Bondage knots are one of the first things you learn as you start your journey into bondage, kink, and rope bondage in particular.
And honestly, most people would be surprised at how few bondage knots you’re ever really going to need!
I’m still getting the occasional queries about what the best knots are for bondage. It is in fact one of the most frequently asked questions that bring people to this blog, so I think I should probably answer it to the best of my ability.
I started this blog in hmm, let’s see, 2015? And since that time I’ve found myself using about two different knots, in most instances. My favorite bondage knot for “safe tying” and then a slightly different, but yet still similar knot, just for when I feel like having one that’s slightly smaller.
My Two Favorite Knots and How To Tie Them:
My absolute favorite bondage knot is the Burlington bowline.
Here’s how to tie it with a video.
It’s relatively simple, and it never, ever collapses, no matter what I do with it. I use it for single column ties, and as the start of most ties that I do on the regular, including but not limited to:
I also tend to use it when I’m doing suspension lines, because you most definitely do NOT want those to collapse.
For me, the most important thing about any bondage knot is that it does not collapse.
I frequently tie these knots in the heat of the moment. And because I’m a big believer in doing things as correctly and safely as possible, I make sure to use knots that will hold no matter how horny, impatient, excited, or distracted I am as I tie them.
Why? Because the fun kinky things we do can be very sexy and very exciting, and that can have a huge impact on your IQ and how smoothly you do things. Even more so when you have a hot as fuck partner.
(I’ve done any number of clumsy things or made any number of mistakes because I was that horny and distracted; it’s not possible to be smooth as hell ALL the time!)
So if there’s a knot that has to be tied in just the right way, or using just the right technique to prevent it from collapsing, then it’s probably not the bondage knot for me… which is why I tend to avoid the more traditional “yuki knot” which is often used in shibari.
The other bondage knot I most frequently tend to use is this one, Wykd Dave’s “Struggler’s knot”.
Here’s how to tie it:
Again, I’ve never seen it collapse, and it has a slightly smaller profile than the Burlington Bowline. I think the reason I like the Burlington Bowline more is because I can tie it going over a limb, or under a limb, and somehow it always works out, whereas I’ve only been able to get the Struggler’s Knot to work going over the limb.
That said, it’s a great little knot. It definitely has its place!
So yeah… Burlington Bowline is definitely my favorite bondage knot, and has been for about the past ten years.
Why Do I Only Need Two Bondage Knots?
Well, honestly, you really only need knots for the start of your bondage.
I tend to finish most of my rope ties using friction or some kind of nifty closed hitch instead of a knot. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s attractive, which is always fun.
Below is an image of a cow hitch, which I’ve used to finish off a leg tie. Not the most attractive name, but it’s a great replacement for a knot, and it looks damn cool.
There are plenty of examples of other closed hitch finishes on this blog; in my post about tying a crotch rope I use a closed hitch to start a tie instead of using any knot at all.
Another reason why I don’t finish my bondage with knots at the end, is because I also have to eventually untie my person, so that’s a factor too.
If something goes wrong midway through the fun, or if we get interrupted or have to stop unexpectedly, it’s better to not have to spend a long time unpicking a knot before I even start unwrapping them.
Even when I’m tying off to other things, I don’t think I really use knots that much… more a system of hitches that close on themselves.
Below you’ll see something that isn’t really a knot, but is a great illustration of that kind of hitch system.
So, there you go. What is hopefully the only two knots you’ll ever need in doing rope bondage – both of them are very similar and easy to learn, and you should be able to have a great time starting with just those two.
Happy tying!
