Description
The Thief Knot closely resembles the Square (Reef) Knot, but the key difference is that the working ends are on opposite diagonal sides, whereas in a Square Knot, they lie on the same side.
History
The Thief Knot is said to have been used by sailors to secure their belongings in ditty bags, often with the ends carefully hidden. The idea was that if a thief opened the bag, they would likely retie it with the seemingly identical Square Knot, as the Thief Knot is difficult to tie by accident. This would reveal the tampering, as the knot would no longer match the original.
Structure
When correctly tied, the two tails lie on diagonally opposite sides. When the tails lie on the same side, the knot is the more familiar Square Knot.
Strength/Reliability
The Thief Knot is much less secure than the already insecure Square Knot and can easily come untied.
Related
Common Uses
- reveal whether a bag or bundle has been opened by someone else.
- bind a bag or sack in place of a square knot.