Boola Boola and Bugbears

Basically I suck at the Boola Boola so I use the Somerville Bowline for my single/double column ties. Now there are a few reasons for this.

• Its bomb proof - its basically impossible to tie wrong or result in slipage
• With the twist tie method the Somerville Bowline is about as fast as the Boola Boola.
• Somerville Bowline doesnt need reinforcement.

But given its flaws (or my incompetence), it is still good to know how to tie a Boola Boola. So what tricks do i use to make sure I dont stuff it up.

• Cross the tail with the standing before capturing the loops.
• Make a loop in the standing end by grabbing underneath with your left hand and rotating clockwise. 
• Thread the tail thru the loop and tighten 90 degrees to the loops
• Settle the knot.
• Loop the standing again and thread through the tail to reinforce/lock the knot.

While the Somerville Bowline is probably not traditional it is functional. The same can be said for the Boola Boola being a functional improvement to the Hojojitsu Slip knot.

Kinbaku Cross Reference

This table is a index of images from Art of Kinbaku that has been cross referenced to instructions from the following books by page number;

• Beauty of Kinbaku - Master K  - AoK
• Arisue's Go's Kinbaku Mind and Techniques 2 (Floor Works 1) - MT2
• Arisue's Go's Kinbaku Mind and Techniques 1 - MT1
• Douglas Kent's Complete Shibari Volume 1 Land - CS Land
• Douglas Kent's Complete Shibari Volume 2 Sky - CS Sky

Reference: RopeMarks Ryu Illustrated Glossary

Art of Kinbaku Image No	Art of Kinbaku Tie Name	Form	AoK	MT2	MT1	CS Land	CS Sky	Description
106	Agura shibari	Shibari	182	138	-	76	-	Lotus Position Binding
43	Aomuke zuri	Zuri	-	-	122	-	68	Face Up Suspension Pattern
17,29,30,66	Ebi shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	80, 82	-	Shrimp Tie
10,14,35,50, 61	Ganji Garame	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Body Net
21,22	Ganji Garame/ Tsukue shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Body Net
15,18,46,47, 48,73,75,94, 95	Gote shibari/ Takatekote	Shibari	178	24,38	35	54	46	Box Tie
6,32,33,36, 39,57,72, 102	Gyaku-ebi	Shibari	-	146	-	88	80	Reverse Shrimp Tie
25,107	Hashira Ushirodaki Shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Tying someone to an upright bamboo, pole with the hands tied behind
7,8,55,83, 101	Hishi nawa	Shibari	184	98	-	68	-	Diamond Wrap
56,96	Imo Mushi shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	arms behind the back & the ankle of one leg is tied to the thigh of the other leg.
37,104,105	Iwato-nawa shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	spreading the legs wide with ropes around the ankles / thighs.
71	Jiai shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	A hugging position
54	Kaikyaku Kani shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	A spread-legged-crab-tie.
67	Kami shibari	Shibari	-	116	-	-	-	Hair Binding
31,69,76,77, 79,82,100	Kata-Ashi zuri	Zuri	-	-	-	-	74,75	One-Leg Hanging Partial Suspension
16,87,88,89	Kikkou shibari	Shibari	-	104	-	-	-	Tortoise Shell Wrap
4	Koutoubu Ryo-tekubi	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Bound hands) with the writst in the back of the neck
58,59,60,68	M-Ji Kaikyaku	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Legs Spread into Letter-M Tie
97	Mune Hishi Gore shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Chest bondage
9,19,45.62, 65,90,103, 108	Original	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Authors original tie
24,26,27,28, 52,70	Oujou shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	tied kneeling to a vertical bamboo ankles are crossed and bound, spreading the legs
84	Pesant Class	Hojojutsu	-	-	-	-	-	Criminal bind
2	Sakasa zuri	Zuri	-	-	-	-	94	Inverted Suspension
1,42,74,85, 86,87,89	Samuari Class	Hojojutsu	-	-	-	-	-	Prisoner bind
49	Suruga-doi shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	86	-	Wrists & ankles are closely bound behind the back
5,40,44,78, 81,91,92, 99	Takenotsue shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Tying someone using a bamboo pole.
23,53,80	Tanuki shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	76	Limb Suspension
51,98	Tasuki shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	50	-	Kimono Tie
64	Teppo shibari	Shibari	-	76	-	66	-	Rifle
3,34,93	Tsukue shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	Tying to low table
11,20,63	Ushirode Gassho	Shibari	-	56	-	52	-	Reverse Prayer Hands
38	Utsubuse zuri	Zuri	-	-	54	-	64	Face Down Suspension Pattern
12,13,109	Yoko Zuri	Zuri	-	-	77	-	84,88	Sideways Suspension Pattern
41	Yukata shibari	Shibari	-	-	-	-	-	wearing a yukata ("summer kimono").
109 Pics 34 Ties	Used (in table)		3	7	4	8	6
109 Pics 34 Ties	Total (in book)		3	18	4	16	14

Kinbaku Syllabus

Just a list of what I think people should learn to develop a basic toolkit of Kinbaku skills & patterns.

