View source for Sheepshank

{{Short description|Type of knot}}{{Infobox knot
| image=Sheepshank knot.jpg
| name=Sheepshank 
|caption=An unloaded sheepshank tied in nylon rope
| names=
| type= shortening
| origin=1627<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-203465 |title=knot, hitch, and splice :: Sheepshank – Britannica Student Encyclopaedia |access-date=2006-11-11 |archive-date=2006-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060118024602/http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-203465 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| related=[[Catshank]], [[Dogshank]], Bell-ringer's knot
| releasing=Non-jamming
| uses=Provides loops, shortens or removes slack from a rope, bypasses a frayed section of rope
| caveat=Spills if not under tension
| abok_number= #1152, #1153, #1154, #1158, #1159, #1160
| instructions= [http://www.animatedknots.com/sheepshank/]
}}

A '''shank''' is a type of [[knot]] that is used to shorten a [[rope]] or take up slack, such as the '''sheepshank'''. The sheepshank knot is not stable. It will fall apart under too much load or too little load.

The knot has several features which allow a rope to be shortened:

* It provides two loops, one at each end of the knot which can be used to pass another rope through
* The knot remains somewhat secure under tension; the coarser the rope the more secure it is (see Disadvantages, below)
* The knot falls apart easily when tension is removed

== Construction methods ==
A sheepshank knot may be constructed as follows: ...
* Pull a section of rope back and lay it alongside the rope, so that the rope forms a Z approximately 20&nbsp;cm long.
* Flatten the Z so that there are 3 sections of rope lying alongside each other, with two U-bends where the rope reverses direction.
* At each U-bend, grasp the U-bend in one hand, thus holding two of the rope sections. With the other hand form a small loop in the remaining section and draw it over the U-bend so that the loop forms a half hitch and stays there if the free end of the rope is pulled taut.
:: Many people draw the small loop over facing the wrong way at least half of the time.  Instead, make with the U a half-hitch around the other part, by tucking through, then pull the U straight.
* Repeat at the other U-bend.

An alternative method for quickly constructing a sheepshank is as follows:

* Create a simple loop in the rope, so that the (left) leading end is on top of the (right) trailing end of the loop.
* Repeat this process further down the rope to create 3 total loops that overlap slightly (similar to a [[venn diagram]] with three circles).
* Reach through the outer two loops and grab either side of the middle loop and pull outward while also keeping the rest of the rope slightly taut.
* Once the middle loop is pulled through the outer loops, pull on the free ends of the rope to secure.

The result is a flattened loop which is held at each end by a [[half hitch]]. If the sides of the flattened loop are pulled away from each other, the flattened loop ends pull out of the half hitches and the knot falls apart, but if the free ends
are pulled taut then the knot remains secure.

== Modern usage ==
Sheepshank knots are typically used for securing loads to trucks or [[Trailer (vehicle)|trailers]], and in [[sailing]] applications.

==Disadvantages==
The sheepshank was developed before the use of modern "slippery" [[synthetic fiber|synthetic ropes]]. Constructed from such ropes, under load, it can fail. It is strongly advised that an alternative knot be used.

==Variants==

===Man-o'war sheepshank===
The '''man-o'war sheepshank''' is a sheepshank [[knot]] with a [[Handcuff knot]] in the middle.  This configuration with the half-hitches formed close to the central knot is used in [[rope rescue]] and is called a [[Fireman's chair knot]].

[[image:man-o'-war-sheepshank.png]]

===Sheepshank with Marlinespike hitches===
This version of the sheepshank is tied by using slipknots instead of half-hitches. It is one of the safest sheepshank variations.<ref name="ashley191">{{citation |last=Ashley |first=Clifford W. |title=The Ashley Book of Knots |year= 1944 |publisher=Doubleday |location=New York |page=210 }}</ref>

===Kamikaze knot===
[[Image:Kamikaze.JPG|right|400px]]

The kamikaze knot is a slight variant of the sheepshank. To perform a kamikaze knot, a sheepshank is first constructed. While holding sufficient tension on the sheepshank so it will not slip out, the middle rope is sliced. This allows climbers rappelling down cliff faces to keep most of the rope used for the rappel, by tying the knot at the top, and shaking the rope when they reach the bottom. The shaking disconnects the knot at the top, allowing the longer section of rope to fall, meaning only a small amount of rope is retained by the anchor at the top of the cliff. Thin or slippery rope is unsuitable for such a knot, as it can easily slip, and the knot should not be performed unless desperately needed.

