| Grief knot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Names | Grief knot, What knot, Whatnot, Grass bend, Reeving-line bend |
| Category | Trick |
| Category 2 | Bend |
| Related | Reef knot, Thief knot, Granny knot |
| Releasing | Non-jamming |
| Typical use | Used for jokes and tricks. It unrolls itself under a light load. |
| Caveat | Highly insecure |
| ABoK | #1208, #1406, #1407, #1459, #1490, #2579 |
A grief knot (also what knot) is a knot which combines the features of a granny knot and a thief knot, producing a result which is not generally useful for working purposes. The word grief does not carry its usual meaning but is a portmanteau of granny and thief[citation needed].
The grief knot resembles the granny knot, but tied so that the working ends come out diagonally from each other, whereas a granny knot's ends both come out on the same side. It unravels rather elegantly: as tension is applied, the ropes rotate like little cogs, each one twisting to feed the rope through the knot.[1]
The whatnot. This is the same knot formation as the granny knot, but the ends are diagonally opposite each other. It is hardly a practical knot. But with the ends seized it is called the reeving line bend, and it also serves as an interesting trick.