Looking for recommendations for best size and material to demonstrate knot tying to youth.
Hi hartdr4.
I will recommend solid braid Nylon, 1/4 -3/8 inch diameter. Not costly and handles very well.
Or three strand laid Nylon, same sizes as above. Could teach splicing with this.
Cost no problem, then I would go with a climbing type rope, braided sheath with stranded core.
SS
Go for medium to large, white, soft, braided rope. Avoid patterns or dark colors, as that will make things harder to see. Some other light color might be good to show two parts clearly when tying bends.
I use a solid color paracord on my training table. Works great.
Pat
Colored ropes can be helpful in both gaining some
interest (appeal) and in highlighting differing parts
(e.g., of end-2-end knots).
Others have recommended rope in which knots
are easily formed; but it depends how much of
knotting one wants to teach : showing that in
the springy, more slick-feeling, polypropylene
one might need some additional precautions
can be a Good Thing to learn --and why one might
want to know more than some small number of
knots!
–dl*
If you work with a biggish group, consider huge scale material.
With the scouts I used climbing ropes, for showing how it should be tied and also allowed the kids to use it as well as smaller stuff.
I tried to offer string from 2 mm up to 10 mm, to allow the kids to find strings that they were happy with. The smaller stuff mostly for decorative knotwork, not for practical knots.
Different people like different sizes of string, different knots ask for different kinds of rope. There is no ‘one solution for all’ in string and rope for knot tying.
Willeke
Edited to take out a few small mistakes.
1/4-3/8 braided white nylon and polyester rope. Very supple and easy to handle, and it’s a little slippery and difficult to get to jam. 5 foot lengths allow you to demonstrate cord consuming knots like the double chain sinnet (bugle braid) without getting hard to handle. Electrical tape holds surprisingly well to the ends.
I use this stuff to play with.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-5-16-in-x-50-ft-White-Braided-Nylon-and-Polypropylene-Rope-18010/202079627?N=5yc1vZc2grZ402Z1z0zuwzZ1z140hb
For purely decorative stuff, I prefer the Rothco house brand (G.I. Plus) nylon paracord. It’s a little soft laid, but easy to work with.
We have a bin filled with 4’ lengths of white 3/8" cotton braid with the ends whipped and find that works well for the Cubs (8 - 10 yrs old). The same bin gets used for the Scouts (11 - 14 yrs) but we also utilize jute binder twine, paracord, and 1/4" - 1/2" nylon braided and 3-lay in longer coils to use for lashing, hoisting & winching, splicing, etc.