Arbor Knot

[Morris1211]

This is just a shitty dollar store rope I'm practicing on but does this look right? I followed the video that has been shared by @JesiBel. The rope is very stiff so it's hard to tie knots with. I'm having a hard time finding one without an inner core.

 

[AreWeWinning]

This is just a shitty dollar store rope I'm practicing on but does this look right? I followed the video that has been shared by @JesiBel. The rope is very stiff so it's hard to tie knots with. I'm having a hard time finding one without an inner core.

Looks good to me. Does it tighten when you put something in the loop and pull on the rope? If it does, you have tied it correctly.

Some potential issues / observations:

• Try tying the stopper knot closer to the main knot. Tie it as close as you can.
• Make sure you leave enough tail past the stopper knot. If the tail is very short, it makes the knot less secure. The tail should be at least 10–15 cm long, or about 10 times the rope's diameter. There are no official rules for this, but in general, most knot tying guides warn against leaving a tail that's too short.
• I'd also burn the end of the rope with a lighter to prevent fraying. Make a clean cut, and simply melt the end. (I understand you're just testing here, but still.)

Stiffness will also depend on the rope's material. I have a double-braided rope, and it's quite soft. It's made of polypropylene, though, which is usually softer than polyester.

If you want a rope without an inner core, "solid braided rope" is the term you should search for.

I've seen in another thread that you're considering an 'over-the-door' setup as well. If you want to fit the rope through the gap above the door, you might also want to consider hollow braided ropes. Those are soft too, and don't hold their shape well. They can be pushed flat.