Crossing Hitch (Munter Hitch or Nodome)
A Crossing Hitch, or Nodome (の止め), is used when you want to connect two cords that cross each other to keep them from sliding freely. This is a common approach used to improve the stability of many ties.
You will also commonly hear this called the “Munter Hitch”, but the word “munter” is used as an insult in some parts of the world, so we are trying to move away from that name…
This tutorial is tightly related to Building Blocks – Junctions. If you have not seen how these all relate together, go check it out!
For this tutorial, I used Natural and Black 6mm provided by my affiliate Twisted Monk.
Check them out for some amazing hemp rope!
Is there any reason not to do this in the opposite direction? that way you could simply slip a loop of the working rope under the rope being crossed an then put the working rope through that loop. the hitch would be exactly the same just going in the opposite direction. this is how Topologist often ties half-hitches (though i’m not sure whether they are strictly speaking half hitches) and can almost be performed at full speed one handed.
That is a great technique too. Structurally, you end up with the almost the same knot, but just facing the other way. For that reason, many riggers refer to that version as the “Reverse Munter” / “Reverse Crossing Hitch”. The only thing to watch about it is that it take a little more work/attention to get it in exactly the right place. Because you have to have a larger loop to run the tail through, if you just pull the tail to tighten it, it can be easy to move the crossing line a little out of it’s original position. This is easy to counter act by simply tightening in two stages–first tighten the loop, then the tail–but you do need to remember to do it that way if you need your line to stay where it was.
A really useful hitch for conditioning hemp or jute rope! Stick it on a carabiner and pull through.