Risks Slipping Knots Circulation Restriction Risks & Signs Nerve Damage Risks & Signs Rope Care Rope & Equipment Loading Hygene & Health Risks Personal Fitness & Injuries	Knots Boola Boola or Somervill Bowline Larks Head Overhand/Thumb  Knot Half Hitch Redirects Reef (Square) Knot Clove Hitch
Equipment Carabiners Rope Types Suspension Rings	Western Ties Rope Coreset Cargo Net
Shibari (Ground Work) Takate-Kote - Box Tie Tasuki shibari - Kimono Tie Hishi nawa - Diamond Wrap Kikkou shibari - Tortoise Shell Wrap Ushirode Gassho - Rev. Prayer Hands Ebi shibari - Shrimp Tie Gyaku-ebi - Rev. Shrimp (Hog) Tie Ryou-Ashi Fudou Ippon Shibari - Full Body Ladder Tie	Zuri (Suspension) Kata-Ashi zuri - One-Leg Hanging Partial Tanuki shibari - Limb Suspension Utsubuse zuri- Face Down Susp. Yoko zuri - Sideways Suspension Aomuke zuri - Face Up Suspension Sakasa zuri - Inverted Suspension

Other Useful Knots

These are just knots your proably should know;

• Reef (Square) Knot
• Clove Hitch (with the end or loops)
• Tape Knot (Water Knot)
• Figure 8 Knot (basic and other forms)
• Alpine Butterfly

Rope Selection

Just a few thoughts on the relative merits/costs of Rope Selection. I also found a good reference on issues facing rope selection.

Rope	Size (mm)	Material	Break Load (kg)	Cost (A$)	Cost/m	Cost 8m	Comments
300m Jute Twine	1	Jute		10.00	0.03	0.24	Can be used for hand tieing or homemade rope making
6mm x 20m Cotton Sash Cord	6	Cotton		15.00	0.75	6.00	Good for practice rope. High eleastisity. Stretches.
8mm x 15m Cotton Sash Cord	8	Cotton		17.50	1.67	9.33	High eleastisity. Stretches.
6mm x 30m High Strength Rope	6	Poly- propolene	Break 650kg	23.00	0.76	6.13	Suspension Main ?
8mm x 30m High Strength Rope	8	Poly- propolene	Break 1200kg	35.00	1.67	9.33
6mm White Super Silver Rope	6	Synthetic			0.45	3.60	Cheap Twisted Practice Rope
8mm x 20m White Super Silver Rope	6	Synthetic		13.50	0.68	5.40	Cheap Twisted Practice Rope
Ichiban Light jute rope 6mm, 1 x 8m	6	Jute		18.94	2.37	18.94
Asanawa shibari kinbaku jute rope 7mm,1 x 8m	7	Jute		22.75	2.84	22.75	High Quality Treated Jute
Natural Hemp Rope Twisted 6mm per m Unconditioned	6	Organic Hemp	Break 260kg		1.55	12.40
Natural Hemp Rope Twisted 8mm per m Unconditioned	8	Organic Hemp	Break 410kg		1.80	14.40
Mammut Static Cord 2mm per metre	2	Synthetic	Break 50kg		0.50	4.00	For accessories
Mammut Static Cord 6mm per metre	6	Synthetic	Break 810kg		1.80	14.40
Mammut Obsession 8.3mm 50M PAIR Dynamic Climbing	8.3	Synthetic	6.5kn (662kg) Impact Force 9  UIAA falls	400.00	4.00	32.00
Mammut Galaxy 10mm X 60metre Dynamic Climbing	10	Synthetic	9.2kn (937kg) Impact Force 7 UIAA falls	300.00	5.00	40.00

Ref

These suppliers are only included as references to this table and not for any endorsement or commercial purposes.

• Bunnings (general)
• Esinem (jute)
• Jade Rope (hemp)
• Mountain Designs (climbing)

Trick Knots

A few of my favourite non bondage and trick knots are;

• The Handcuff Knot (used in fire rescue) 
• Highwaymans Quick Release Hitch (video)
  (also used by Special Forces Helicopter Insertions)
• The Daisy Chain (or endless knot if you release the wrong end)
• Common Whipping
• Sailmakers Whipping
• Hojojutsu Slip Knot (video)

The Revolver Suspension Ring

Well it has been a while since I posed here but I thought this one is worth of making a comeback.

Now what is not to like about the looks of New Hampshire Order of the Triskelion (NHOT) Revolver Suspension Ring. It says its CNC machined but I would hope this is a forged and CNC machined to give better material strength. Its immediately obvious how practical this design is for rope separation. The price is a bit steep but perhaps the price will sharpen up as scale increases.