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I bought this signed copy of ABOK because it gives some insight to what was going on for him at the time. He died shortly after it was published and many of the signed copies that are available tend to have been saved by the recipient as a keepsake. ABOK was then, and is now, a treasure trove of the author's observations and tidbits of ephemera that add richly to its history and usefulness as a source of knotting history and fact. The new copies do not include the wonderful photograph end-pages of sea-chest handles (beckets) which were a sailor's resume of his skills. First editions are a great pleasure to hold and imagine through touch and reading what was going through the author's head as he wondered about making a second edition. Mankind's oldest tool? Maybe so and well brought together by such a great author and artist.Read full review
Fantastic book for anyone interested in knots or knotwork! This is like the encyclopedia of rope and and it's uses. Everything from knots, to how to hitch a horse, decorative knots, functional knots, ships knots, history of knots, how to bundle rope....etc. Absolutely amazing, it would take a lifetime to learn everything in this book.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The most comprehensive book that was ever written on rope work and its uses. Uses I never heard or thought of. This book has enlightened me on how block and tackle can be used to lighten the load without fear of slipping. How to secure lines quickly and safely. This book has been great for me.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Whether you're a sailor, a tailor, or just a little knotty this book is an absolute must have in your library. It not only covers very possibly every knot known to mankind but also gives a history of many of them and explains their purpose. The illustrations can, at times, be a little confusing but with practice you'll be making knots in and around everything you can find. You can spend hours just looking through the book trying to decide what to do next. Even beginners and kids can have loads of fun with the decorative knots you can learn from this book.
Any and all with more than passing interest in knots should have a copy of The Ashley Book of Knots (often referred to as simply the 'ABOK'). However, a word of caution... Clifford Ashely published this work and sadly passed away before modern synthetic materials became available. Some, (but not all) of the knots methods, techniques & practices detailed in this work; that served man reliably since antiquity, simply don't do well in synthetics... some can be outright dangerous, other jam extremely tight, damage line/s and everything in between. Modern knot books (or better still a qualified rigger) should be consulted before relying on anything presented in ABOK. (Note: Wikipedia has entries for both Clifford Ashley and the Ashley Book of Knots.)
Verified purchase: No
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