====Use====
This variant of the sheepshank knot appeared in an episode of the TV show ''[[Man vs. Wild]]''.  Although certainly not invented by him, [[Bear Grylls]] uses {{clarify-span|a modification of this knot|date=May 2022}} by cutting one of the lengths of rope in the knot, while [[rappelling]] down an edge during the Ireland episode of ''Man Vs Wild'' in order to retrieve his rope at the bottom by severing the middle leg of the sheepshank knot before his descent. He refers to it as a "Kamikaze" knot.

=== Bell-ringer's knot ===
A simpler variant of the sheepshank wherein a half-hitch is only tied around only one end produces a '''bell-ringer's knot''' (ABoK #1147). It will immediately spill under tension, and is used to keep a long rope from the belfry deck when not in use.

===Catshank===
<!--[[Catshank]] redirects directly here.-->
{{Knot-details
| name=Catshank
| image=Catshank.jpg 
| names= 
| type= shortening
| strength= 
| origin= 
| related= Sheepshank, [[Dogshank]]
| releasing= 
| uses= 
| caveat= 
| abok_number= 
}}

The '''catshank''' is a variant of the sheepshank, clinched by two [[overhand knot]]s with the [[bight (knot)|bights]] passed through the twists (one end of the rope must be available to tie the overhands).<ref>[[Raoul Graumont|Graumont, Raoul]] (1945) ''Handbook of Knots''. New York, Cornell Maritime Press, page 20</ref>

===Dogshank===
<!--[[Dogshank]] redirects directly here.-->
{{Knot-details
| name=Dogshank
| image= Dogshank.gif
| names= 
| type= shortening
| strength= 
| origin= 
| related= Sheepshank, [[Catshank]], [[Bowline]]
| releasing= 
| uses= Shortening rope
| caveat= 
| abok_number= 
}}
The '''dogshank''', or '''sheepshank pouch knot''', is a variant of the sheepshank where the eyes formed at each end have the ends of the rope passed through them to prevents the knot from spilling. At least one end of the rope must be available to tie or untie this knot. It is mostly useful for the hammock-like space it creates.<ref>[https://knots.neocities.org/sheepshank.html Sheepshank & Variants] ''knots.neocities.org'', accessed 26 August 2023</ref>

The '''dogshank''' can be thought of as two opposite [[bowline]]s where
* the two ends provide the respective standing lines each with its pinching turn, and
* the two elbows of the Z-folded middle part provide the bights that pass through the turns and come back from around the standing lines.

==Further reading==
* Project Gutenberg (September 21, 2004). [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13510/13510-h/13510-h.htm The Project Gutenberg eBook, Knots, Splices and Rope Work, by A. Hyatt Verrill]. Retrieved November 6, 2005. The Dogshank is shown in Figure 82.
* Chiang Kai Shek College (September 13, 2005). [http://cksc.edu.ph/scoutcenter/tutorial/basicknots_files/frame.htm Basic Knots]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Retrieved November 6, 2005. Section 8 contains a description of the Dogshank.

==See also==
* [[Coil knot]]
* [[List of knots]]
* [[Lead shank]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}

*[https://knots.neocities.org/sheepshank.html Sheepshank & Variants]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170818014409/http://www.boatsafe.com/marlinespike/sheepshank.htm Boatsafe.com]
*Project Gutenberg (September 21, 2004). [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13510/13510-h/13510-h.htm The Project Gutenberg eBook, Knots, Splices and Rope Work, by A. Hyatt Verrill]. Retrieved November 6, 2005.  Though the name's a little different, the Sheepshank described above is shown in Figure 79.
*Scouting Resources. [http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/downloads/knots_sheepshank.pdf Sheepshank]. Retrieved December 11, 2006. Shows diagrams with accompanying text.

{{Knots}}