Right hand pushes the thinner rope's end up through the bight near its closed end.

   You should now see: The thinner rope rising out of the bight with a long end, enough for two turns and a tuck.

3. Step 03 / 4

   Take the thin rope around behind both legs of the bight and under its own standing part, then go around behind both legs again and pass under its standing part a second time, beside the first on the side toward the bight's closed end.

   You should now see: Two turns of thin rope lying side by side around the bight, both passing under the thin rope's standing part, with the end coming out between the first turn and the bight's closed end.

   If it goes wrong: Stopping after one turn, which leaves an ordinary sheet bend. Count the turns around the bight: with only one, the thin rope can slide on a much thicker bight.

   Fix: Pull the end back out of the tuck and add the second turn around both legs of the bight before tucking again.

   Why: The second turn adds more thin rope pressed against the bight. Animated Knots gives this double turn as the version to use when rope sizes differ significantly.

   1Behind both parts of the bight

   Step 3 of 4 · move 1 of 3

   Take it down over the short end, then round behind both parts of the bight

   Hold: Left hand holds the bight and the thinner rope where it came through. Move: Right hand takes the end over the short end and round behind both parts.

4. 1First tuck

   Step 3 of 4 · move 2 of 3

   Tuck the end under its own standing part, where it crosses the short end

   Hold: Left hand holds the first turn in place. Move: Right hand tucks the end under the thinner rope's diagonal across the short end.

5. 1Second turn

   2Second tuck

   Step 3 of 4 · move 3 of 3

   Go round both parts again, beside the first turn toward the closed end, and tuck

   Hold: Left hand keeps the first turn and tuck from loosening. Move: Right hand takes the end round behind both parts again and under the diagonal a second time.

   You should now see: Two turns side by side round the bight, both tucked under the thinner rope's own standing part, with the end next to the bight's closed end.

6. Step 04 / 4

   Pull the two standing parts apart firmly to draw the turns down, then check that both short tails come out on the same side of the knot.

   You should now see: Turns snugged down neatly on the bight, both short tails on the same side, and each tail left long, especially on the thinner rope.

   If it goes wrong: Tails ending on opposite sides of the knot. As with the single sheet bend, that version is less reliable, and it looks almost the same unless you check the tails.

   Fix: Untie it and wrap again, taking the thin rope behind the tail leg of the bight first so both tails finish together.

   Why: The extra turn does not change the tail check. For critical loads, Animated Knots advises leaving the ends much longer than in its animation.

   Step 4 of 4 · move 1 of 1

   Pull both standing parts to dress it, with both short ends on the same side

   Hold: Left hand pulls the thicker rope's standing part. Move: Right hand pulls the thinner rope's standing part the other way, slowly.

   You should now see: Both turns bedded down on the bight, and both short ends on the same side of the knot. Short ends on opposite sides slip.