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Mega "Ian Knot" Shoelace Knot
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This is a more secure variation of my
Ian Knot: Make a double-loop with both ends and simultaneously pull them through each other. The result is
super-secure, though nowhere near as fast as the "Ian Knot".
It's worth mastering the regular Ian Knot before attempting this variation!
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Step 1:
Tie a Left-over-Right
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 while 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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Security versus difficulty
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.
However, unlike the elegant simplicity of the "Ian Knot" (which can be tied almost instantly), this knot only gains
its extra security at the expense of being a fair bit more difficult to tie.
If you just want a simple, secure shoelace knot, there are other easier alternatives. The
Surgeon's Shoelace Knot or the
Turquoise Turtle Shoelace Knot are each probably more like the knot you're already using, which would make them
easier to learn, yet they both provide more than enough security (ie. they stay tied all day).
If instead you're after the
ultimate shoelace knot, and are willing to take the time to practice, the "Mega Ian Knot" is for you. In fact,
one visitor's 7 and 9 year old kids have taught this knot to their friends!
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Variations
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Here's what happens if, at Step 4, you pull through the adjacent loop along with the loose end. The result is a
completely different knot, which we could call a "Quad Loop Ian Knot". |
As pointed out by visitor John D., this variation is useful for "shortening" the ends of excessively long
shoelaces. It's superior to other alternatives like the
Double Shoelace Knot or the
Double Ian Knot because it can be untied much more easily.
The downside of this variation is that it's not as secure as the "Mega Ian Knot", and will untie about as easily as
the regular
Ian Knot.
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This page last updated: 08-May-2010. Copyright © 2005-2010 by
Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.
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