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Mega "Ian Knot" Shoelace Knot
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This is an "experimental" variation of my Ian Knot: Make a double-loop with both ends and
simultaneously pull them through each other. The result is super-secure, but is a little too difficult to tie.
It's worth mastering the regular Ian Knot before attempting this variation!
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Step 1:
Tie a Starting Knot as shown, then make two "bunny ears" as per step (1) of the regular
Ian Knot. Start a little higher than for the regular Ian Knot, making the bunny ears longer
than usual.
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Step 2:
Now, make each side into a double loop. The left (yellow) double-loop is formed by swinging the left thumb
and forefinger around the back of the secured end (ie. not the loose end), thus wrapping a second loop of lace around
your fingers. The right (blue) double-loop is formed by swinging the right thumb around the front of the secured end.
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Step 3:
Like the regular Ian Knot, where the two loops are swung around to cross over each other,
this next move crosses the two double loops over each other, resulting in four overlapping loops. The left
(yellow) double loop swings around the front whilst the right (blue) double loop swings around the back.
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Step 4:
Again, this move is identical to that of the regular Ian Knot, where each hand uses the
fingers inside its own double loop to grab the loose end of the other hand's double loop. Take care
to only grab the loose ends, not any of the other three sides of the double loops.
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Step 5:
This step, again identical to that of the regular Ian Knot, sees each hand releasing its
own double loop and pulling the loose end of the opposite double loop through its own.
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Step 6:
When pulled tight, the result is a perfectly symmetrical knot (like the regular Ian Knot)
with a complex triple-wrap of lace around the middle, making it super secure.
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Technical Details
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How much more secure?
To quantify the security, let's consider the amount of tension required to pull the loose ends so that the knot
comes undone. To keep the comparison simple, lets consider that the Standard Shoelace
Knot requires 1 unit of tension to untie:
In other words, the Mega Ian Knot is around 3 times as secure as typical "regular" shoelace knots and around
1-1/2 times as secure as typical "secure" shoelace knots.
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It's super secure, but is it worth it?
This knot came about by way of extensive experimentation with my regular Ian Knot (as did
the Double Ian Knot, Crossed Ian Knot and several
other unsuccessful variations). It is indeed the most secure knot that I've developed, and with practice I can see
that it could get easier to tie.
However, I find it unnecessarily difficult considering that it doesn't need to be any more secure than the other
secure knots, all of which are easier to tie and provide more than enough security (ie. they stay tied all day).
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Please only vote once - multiple votes are removed daily
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This page last updated: 08-May-2008. Copyright © 2005-2008 by
Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.
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