The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Knots

Rating:
Summary: I'm a sailer, but......
Review: I always forget how to make knots. This is a worthwhile book. It has enough, not quite enough, knots to make life interesting.But the best thing are the illustrations and instructions. Its hard to find a book thats more clear. especially in some of the more complicated knots. I am going to buy his sailing knot book when I have this one down.

Rating:
Summary: Another good basic overview of knot tying
Review: Its nice to see some of the knots found in Ashley's tied in line and with a variety of interesting background objects (such as chess pieces, Mah Jong pieces, bolts, chisels, or pens) to provide scale. In his work, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS (c.2000), Mr. Geoffrey Budsworth, a retired British police inspector and now an important knot tying enthusiast, has provided a 160 page coffee table book with just eighty-two examples of the 3,900 knots found in Ashley's, in big color glossy pictures.

Each colored photograph is accompanied by a clear tonal computer drawing of how to form the bend, hitch, knot, or braid, and a brief description of its application. Pointing, hitching, or grafting are absent as well as fender making or rope mats. The work covered only useful knots, and this brevity serves a purpose. By displaying all the practical information on a single page, Mr. Budworth had wisely provided an instant learning forum at a glance. This is important so that no time is wasted while instructing semi-literate co-workers the way a knot is meant to be tied and used while standing in the rain, snow, or under a blazing sun. I hope other knot books adopt a similar presentation style.

The size of the book is a drawback though, and since most knot application discussions take place on site, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS might be covered in paint, tar, or bird mess as it gets carted around under piers, engine rooms, aloft, or other dank places which would injure those glossy photographs.

There are a few shortcomings - One is that the book hardly fits the description of an 'encyclopedia', and might be subject to misinterpretation; and two, the book contains two serious knot tying errors: first on page 140, item #2 in the Lapp Knot, and second on page 31, item #4 in that the Miller's Knot is actually a Strangle Knot, which I'm sure the author had no control over the editorial process (including the Granny Knot on the front cover).

Overall, THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOTS contains good knot history, cordage history, and pragmatic tying and use instruction in a brief and thorough format. This book will have many applications other than hitching a ride in a rigger's bucket up a mast, flagpole, or bridge stanchion.

Rating:
Summary: Good book to learn the most common knots
Review: The Encyclopedia of Knots covers most of the basic knots that a person would be likely to need under normal conditions. The high point of this book is the quality of the illustrations. Between drawn illustrations and large photographs it is easy to follow along. The knots are correct and the illustrations represent the knots as tied. This may sound like what you should expect from a knot book but it has been my experience that it is often not the case. Between books that show the wrong illustration with the knot, leave out a step or suddenly show it from a different direction it is hard to find a good book with these items done correctly. This book does a great job of getting the illustrations right and is easy enough to follow along with that anyone can be tying knots correctly quickly. It also includes some knot history and explains how each knot should be used. A beautifully printed hardback book, I really only had one problem with it. For several of the knots the illustrations were clear but the method described and illustrated was not the easiest way to tie the knot. For example, I know of noone who really ties a figure of eight loop using the method indicated. The end result is the same and so this tying method is valid, but simply not the easiest. Still, even with a more complex method of tying the knot illustrated it is so well illustrated that you have no problem tying it that way.

Rating:
Summary: Good book to learn the most common knots
Review: The Encyclopedia of Knots covers most of the basic knots that a person would be likely to need under normal conditions. The high point of this book is the quality of the illustrations. Between drawn illustrations and large photographs it is easy to follow along. The knots are correct and the illustrations represent the knots as tied. This may sound like what you should expect from a knot book but it has been my experience that it is often not the case. Between books that show the wrong illustration with the knot, leave out a step or suddenly show it from a different direction it is hard to find a good book with these items done correctly. This book does a great job of getting the illustrations right and is easy enough to follow along with that anyone can be tying knots correctly quickly. It also includes some knot history and explains how each knot should be used. A beautifully printed hardback book, I really only had one problem with it. For several of the knots the illustrations were clear but the method described and illustrated was not the easiest way to tie the knot. For example, I know of noone who really ties a figure of eight loop using the method indicated. The end result is the same and so this tying method is valid, but simply not the easiest. Still, even with a more complex method of tying the knot illustrated it is so well illustrated that you have no problem tying it that way.

Rating:
Summary: Over eighty of the world's most useful knots
Review: There have been other knot books on the market, but Geoffrey Budworth's Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Knots is more lavishly illustrated than most, providing hundreds of color photos and illustrations which tell the best way to tie a knot for particular uses. Over eighty of the world's most useful knots are well detailed in a fine home reference.