Timber Hitch
In its basic form the Timber Hitch has one real usage - joining spars when we begin the Diagonal Lashing. If you tie this knot properly it should form a twisty "eye" around the spar(s) that will tighten nicely. Scouting usually shows pictures showing two or three loops around your working end, which is sufficient if you're working with a natural fiber (such as in most twines). If you are using a plastic-based rope (such as nylon or polypropylene) you may want to use five loops at the end to help the knot stay tighter. Regardless, this knot requires constant tension or it will come untied.
How To Tie The Timber Hitch:
1.) Move the working end of the rope around the spar of wood. Cross over your standing end.
2.) Loop around your working end several times. Pull tight. At this point you have a Timber Hitch.
For an animation showing how the Timber Hitch is tied, click HERE.
A Useful Variation:
We often use a simple variation of the Timber Hitch in which we draw our working end away from the knot and make an extra half-hitch around the spar. It's a great knot for pulling an object (as in up a hill or from the base of a chasm) so long as tension is always maintained. It also has the advantage of being an easy knot to untie - so easy, in fact, that if you don't maintain tension you may well find that the knot unties itself. This knot is often called the Killick Hitch because it can be used to make a quick anchor for a small boat by tieing it around a heavy object and throwing it overboard (small anchors are sometimes called killicks). I have also heard it referred to as the Timberman's Hitch and the Kelleg Hitch.
How To Tie The Timber Hitch With A Half Hitch (Killick Hitch):
1.) Move the working end of the rope around the spar of wood. Cross over your standing end.
2.) Loop around your working end several times. Pull tight. At this point you have a Timber Hitch.
3.) Move the working end of the rope away from your knot down the spar of wood. Cross under the spar and over your standing end and pull away from your loop. Now you have the Killick Hitch. Some folks use two half hitches instead of just one at the end.
For a video of tying The Killick Hitch, click HERE.