Hello Rope Experts,

Once upon a time, I worked with a very talented gentleman who, in the course of his act, tied a quick knot in a rope and set the rope on his nose, and it looked a lot like he was wearing glasses.

I had never seen this before, and we parted company without me knowing the origin of that knot. I do know it was tied from the 'middle' of the rope, like a quick bow knot, as opposed to from the ends...

Any references to this in the literature, or did he stumble on to an old vaudeville bit that may be lost to the ages?

Thanks,

Brian

Hi Brian
The knot that you describe sounds like the "Hunter mystery knot", or "the magic shoe laces" which is on page 31 of the Abbott's encyclopedia of rope tricks.

Thanks, Al,

I'm familiar with that one, and yes, it's a fantastic knot...but it's not quite the one.

The reason I'm curious about it is that it looks amazingly like a pair of glasses...

Perhaps there's a video link of him performing it so you can see...I'll look it up.

-Brian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNKS-LKu9d0

You can see the knot being tied at 1:30ish in the youtube video.

Looks like the rope he is using has a filler in it. Which would allow you to form glasses and other shapes. It is not rope, but a tubing of some sort.

Brian
I have read about that hat prop, but I never saw some one actually use it before.
Thanks

Hi Brian

I'm pretty sure that knot is the Double Knot on page 60 of Karl Fulves' Self-Working Rope Magic. Flip Hallema presents it as Old Man with Glasses in Routine Four: Halloween Costume Routine on Flip's Truly Magical Rope Magic DVD.

Paul

Thanks, Paul,

I'll look it up!

Kindly,

Brian