Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Knotting a standard monkey fist with three loops
• Method 3 of 3: Making a monkey's fist with five strands
• Tips

The monkey's fist is a type of knot that can be used as a decorative knot or as a weight at the end of a rope. Tying this knot properly takes practice and patience. Proceed slowly and persevere patiently.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Knotting a standard monkey fist with three loops

1. Hold the rope tight. Place the rope over the edge of your open left hand. The short tail should be over the front of your hand. The rest of the rope should hang behind your hand.
   • The long end of your rope is the end you are working with. This is the part you will use to make the knot.
2. Wrap the rope vertically. Grab the long tail (or the end you are working with), and wrap it around your fingers three times.
   • Start the first wrap around your fingers closest to your palm. Each successive wrap should be closer to the tips of your fingers.
   • Try wrapping the rope (e.g. paracord) around your first three fingers, or even just your first two, to make it easier.
3. Slide the coiled rope off your hand. Make sure you always work from the same direction. Keep this same hand positioned so that the loops do not come loose.
   • With your free hand, remove the twine from the hand you wrapped, keeping the first few wraps in place.
   • Hold the first three wraps in place by holding the twine together with your index finger and thumb.
   • You can also hold the rope on your hand if you wish and run the following horizontal loops through your finger.
4. Wrap the rope horizontally. Take the long tail and wrap it perpendicularly around the three vertical loops just created. Do this three times. Each subsequent horizontal strand must be above the last. When you are done, the rope should run vertically in three turns that are loosely held in place by three horizontal turns.
   • Do not pull the rope too tight, these wraps should be loose.
   • Complete the horizontal wraps by making a loop with the rest of the rope going through the three vertical strands. This is where you make the final wrap and go through the center, not the outside.
5. Make three more vertical wraps. Grab the long tail again and wrap it around the three newest horizontal strands. Run the rope through the opening. Go over the horizontal wraps but between the first three vertical loops. Repeat this movement three more times.
   • Weave the rope through the top and bottom.
   • The monkey fist should now start to take shape.
6. Place a marble in the knot. To add extra weight to your monkey knot, place a small marble in the center. This is an optional step, but it is recommended for a sturdy monkey knot.
   • Any small spherical object will work, but a marble is the easiest.
7. Pull the monkey's fist tight. Spend a few minutes gently pulling each loop to tighten your knot. Start with the first loop you throw and end with the last.
   • You need to work out the slack by tightening each loop in the order you made it. Start with the vertical loops, then the horizontal loops, then the last set of vertical loops.
   EXPERT TIP

   Make the monkey's fist. First you need to make a standard monkey fist with three strands.

   • Leave enough slack at the tail to make the extra keychain sling.
   • Make sure you also have a ring for your keychain.
8. Create an executioner's knot or noose using the other side of the rope (or paracord) opposite your monkey fist. Make an even "S" shape with the rest of the rope.
   • Then wrap the monkey's fist around the S-shaped part of the rope three times, as you would when making a monkey's fist.
9. Place the monkey fist through the opening of the loop (the hole in the noose). Take the loose strand and wrap it around three times, towards the hole.
   • Apply super glue to the wraps to secure them.
   • Cut off the excess string.
10. Weave a key ring into the rope. Take a key ring and weave it around the hole you made from the bottom of the monkey's fist.
    • When you're done, you can attach your keys to it or give it to someone.

Method 3 of 3: Making a monkey's fist with five strands

1. Position the rope. Place the rope over the edge of your open left hand. The short tail should be over the front of your hand. The rest of the rope should hang behind your hand.
   • Give yourself enough length of the rope (eg paracord) with the short tail so that it does not slip out of your monkey fist knot.
   • Pull the short end down far enough so that it goes just past your bottom finger.
2. Wrap the rope vertically five times. Grab the long tail and wrap it around your fingers five times.
   • Each successive wrap should be closer to the tips of your fingers.
   • On the last wrap, make a loop around your finger before wrapping the rope around the back of your fist, then pull it towards you.
3. Slide the coiled rope off your hand. Make sure you always work from the same direction. Keep this hand positioned so that the loops do not unwind.
   • Alternatively, you can keep the rope around your fingers if you find it easier. You just need to loop the horizontal curves between your finger and your palm.
4. Wrap the rope horizontally five times. Grab the long tail and wrap it perpendicularly around the five loops just created. Do this five times.
   • Each subsequent horizontal line must be above the previous one. When you are done, you will have five vertical wraps that are loosely held by five horizontal wraps.
   • Complete this section of the fist by wrapping the last loop around the vertical wire.
5. Change the direction to vertical. Grab the long tail again and tuck it in, above the five newest horizontal strands facing you, then underneath. Continue this movement five times. Weave through the top and the bottom.
   • Wrap the rope between your first vertical loops, but over and under your horizontal loops.
   • Complete this section of the monkey's fist by wrapping the last loop around the original vertical wire.
   • Place a large marble in the center. To add extra weight to your monkey's fist, place a large marble in the center of the knot. For the five strands of monkey knots you need something in the core to add weight to the fist knot.
6. Don the whole thing. Spend a few minutes pulling each loop gently to tighten your knot. Start with the first loop you made and finish with the last.
   • You have to slowly pull each part of the rope tight.

Tips

• If you've never tied a monkey's fist before, it will probably take a few tries to succeed. Have patience. Especially when you pull the fist tight. Slowly work to tighten the strands from the center of your string to one side, then repeat from the center to the other to balance the string.
• Always use more paracord or rope than you need. You can always cut off excess string.
• Tying the strings with a simple snake knot or lanyard knot adds character and makes it easier to finish your lanyard or keychain.
• Adding a marble to your monkey fist will really help make the ball sturdy. It is much more difficult to do this without a marble.
• Starting with a fisherman's knot is the better way to make a monkey's fist.
• There are multicolored monkey fists that follow the general weaving steps, but there are also two techniques that have not yet been mentioned.
  • The "two-color" technique uses a technique where the rope is woven around a tube, just like the three-color technique. Check out the Fusion Knots YouTube channel and Paracord Guild for all your paracord instructions.