Usage
The Ashley's Bend is one of several bends based on interlocked overhand knots. It is a reliable knot when used to join lines of stiff slippery material. It may be difficult to untie after loaded.
Warning
Verify tying technique with a skilled instructor where knot failure could cause property damage, injury, or death.
History
Ashley's Bend is a name now associated with the knot described in item #1452 of The Ashley Book of Knots. Clifford Ashley developed this knot but left it unnamed. Cyrus L. Day, a friend of Ashley's, gave the name 'Ashley's Bend' to the knot in the book The Art of Knotting & Splicing; that name has been adopted by other authors. In the 1930s, Ashley performed security tests for a number of bends for his work for a manufacturer of fabrics. The manufacturer wanted a bend that would not slip when tied in mohair, a stiff slippery material. The jerk testing Ashley performed placed the #1452 bend equal to the Barrel Knot in exhibiting no slip at all. All other bends tested exhibited either some slip or outright spill (catastrophic failure).
ABOK
Structure
Ashley's bend is similar to the
Zeppelin Bend and the Alpine Butterfly Bend in consisting of two interlocking
Overhand Knots. These bends have different ways of interlocking their constituent overhand knots, as can be seen by inspecting the bends. Most references fail to distinguish the distinct ways in which the knot can be dressed. As the two opposed ends enter the knot, they make a vortex that twists the tails in one direction; the tails can be oriented such that they are twisted ever tighter together, or put on the other side of each other in which case the setting of the knot can lead to a jamming state.
Strength/Reliability
The Ashley's Bend is very secure and can take a load in any of four directions, but unless carefully made it can jam, producing significant stretching of the cord in which it is tied. The jerk testing Ashley performed placed the #1452 bend equal to the Barrel Knot in exhibiting no slip at all.
