Tying Shoes

A poll.

I always regret not having learned more knots. So I was looking at some basic stuff on knots and came across 'tying your shoes'. I was really surprised to see how complicated it is usually made to be in these things. Even when "bunny ears" are shown as a method in the first link below, it and the others are to me complicated methods to teach a child. Check the first link to see what I mean.

When I was a kid I was taught to make a half knot then make bunny ears [as they seem to be called] and just make another simple knot out of those and tighten it up; in the first comment someone finally mentions that . I have to believe this is what was taught to nearly all of us, so one of the questions for the poll is whether or not you were taught something simple or something more complicated? You can check more than one box.

One benefit of this simple bunny ears method is that you have slip knots; unslipping one completely unties the shoe with no remaining hard knot or any kind of knot to deal with [I'm not sure this is the case with these others shown].

I do think it is useful to learn to tie shoes/boots in a way that holds together longer for outdoor work and recreation. I suppose the ways shown in the link do that, but what I like to do is the simple way I was taught but then add the extra step of undoing one of the loops, then making a bunny ear out of that. The other bunny ear was preserved and you now tie a simple knot with these two. Note when I say "un-do" I don't mean to unslip that slip knot - undo it the "wrong" way pulling it out as sometimes happens by accident. When it comes to untying, you have two slip knots and you need to pull both of them in order. If you have hold of the wrong one, it's easy to tell as it doesn't slip easily. Voila!

http://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Your-Shoes

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexbasics.php

well, I guess this thread was too weird - and I screwed some things up too. At least no one picked "you are losing it"

all I can say is I can't believe how difficult some people make the process of tying their shoes

When you first run away to join a circus the first thing they teach you is to tie knots. All circus tents have the same knots.

Shoe laces are individual. Siblings often teach shoe tying but forget they are facing the person they are teaching. Most parents are probably just glad to get the task over with while the kid still fits the shoes.

Take up sailing and you will learn to tie knots.

As to shoes, what do think loafers are for? Those able to tie their shoes?

Next thread: the correct number of peas to put on a knife.

I'm the one who voted for 'lost your mind'.... suggest you return to that stuff about using ants to brew beer and then using beer to preserve eggs. Much better use of your time. If you want to stick with knots, get an Anarchist chick to teach you nautical knot tying.

It is certainly true that sailing requires an upgrade in knot tying ability - which means I am always embarrassed those few times invited

Anarchist chicks teaching knots - is that like the Kama Sutra ?

Not too weird, I just didn't see this until now.

I tie my shoes with bunny ears, but there is a right way and several wrong ways that will tend to come untied. If you learned one of the wrong ways, it isn't usually much of a problem unless you have slippery laces. If you have been doing it the wrong way for years, it is a hard habit to break to start doing it right.

I know a couple other knots, but not very well. My wife works with ropes for climbing and knows more.

On my casual wish list (be nice to have but am not really looking for it) is this famous book of knots, but it is really expensive.

I use shoe method #3. Which way you wrap the string relative to the basic knot below is one of the things that makes the knot right or wrong, or strong or weak.

Quote: odiousgambit

Anarchist chicks teaching knots - is that like the Kama Sutra ?

Anarchist girls go around the docks often wearing black shirts and black shorts. Their hair will be knotted and there will be a fish knife at their hip. They know all there is to know about anything nautical and make great crew members, particularly if you let them hoist an anarchist pennant in the starboard halyards.

Why tie when you can go Velcro
Even my kayak has a Velcro system to secure my seat back and padding

The local news recently reported that a scientific study was published verifying that "bunny ears" created the cinch least likely to come loose.

I never saw the "Magic Fingers" method before. I am going to try it.

Why do the replacement laces you buy in the store always seem to be lower quality than the originals? Why don't shoe makers sell OEM replacements?