Sheet Bend

A completed sheet bend knot. A single blue rope enters from the left, connects to a single green rope that enters from the right, and then doubles back, lying next to and just below itself. The green rope goes under the bight of the blue rope, under both parts of the blue rope, the over both parts of the blue rope and under itself, with the end of the rope pointing straight down. The ends of the blue and green ropes are both below their corresponding standing parts.

The sheet bend is a good general-purpose bend and one of the most useful civilian knots. It’s the basis for the sheet bend extension.

When to use it

Although suitable for casual use in free-standing rope, the sheet bend isn’t bulletproof. We strongly recommend using a technical bend any time you’re hanging something valuable high in the air.

Step by step

A single blue rope enters from the left, slightly above the middle of the frame. It runs to the right, then curves around to the right, doubling back the way it came. The rope doesn’t quite reach the left side of the image.

1Double the blue rope back on itself, creating a short bight.

A single green rope enters from the right. It passes under the center of the turn in the blue rope, then bends down and crosses over the lower part of the blue rope.

2Go up through the bight and over the working end of the blue rope.

It is important that you go over the working end and not the standing part.

The green rope now turns up, passing under both parts of the blue rope.

3Cross under both parts of the blue rope.

The green rope bends to the right and then down, crossing over both parts of the blue rope and then under itself.

4Go over both parts of the blue rope and under the green rope.

A completed sheet bend knot. A single blue rope enters from the left, connects to a single green rope that enters from the right, and then doubles back, lying next to and just below itself. The green rope goes under the bight of the blue rope, under both parts of the blue rope, the over both parts of the blue rope and under itself, with the end of the rope pointing straight down. The ends of the blue and green ropes are both below their corresponding standing parts.

5Snug the knot.

It is important that both working ends are on the same side of the knot.

A completed left-hand sheet bend. A single blue rope enters from the left, connects to a single green rope that enters from the right, and then doubles back, lying next to and just below itself. The green rope goes under the bight of the blue rope, under both parts of the blue rope, the over both parts of the blue rope and under itself, with the end of the rope pointing straight up. The critical point here is that the working end of the blue rope lies below its standing part, but the working end of the green rope is above its standing part.

WRONG!The working ends are on opposite sides of this knot, making it a left-hand sheet bend (ABOK 1432). It is less reliable than the true sheet bend.

Notes for nerds

References and naming

This knot is ABOK # 1431

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