Knot tying tools

[Dsmith20639]

Does anyone use a tool, such as a bead knotting tool or a fly tying tool to tie knots when rigging a ship?

If so, do you have any recommendations?

[Chuck Seiler]

I use tweezers and forceps.  Some are locking and some are not.

[Bob Cleek]

Sure do. Lots of them. A good selection of tweezers, forceps and hemostats for openers. Do a search on YouTube for "how to tie surgeon's knots" and you'll find tons of video tutorials for medical students on how to tie suture knots with instruments. The micro-surgery videos are very instructive. There are tricks to using the instruments to tie fine knots in difficult places. I recommend you get a pair or two of long 10" or 12" tweezers which can reach across a deck to tie half-hitches on belaying pins on pin rails. I am also a big fan of the "ear polypus.' Here again, get a long one with some real reach.

 

https://www.pjtool.com/4368-8-ear-polypus-alligator-clamp.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=ear polypus&utm_content=Tool- PLA- Shopping&utm_campaign=Tool- PLA- Shopping&msclkid=1bff71b841351a0b9cf9114e069d22e3

[wefalck]

Antique crochet hooks are useful. It seems the really fine ones are not made anymore, since chrochet-lace mats have gone out of fashion (except in China and N-Korea it seems). I inherited a few. Otherwise check on flea-markets.

 

I also found on a flea-market some antique eye(?)-surgery instruments, including a very fine lancet (scalpel), which is useful for cutting threads in confined spaces.

 

Another useful, home-made, instrument is a long sewing needle with the eye cut off, so that only a short two-pronged fork remains; this is useful for holding down threads or manoeuvering them around; they can be held in either a slender pin-vice or you can make a custom handle from wood.

[Bedford]

I have made a variation on the sewing needle Eberhard refers to. I beat the end of some 2mm brass rod down to a fine blade and cut a groove approx 1mm deep into the end of it and mounted it into a dowel handle. The whole thing is approx 250mm long giving plenty of room to hold it and reach across the deck. 

All you have to do is hold tension on the bitter end while guiding the line around the bit, pin or cleat.