# Does anyone use a special knot when tying their new string? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [September 7, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754 "2018-09-07T18:02:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![funkyman50](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/funkyman50/32/13917_2.png) [@funkyman50](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/funkyman50)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/1 "2018-09-07T18:02:38Z")
I just use a granny knot (at least I’m pretty sure I do). It seems like there’s probably a better one out there, but I flunked out of Boy Scouts so I don’t know any cool ones. ---
**Author:** ![vegabomb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/vegabomb/32/199_2.png) [@vegabomb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/vegabomb)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/2 "2018-09-07T18:23:03Z")
You mean to make the loop? Don’t you just form a loop and tie it? ---
**Author:** ![funkyman50](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/funkyman50/32/13917_2.png) [@funkyman50](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/funkyman50)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/3 "2018-09-07T18:33:09Z")
Exactly. What knot do you use when you “tie it”? ---
**Author:** ![LSYoyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@LSYoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/LSYoyo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/4 "2018-09-07T18:46:31Z")
I would be surprised if you use a granny knot… I think the most common knot is an overhand knot. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/5 "2018-09-07T18:50:49Z")
> [@LSYoyo](#): > > I think the most common knot is an overhand knot. Exactly. An overhand knot composed of the string looped back on itself for about an inch at the end. I am, however, curious to try a bowline knot instead. ---
**Author:** ![vegabomb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/vegabomb/32/199_2.png) [@vegabomb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/vegabomb)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/6 "2018-09-07T18:56:08Z")
I think it’s called an overhand knot as already posted by @LSYoyo. ---
**Author:** ![LSYoyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@LSYoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/LSYoyo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/7 "2018-09-07T18:58:27Z")
The benefit of a bowline would be a slightly smaller knot…but the problem would be that your excess string would be pointing toward the loop, which I think would be annoying if you had a lot of excess. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/8 "2018-09-07T19:02:11Z")
I don’t think that’s an issue once you make the slip knot from the resulting loop. Besides, I cut most of the excess string off. ---
**Author:** ![LSYoyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@LSYoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/LSYoyo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/9 "2018-09-07T19:36:17Z")
I also think it probably would just take longer to tie, but to each their own. ---
**Author:** ![funkyman50](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/funkyman50/32/13917_2.png) [@funkyman50](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/funkyman50)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/10 "2018-09-07T20:24:26Z")
Speaking of excess string… Have you guys noticed how much string @Evan_Nagao has hanging off his knots? In his most recent videos it’s looked like 4+ inches. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/11 "2018-09-07T20:36:42Z")
> [@LSYoyo](#): > > I also think it probably would just take longer to tie, but to each their own. Yeah, you’re probably right about that. Luckily, tying off the initial loop is something you only have to do once per string, so if it takes a few seconds longer, it’ll hardly matter in the scheme of things. I’m thinking that it might be worth it for the adjustability of the knot. Maybe. I won’t know until I try it. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/12 "2018-09-07T20:38:52Z")
> [@funkyman50](#): > > Speaking of excess string… Have you guys noticed how much string @Evan_Nagao has hanging off his knots? In his most recent videos it’s looked like 4+ inches. Yeah, I noticed that too. He also utilizes a pretty long play length, or so it seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![Dust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/dust/32/83340_2.png) [@Dust](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Dust)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/13 "2018-09-07T21:30:50Z")
[https://www.instagram.com/p/6yfCTrjEHg/?taken-by=kittystringyoyo](https://www.instagram.com/p/6yfCTrjEHg/?taken-by=kittystringyoyo) Here is the way I do it. Tie a knot at the end of your string, Untwist it a little bit, pull the string through the split that happens when you untwist the area around the end-knot. Then it becomes its own slip knot, without a knot digging into the top or side of your finger. Perfect for nylons or any slippery strings. I use this method for all my strings now. This also maximizes length. ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 4:43am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/14 "2018-09-08T04:43:14Z")
> [@LSYoyo](#): > > The benefit of a bowline… A bowline is way overkill. As noted multiple times here a simple over hand knot is sufficient. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/9/a/d/9ad0ee26039b4d165423d25c7d3a53f5e164cc88.jpeg "How To: Tie Proper YoYo Knot") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9oWwh8gPY8) ---
**Author:** ![MattB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mattb/32/14529_2.png) [@MattB](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/MattB)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 5:19am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/15 "2018-09-08T05:19:24Z")
Wow, I marked and measured a string with this method compared to the standard overhand loop. The overhand loop used about 5 3/4 inches of string from the end knot to where the string exits everything at the underside of my finger. The “open the end and push the string through” method only took 2 1/4 inches. That’s a whopping 3 1/2 extra inches (9cm)!!! Next time someone asks me for longer string, I know how to help them out. (Just make sure the end knot is tight and secure.) ---
**Author:** ![LSYoyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@LSYoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/LSYoyo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/16 "2018-09-08T12:21:27Z")
Yeah I completely agree. My next response said that an overhand is sufficient and quicker. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/does-anyone-use-a-special-knot-when-tying-their-new-string/292754/17 "2018-09-09T18:28:38Z")
Yeah, after some experimentation I do _ **not** _ recommend a bowline knot. Stick with the overhand knot.