Surgeon's Shoelace Knot
Also known as the “Tibetan Trekking Knot” or “Sherpa Knot”, this is the most common secure shoelace knot. Make a Standard Shoelace Knot, but before pulling tight, run the loop around and through the middle for a second time.
Surgeon's Knot Tutorial
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Step 1:
Begin with a regular Left-over-Right Starting Knot.
Step 2:
Make the right (blue) end into a “loop” by simply doubling it back onto itself.
Step 3:
Take the left (yellow) end and pass it around to the right, going behind the right loop.
Step 4:
Continue the left (yellow) end around the right loop to end up in front.
Step 5:
Start to push the left (yellow) lace into the “hole” that has just been made.
Up to this point, the knot is exactly the same as the Standard Shoelace Knot.
Step 6:
The yellow lace comes out through the back of the hole to form a right (yellow) loop. Feed a fair amount through so that you still have a good length of loop to work with.
Step 7:
Wrap the right (yellow) loop around the left (blue) loop for the second time so that it once again ends up in front.
Step 8:
Feed the right (yellow) loop back through the “hole” for the second time. This is the “secret recipe” that makes this knot secure.
Step 9:
Now, simply pull the loops to tighten the knot. The whole twisted mess of the previous drawing will rearrange itself into exactly the same finished knot as my Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot.
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Finished Knot Gallery
The finished Surgeon's Shoelace Knot should look almost identical to my Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot – a tight, closed knot with a double wrap around the middle, as compared to the single wrap of simpler shoelace knots.
NOTE: Because of the non-symmetrical way of tying this knot, the result may look somewhat different (see the 2nd photo below). This depends on how readily the laces “rearrange” themselves during tightening.
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NOTE: If your finished knot comes out crooked (eg. loops pointing heel-to-toe), it's probably because you tie your Starting Knot the opposite way to mine. This will result in an un-balanced knot, which sits crooked and comes undone more easily. See my Granny Knot page for more information.
Technical Details
Knotting Terminology
Note that what is traditionally known in knotting terminology as a “Surgeon's Knot” is actually based on a double-wrapped “Starting Knot” rather than a double-wrapped “Finishing Bow”. Both variations benefit from the increased friction created by a double-wrap – but that benefit applies to different parts of each knot:
In the traditional “Surgeon's Knot”, the extra friction applies to the first stage, which helps keep the sides of a surgical wound from opening up
– particularly while the second stage is being tied.-
In this shoelace variation, the extra friction applies to the second stage, which is exposed to daily forces and thus needs the most assistance.
If you prefer a technique that more closely follows a traditional surgeon's knot, begin with a Double Starting Knot, then finish with a Standard Shoelace Knot.
Doing so could be useful for student doctors who want daily practice – or simply if you prefer to stay true to knotting tradition. However, please be aware that the finished result will be much less secure than the technique shown on this page.
NOTE: For normal activities, the Ian Knot or other regular shoelace knots should be quite secure. I believe that many people seek more secure knots because they are – without realizing – tying their shoelaces with an un-balanced “Granny Knot”. Please see my Granny Knot page that discusses this in detail.
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More “Surgeon's Knot” Pages
Flip Book
Animated Flip Book for the Surgeon's Shoelace Knot.
Feedback
Visitors' Feedback about the Surgeon's Shoelace Knot.
Related Links
Ian's Secure Knot
Identical knot using a different technique (more symmetrical).
Turquoise Turtle Knot
Identical knot using another different technique.
Standard Knot
Simplified, less secure variation of this knot.
Software
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Ian
Chris
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