The device

The device is fashioned out of a piece of wire and coat hanger. It is first bent in the middle to form a lon

Comments

[Tinker L]

Newbie here; why can't I see any instructions?  All I see is the intro.  Do I have to have a paid membership to access?  Also, I've been trying to do the monkey's fist with 1/16" diameter line with minimal success (1 ugly ball and many total failures).  Any advice?  Thanks

[snowmoonelk]

Yeah! where are the instructions???!!!

[dmoose]

Monkeyfists are used by fire poi (Maori word for "ball") spinners or fire poi dancers.  Kevlar rope is used to tie the knot.  When Kevlar is soaked in oil, it becomes a wick.  When Kevlar is dry, it serves to protect against fire.

As Sam Noyoun had mentioned earlier, sailors used it as well.  Furthermore, it was bad luck to put something in the center of it because it could hurt someone.

[T0B0]

 This is reeeeally awesome! i can't wait to try it out.
nd btw, what's the song in the video? it's so relaxing :P

[Carito]

I think I will have to wait for my dog to grow up ;-)

[james.mcglashan]

whats this knot for?

[el_nico_dor]

Nice, tried it but got a problem, one end of the is very long so it looks like it is tied in the middle of the rope! pls help!

[sjo232]

don't you need to put something like a marble into he center for a core while you tie it?

[sam noyoun]

nope, not necessarily... in fact, it will rather hinder the tying procress. Add it near the end

[sjo232]

nice thanks

[SkateboardingForLife]

but if you want to hit people with it.....

[howddyyy]

way to go, if u add a another 2 loops it gets fancier,try it old merchant marine and anything heavy in the center works great but if its round its better just dont hit the other person in the head,he may not want to tie your rope off ,lol

[golddigger1559]

keychain

[Numb-Nuts]

thats exactly what I thought when I saw this :D

[Mr E Man]

What practical use does this have. I mean unless you make monkeys.. Cute Knot though, just seems like over kill, and too time consuming for me.. I can double knot and that's always been enough for me.. LOL

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

doggy rope toys a nice bige chewing end (and you can toss it better)

[sam noyoun]

Used by sailors to pass a rope to someone: the heavier end makes it easier to throw. Place a ball bearing inside and it is used as a weapon. Decorative uses.

[Mr E Man]

They would drown before you made one... LMAO

[sam noyoun]

Hmmm, I actually meant to throw a rope from their boat to someone on a pier or another boat... And the idea is to have them tied in advance...

[Sgt.Waffles]

Ok, it looks GREAT, when it is on the hangar. However, i am having trouble tightening the knot. Any tips?

[sam noyoun]

Yeah, start with the short end by tucking it in, then tighten the knot following this strand, but not too tight at first. Just make sure every strand is where it's supposed to be. Then tighten it a second time, tighter this time. Finally tighten it up a third time, making sure it's really tigh. You can use pliers for this. The key is patience, and doing it in 3 or 4 stages.

[raybee]

I suggest that you leave the end out until you have tighten it snug. That way you can get it tighter by pulling on both ends. Once it is tight, cut the bitter end off . the exposed cut end will work it way inside the ball and be completely hidden. About the only practical use for this knot today is on the end of Heaving lines. These line are use to pass messenger lines across to the pier so the large mooring line can be pulled across to moor the ship.

[afdelvis]

That is the easiest way I have used to tie that knot, thanks.

[quesoman]

i couldnt find a wire hanger so i tried to use a paper clip and some small string...didn't work too well. another "device" you could us is two chair legs...when you're done tying the knot just tilt the chair back and take the knot off the legs and tighten.

[ornithoid]

Awesome instructable, Sam Noyoun! I just referred someone from EDCforums to view your video, as he was asking how to tie a Monkey's Fist. As an old hand at tying these, I say to you, "Great job!"

[tron1o7]

how could you make the fist bigger? Would I just need a larger device, Thicker rope, or put something in it? And how would you put something in it? right as your tightening it?

[jtobako]

Partly put something in it, partly add more turns (4 or 5 instead of 3), partly use thicker rope...

[biker_trash_1340]

I made about 5 of these for my cat. In the center I put a small cloth bag full of cat nip, and trim the tag ends off. I find it's alot easer tightening the knot if you put something it, a small ball of paper will do. Great idea using the wire tool.

[Lardyvegan]

My Kung Fu jacket has been missing a knot fastener for ages, so now I can make a replacement, cheers!

[PKTraceur]

how? how do you tighten it? how many times do you wrap it? how do you finish it? thre is little instruction....

[sam noyoun]

Watch the video in step 1.... it shows it all

[eriklares]

wow, you use wire? i usually just do the first horizontal and vertical wraps around three open fingers, then i freehand it the rest of the way. btw, good idea, that would make it a lot easier

[survivor569]

i went to a navy exibition once and a german sailor made me one of these, exept without the wire. i always wandered how he did it... now i know.

[kryptonite13]

I have seen decorative versions used as keychains for instance with a black body and a single red line in the center...does anyone know how this is done with the different colors?

[bowmaster]

If you put the inside of a mouse ball from an old ball mouse in the middle this can be used as a weapon.

P.S. Check out the band Random Ninjas here

[talkingmute]

Great Instructable. I have always wanted to learn to make one but holding the rope while making the knot isn't too easy. The device will make it so much easier.

[jonathan111]

I made the monkey lol

[sam noyoun]

Excellent!

[Sunbanks]

That is awesome! I have to go try it...

[munkey boy]

if tou put a marble in the middle before you tighten it is a way cool munkey fist doom