Half Hitch

A half hitch tied around a one inch gray pole. The rope goes around the pole, around the standing part, and under itself, making a compact knot right against the pole.

The half hitch is one of the simplest knots. It isn’t stable on its own, but we use it frequently as a component of larger ties.

When to use it

The half hitch is a key component of many other knots, including the aptly-named round turn and two half hitches.

We often use the half hitch to secure the rope when finishing a harness.

The Single Hitch

The single hitch (ABOK 1594) is a different knot but we usually call it a half hitch. It is frequently used to join one rope to another at an angle.

Step by step

A one inch vertical gray pole divides the image. A single strand of blue rope enters from the left and makes a 180 degree turn around the pole, going under it and then doubling back on top of the pole. The working end is slightly higher in the frame than the standing part.

1Go under and around the pole.

The working end turns down and passes under the standing part.

2Go under the standing part.

The working end turns up and goes over the standing part in between the previous crossing and the pole. It continues up, going under the rope that came off the pole in step 1.

3Go back over the standing part and under the working end.

A half hitch tied around a one inch gray pole. The rope goes around the pole, around the standing part, and under itself, making a compact knot right against the pole.

4Pull the half hitch snug.

Notes for nerds

References and naming

This knot is ABOK # 48

A one inch vertical gray pole divides the image in half. A single strand of blue rope enters from the left and makes a 180 degree turn around the pole, going under it and then doubling back on top of it. The working end comes off the pole slightly higher in the image than the standing part, passes behind the standing part, and travels straight down in the image.

A single hitch (aka a half hitch) joining a rope to a pole at a 90° angle.

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