CHAPTER 6

ROPES AND KNOTS

IT ISN’T SURPRISING that rope handling skills are very important to stagehand work, considering that sailors were the originators of our craft. Knowledge about rope selection, coiling, and accurate knot tying are skills you should learn early on in your training. You can avoid the adage that “If you aren’t sure you are tying a knot properly, tie lots of them.” Poorly executed knots can lead to serious injury for anyone unfortunate enough to be underneath a falling piece of scenery. Not every rope or line will work for every purpose, and you should know how to make a proper selection. Knots should be tied with the same understanding. In addition to working well for its purpose, a good knot should be both easy to tie and ...

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