Artillery loop

The artillery loop^[1] is a knot with a loop on the bight for non-critical purposes. The artillery loop must have the loop loaded or it will slip and contract easily. It is an inferior knot to the alpine butterfly knot,^[2] possibly dangerously so, in that it can be yanked out of shape and turn into a running knot or noose.^[6]

Artillery loop
Names	Artillery loop, Artilleryman's knot, Manharness knot,[1] Manharness loop, Harness loop,[2] Harness hitch,[2] Belayer's hitch,[3] Sandy Douglass knot[4]
Category	Loop
Related	Farmer's loop, Alpine butterfly knot, Span loop, Marlinespike hitch
Releasing	Non-jamming
Caveat	Must have load, may slip unexpectedly under tension creating a running knot or noose
ABoK	#153, #428, #532,[5] #1050, #1051

Budworth states that this knot is often described as being best suited to take a load on only one of the ends, but reliable information on which end is difficult to find.^[7]

Tying the knot

• 
  Artillery loop step by step
• 
  Finished Artillery loop

Usage

The name harness loop derives from the fact that the knot was used when assisting horses on difficult terrain.^[7] Similarly, the name artillery loop or artilleryman's hitch derives from the fact that it was used when hauling field artillery into position.^[7]

See also

• Harness bend
• List of knots