As most of you know I am fairly new to knotting and as a result of meeting a few other members of the IGKT I decided to take on a more ambitious project.
So I decided to construct a cat of nine tails. I used a synthetic polished hemp, wrapped around a broom handle, using some of the knots that I have been practising for a while.
Having now made this a couple of questions have arisen:
Was the cat of nine tails actually used?
Is there a precise length that it should be? The reason that I asked this is because if I were to whip someone with it, I would probably tickle them to death! Also the weight of the rope is rather light, perhaps they were coated in tar to give extra weight.
I have used a Matthew Walker knot, is this a modern knot that would not have been used on the whip?
Anyway here is the MKI version of what I am sure there will be many more to follow:
Yes, the cat was a real thing. It was using in dicsipling sailors in the days of sail. If you search on flogging, you’ll find plenty of articles, including a wikipedia article on it. For the times, it was a very practical means of coporal punishment. In fact, the cat is attributed to the origins, or potential origins of quite a number of phrases, such as “Captain’s Daughter” and “let the cat out of the bag”.
As for a precise length and rope weight, I haven’t found one specifically from my little research. However, generally speaking, from what I’ve seen, small floggers/cat o’nine seem to run from about 8"-16" while the average seems to be about 18"-28" It really seems to depend on your usage. Rope weight again seems to be dependant on your usage. If you’re actually looking to inflict a bit of pain, use a heavier rope, and I’d incorporate some knots along it’s length. Specifically, I’d use blood knots and matthew walker knots. With a bit of effort you could also probably use turk’s heads, pineapple, any knot with some body and length to it. If you’re looking to use if more for entertainment/play (and I’m not necessarily implying kink) then definitely use a lighter rope, and I’d suggest staying away from decorative knots along the length of the tails. If you do use any decorative knots along the tails, I’d suggest making sure to use longer knots that are going to spread out the kenetic force over a wider area.
As for the use of the MW… who cares? I think all things considered, most cats wouldn’t have been all that ornate generally speaking. And the ones that were, probably would have used any decorative knot knowledge available, so I’d think that someone would have used it if they knew it well enough. There’s a point (imho) where “authenticity” really needs to look at the spirit instead of the letter. I think what you have there is beautiful and you shouldn’t worry about whether the knots used would have been really used.
Thanks Johnny,
i was looking for a suitable project to take to Sweden in October that I can make on the train and demonstrate (the making part) at the IGKT Meeting - you have now given me the perfect solution - thank you.
I will use 3 strand hemp (which up until about 100 years ago was the only rope used in our ships) and make the cat from one piece.
I do have some Stockholm Tar, but will most likely use bees wax on this one so as not to stink my luggage out!
Now to find some red material to make the bag.
Thanks again
Good work, Jonnhy; well done and awesome.
About the MWK: it is not a modern knot; according to Ashley, Matthew Walker -the only man ever to have a knot named for him- possibly was a British master rigger of the XVI o XVII century.
A nice book about the life of sailors in the past ages I read some time ago is “Two Years Before the Mast” by Richard Henry Dana; maybe You already got it, anyway there the author describes a crude punishment occurred during his travel.
The one I saw on the HMS Victory years ago, had Blood Knots on the lash ends ( hence name , just makes my back itch to write that.)
The handle was three inch (cir) rope, and the lashes were the strands that had been foxed making then NineTails. We were Boy/Junior Seamen from HMS St Vincent and the Three-badgeman who was our guide made sure, we did not miss any details.
Cats were not only used at sea, the army has records of it too, and it was one that could be used by Magistrates as well, to show the ner-do-well who was the boss.
So try Blood Knots with three tucks on your ends, it will change its character.
Something I found out as a CBM, in N.S. speak via the Rate Book :-’ Baze’ is green and ‘Kersey’ is red. I have 2 yards of Kersey Red ( I nearley said One Fathom ) it was in my loft, it is now ready for inspection.
According to some of the info I had come across, you are correct, there are instances where the condemnned would be responsible for the construction of the flogger used to administered their own punishment. If the person deliberately made a shoddy cat, they’d have extra lashes added. supposedly in some cases, a sailor may be moved about from ship to shiop within a fleet with his lashes evenly divided by the number of ships.
I usually use the cat o’nine as one of many demonstration of seamansship art during my workshoips. This is one of many interesting stories from the age of sails.
BTW, does anyone from IGKT visited Poland and presented his workshop last year?
You make an interesting point… you know, next to the cat, DP has a scrubber in his knotcraft book, suppose that could be something else that could use some decorative touches for display on seamanship.
I think the “real thing” would have been “improved” by adding weights to the leashes such as lead pellets etc. Leather would also make a gruesome weapon I guess, but I doubt that the old sailors would have had any.
I made this one after Des Pawson’s Knot Craft.
It is also made from light weight strings and the color makes it look even more harmless. Its only for decoration anyway.
I have to say I love it in blue!! Looks like a lovely work of art!!
In my mind I constantly wrestle as to what cordage I should be using for a specific job. When it came to making my cat, I felt I had to make it “olde worldy”. But I suppose in reality if they were still used today, I am sure they would be very colourful!!
I think I will certainly give it a go and produce a bi or tri colour version.
I picked up a tip over on the Wooden Boat Forums. Coffee is a good way to give the “natural” look to white nylon ropes. I’m currently using it with a cat of nine that I’m working right now… I’ve had to do it twice however, cause otherwise it looks like I scalped a blonde.
That is what I like the projects in Des’ book. That little book has become one of my favorites. It is a real treasure trove and has not been shelved once since I bought it.
I can only recommend it. It gives you the exact details for the knots and materials needed.
I used a golf ball for the nob on the handle and a steel core of about 12cm lenght (between the globe knot and the diamond knot)
The bit between the matthew walker and the diamond knot is about 7 cm. So I’d say the handle is about 22cm and the leashes around 90cm, which gives the cat a total length of about 1.10m. I will measure the hole thing over the weekend and give you the exact numbers.