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Double Shoelace Knot
Also known as the "Shoe Clerk's Knot"
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A crude method of making a knot "permanent" or for consuming excess lace to keep the ends from dragging: Tie a
Standard Shoelace Knot, then tie an overhand knot with the finished loops. Unfortunately, it's also very
tricky to un-tie (though that's great for preventing infants removing their shoes!)
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Step 1:
Start with a completed shoelace knot, using either the
Standard Shoelace Knot or any other method including my own
Ian Knot. Make sure you have fairly long loops to work with.
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Step 2:
Cross the left (blue) loop over the
front of the right (yellow) loop to end up on the right side.
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Step 3:
Begin to wrap the right (blue) loop around the
back of the left (yellow) loop so that, like the
Two Loop Shoelace Knot, the end can be fed into the gap between the laces.
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Step 4:
Having formed another overhand knot, continue pulling on both loops until tight.
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Finished Knot
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The finished knot is quite bulky, which is helpful for consuming excess shoelace to keep the ends from dragging. |
Many people resort to this crude method to stop their shoelaces from coming undone, which is often because they
are inadvertently tying
Granny Knots. Resolving that problem will usually eliminate the need to tie such a cumbersome knot.
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Technical Details
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Technical Name:
This knot is shown in the definitive
Ashley Book of Knots as #1215,
"The Shoe Clerk's Knot", where it is described as a
"Bowknot with the addition of an opposing Half Knot tied in the two loops."
Untying the Double Knot:
Unlike most other shoelace knots, the Double Shoelace Knot cannot be untied by pulling on the loose ends - it just
won't budge! Most people resort to picking apart the final knot so that it reverts to a regular bow, which can then
be untied in the regular manner.
However, if the final knot has been tied fairly loosely, there's a much quicker way!
The Double Shoelace Knot can usually be untied in one motion by pulling very firmly on
only one of the lace ends (as opposed to pulling on both ends). If this fails, try pulling on the other lace
end instead. If this also fails, picking the knot apart is then the only option. (This will be more difficult now
that the knot has been pulled even tighter!)
Variation for Easier Untying:
As suggested by Brian S., when doing the final tightening at Step (4), grasp one loop by the end of the loop while
grasping the other loop by
one side only. When tightened, this will leave a small loop sticking out the other side (the part that
wasn't being held and tightened). When the time comes to untie the Double Knot, pull on this loop and the knot
will easily come apart.
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Related Links
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Ian's Secure Knot
Simpler secure knot that can be more easily untied.
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Flip Book
User-controllable animation of the Double Knot sequence.
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Double Ian Knot
Different knot that also consumes excess shoelace length.
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Standard Knot
Regular shoelace knot on which this secure knot is based.
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Sponsored Links
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This page last updated: 30-Dec-2011. Copyright © 2004-2011 by
Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.
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