Turk's head knot: Difference between revisions

Turk's head knot
Turk's head knot
Category	Decorative
Origin	Ancient
Related	Carrick mat
Typical use	Decorative
ABoK	1278–1401 (Chapter 17: The Turk's-Head)
Instructions	[1]

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A Turk's head knot, sometimes known as a sailor's knot, is a decorative knot with a variable number of interwoven strands forming a closed loop. The name refers to a general family of knots, not an individual knot. While this knot is typically made around a cylinder, it can also be formed into a flat, mat-like shape. Some variants can be arranged into a roughly spherical shape, akin to a monkey's fist knot.^[1]

This knot is primarily used for tightening up underlying material to overlay as a tubular covering knot, prevent slipping, and add a decorative element. A notable practical use for the Turk's head is to mark the "king spoke" of a ship's wheel (the spoke that is upright when the rudder is in a central position). The knot takes its name from its resemblance to a turban (Turkish: sarık), though a turban is wound rather than interwoven.

Leads and bights

A 3-lead, 10-bight Turk's head knot, doubled

Different types of Turk's head knots are classified according to the number of leads and bights, as well as the method of construction. The number of bights is the number of crossings around the circumference of the cylinder. The number of leads refers to the number of strands around the circumference of the cylinder, before doubling, tripling, etc. Depending on the number of leads and bights, a Turk's head may be tied using a single strand or multiple strands. Mathematically, the number of strands is the greatest common divisor of the number of leads and the number of bights. The knot may be tied with a single strand if and only if the two numbers are co-prime. For example, 3 lead × 5 bights (3×5), or 5 lead × 7 bights (5×7).

There are three general groupings of Turk's head knots:

Narrow, where the number of leads is two or more less than the number of bights (3×5, or 3×7).
Long or Wide, where the number of leads is two or more greater than the number of bights (5×3, or 16×7).
Square, where there is a difference of one between leads and bights (7×8 or 8×7).

The number of bights determines the shape found at the center. Three bights create a triangular shape, while four create a square. A two lead, 3 bight Turk's head is a double overhand knot.^[2]

A two lead, three bight Turk's head is also a trefoil knot if the ends are joined together. (2,n) alternating torus knots are (2,n) Turk's head knots.^[3] ((p,q) = q times around a circle in the interior of the torus, and p times around its axis of rotational symmetry.) Turk's head knots are easy to edit though hard to tie.

Uses in culture

In the World Organization of the Scout Movement, the scarf rings called woggles to affix their neckerchiefs or scarfs are often variations of the Turk's head knot. The Gilwell Woggle is worn by Scout Leaders who complete training courses to be awarded the Wood Badge insignia. It is an official part of the uniform.

References

^ Simpson, Thomas (June 2010), "Ashley's Mauretania Knot & Early Sightings of a Monkey's Fist", Knotting Matters (107), London: International Guild of Knot Tyers: 28–31
^ Shaw, George Russell (MCMXXXIII). Knots: Useful & Ornamental, p.61. ISBN 978-0-517-46000-9.
^ Bozhuyuk, M. E. (1993). Topics in Knot Theory, p.3. ISBN 978-0-7923-2285-6.

External links

Grog. "Turk's head knot". Animated Knots. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
Shurdington (UK Scouting) Turks head Knot
So-You-Want to Make a Rope Rug Eh

[KM107-1] Simpson, Thomas (June 2010), "Ashley's Mauretania Knot & Early Sightings of a Monkey's Fist", Knotting Matters (107), London: International Guild of Knot Tyers: 28–31

[2] Shaw, George Russell (MCMXXXIII). Knots: Useful & Ornamental, p.61. ISBN 978-0-517-46000-9.

[3] Bozhuyuk, M. E. (1993). Topics in Knot Theory, p.3. ISBN 978-0-7923-2285-6.

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[2]

[3]

