Bends
Square Knot
Reef knot
DIFFICULTY ●○○○○
Right over left, left over right. The everyday knot for tying two ends of the same rope around something — a package, a bandage, a furled sail.
See it tied step-by-step ↗Why it earns its place
Flat, tidy, easy to teach, and unties with a snap of one end — which is exactly why sailors used it to reef sails. Perfect where the knot presses against a bundle.
Where it fails
The most dangerous knot in the book when misused: it is a binding knot, not a bend. Used to join two separate ropes under load it can capsize and spill without warning. Never trust it with weight.
Quick facts
| Type | Binding knot |
| Under load | Bundles only |
| Untying | Very easy |
| Best for | Packages, bandages, reefing |