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+{{Short description|Class of ornamental knots}}
-{{Redirect|Turk's head}}
-{{Copy edit|date=September 2020}}
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 | name=Turk's head knot
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-A '''Turk's head knot''', more commonly known as a '''sailor's knot''', is a decorative [[knot]] with a variable number of interwoven strands forming a closed loop. The name refers to a general family of knots, not an individual knot. While this knot is typically made around a cylinder, it can also be formed into a flat, mat-like shape. Some variants can be arranged into a roughly spherical shape, akin to a [[monkey's fist]] knot.<ref name="KM107">{{Citation|last=Simpson|first=Thomas|title=Ashley's Mauretania Knot & Early Sightings of a Monkey's Fist|journal=Knotting Matters|date=June 2010|number=107|location=London|publisher=[[International Guild of Knot Tyers]]|pages=28–31}}</ref>
+A '''Turk's head knot''', sometimes known as a '''sailor's knot''', is a decorative [[knot]] with a variable number of interwoven strands forming a closed loop. The name refers to a general family of knots, not an individual knot. While this knot is typically made around a cylinder, it can also be formed into a flat, mat-like shape. Some variants can be arranged into a roughly spherical shape, akin to a [[monkey's fist]] knot.<ref name="KM107">{{Citation|last=Simpson|first=Thomas|title=Ashley's Mauretania Knot & Early Sightings of a Monkey's Fist|journal=Knotting Matters|date=June 2010|number=107|location=London|publisher=[[International Guild of Knot Tyers]]|pages=28–31}}</ref>
-This knot is primarily used for tightening up underlying material, to overlay as a tubular covering knot, to prevent slipping, and to add a decorative element. A notable practical use for the ''Turk's head'' is to mark the "king spoke" of a [[ship's wheel]] (the [[spoke]] that is upright when the [[rudder]] is in a central position). The knot takes its name from a notional resemblance to a [[turban]] ({{lang-tr|sarık}}), though a turban is wound rather than [[weaving|interwoven]].
+This knot is primarily used for tightening up underlying material to overlay as a tubular covering knot, prevent slipping, and add a decorative element. A notable practical use for the ''Turk's head'' is to mark the "king spoke" of a [[ship's wheel]] (the [[spoke]] that is upright when the [[rudder]] is in a central position). The knot takes its name from its resemblance to a [[turban]] ({{langx|tr|sarık}}), though a turban is wound rather than [[weaving|interwoven]].
 == Leads and bights ==
-[[File:Turks-head-3-lead-10-bight-doubled.jpg|thumb|left|250 px|A 3-lead, 10-bight Turk's head knot, doubled]]
+[[File:Turks-head-3-lead-10-bight-doubled.jpg|thumb|right|175 px|A 3-lead, 10-bight Turk's head knot, doubled]]
-Different types of Turk's head knots are classified according to the number of leads and [[Bight (knot)|bights]], as well as the method of construction. The number of bights is the number of crossings it makes as it goes around the circumference of the cylinder. The number of leads is the number of strands around the circumference of the cylinder, before doubling, tripling, etc. Depending on the number of leads and bights, a Turk's head may be tied using a single strand or multiple strands. Mathematically, the number of strands is the [[greatest common divisor]] of the number of leads and the number of bights. The knot may be tied with a single strand [[if and only if]] the two numbers are [[coprime|co-prime]]. For example, 3 lead × 5 bights (3×5), or 5 lead × 7 bights (5×7).
+Different types of Turk's head knots are classified according to the number of leads and [[Bight (knot)|bights]], as well as the method of construction. The number of bights is the number of crossings around the circumference of the cylinder. The number of leads refers to the number of strands around the circumference of the cylinder, before doubling, tripling, etc. Depending on the number of leads and bights, a Turk's head may be tied using a single strand or multiple strands. Mathematically, the number of strands is the [[greatest common divisor]] of the number of leads and the number of bights. The knot may be tied with a single strand [[if and only if]] the two numbers are [[coprime|co-prime]]. For example, 3 lead × 5 bights (3×5), or 5 lead × 7 bights (5×7).
-[[File:TürkenbundZier.jpg|thumb|Turk's head knots on netting]]
+There are three general groupings of Turk's head knots:
+# Narrow, where the number of leads is two or more less than the number of bights (3×5, or 3×7).
+# Long or Wide, where the number of leads is two or more greater than the number of bights (5×3, or 16×7).
-There are three groupings of Turk's head knots:
-# Narrow, where the number of leads is two or less than the number of bights (3×5, or 3×7).
-# Long or wide where the number of leads is two or greater than the number of bights (5×3, or 16×7).
 # Square, where there is a difference of one between leads and bights (7×8 or 8×7).
+[[File:TürkenbundZier.jpg|thumb|175 px|Turk's head knots on netting|right]]
-The number of bights determines the shape found at the centre. Three bights create a triangular shape, while four create a square. A two lead, 3 bights Turk's head is a double [[overhand knot]].<ref>Shaw, George Russell ({{Roman|1933}}). ''Knots: Useful & Ornamental'', p.61. {{ISBN|978-0-517-46000-9}}.</ref>
+The number of bights determines the shape found at the center. Three bights create a triangular shape, while four create a square. A two lead, 3 bight Turk's head is a double [[overhand knot]].<ref>Shaw, George Russell ({{Roman|1933}}). ''Knots: Useful & Ornamental'', p.61. {{ISBN|978-0-517-46000-9}}.</ref>
-A two lead, three bights Turk's head is also a [[trefoil knot]] if the ends are joined together. (2,n) [[alternating knot|alternating]] [[torus knot]]s are (2,n) Turk's head knots.<ref>Bozhuyuk, M. E.<!--(Mehmet Emin)--> (1993). ''Topics in Knot Theory'', p.3. {{ISBN|978-0-7923-2285-6}}.</ref> ((''p'',''q'') = ''q'' times around a circle in the interior of the torus, and ''p'' times around its axis of rotational symmetry.) Turk's head knots are easy to edit though hard to tie. You might find yourself in a fix trying to tie one.
+A two lead, three bight Turk's head is also a [[trefoil knot]] if the ends are joined together. (2,n) [[alternating knot|alternating]] [[torus knot]]s are (2,n) Turk's head knots.<ref>Bozhuyuk, M. E.<!--(Mehmet Emin)--> (1993). ''Topics in Knot Theory'', p.3. {{ISBN|978-0-7923-2285-6}}.</ref> ((''p'',''q'') = ''q'' times around a circle in the interior of the torus, and ''p'' times around its axis of rotational symmetry.) Turk's head knots are easy to edit though hard to tie.
 == Uses in culture ==
-The [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]] uses a variation of the Turk's head knot called a [[woggle]] to affix their neckerchiefs and as a fire starting tool. The [[woggle]] is also used by some [[Scout Leader]]s who complete training courses to be [[award|awarded]] the [[Wood Badge]] insignia. It is an official part of the uniform.
+In the [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]], the scarf rings called [[woggle]]s to affix their [[neckerchief]]s or scarfs are often variations of the Turk's head knot. The [[Woggle#Gilwell Woggle|Gilwell Woggle]] is worn by [[Scout Leader]]s who complete training courses to be [[award]]ed  the [[Wood Badge]] insignia. It is an official part of the uniform.
 == See also ==
 * [[List of knots]]
+{{commonscat|Turk's head knots}}
 == References ==