Lark's Head Single Column
This popular reverse-tension single column tie is attractive, lies relatively flat, and is very secure.
Single Column ties create a non-collapsing cuff, belt, strap or band around any one thing.
- Wrist
- Ankle
- Thighs
- Knee
- Waist
- Chest
This is the starting point for many ties, like the Unchastity Belt (Crotch Rope), Stirrup Heel Tie and Shinju.
You may see the term “Single Column” abbreviated SC”, “Single Column Tie” as “SCT” and, here on TheDuchy, “Lark’s Head Single Column” to “LHCS”.
Reverse-tension Single Columns are slower than forward-tension styles like the Somerville Bowline as they require tail pulls (the entire length of the rope must be pulled through some part of the knot while tying, in this case 2-3 times) That said, this tie is also less bulky and some find it more attractive. It cannot be untied without freeing the tail (this can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the situation).
Important Safety Tip! Wrists are sensitive, they must be handled with care.
- They have a lot of nerve and blood vessels near the skin on the inside of the wrists. Too much pressure there can impact blood flow or nerve conduction. Cuffs should never be too tight; you should always be able to run two fingers under a cuff.
- The wrist joint itself is also fragile. If you pull on wrists too hard, you can damage that joint or even push some of those small wrist bones into the wrong position. NEVER suspend someone by the wrists alone. Never tie someone in a position where rope is a applying heavy continual stress on the wrists.
- An example of this might be if you tied your partner's wrists to the bedposts, then grabbed their feet and pulled them sharply toward the foot of the bed. In that scenario, you may end up applying too much pressure to the wrist joints. Tying your partner to a bed can be amazing fun, but make sure there is enough slack in the tie that they can move their arms and wrists enough to adjust the lay of the cuff and rope strands from time to time.
For this tutorial, I used one 10' (~3m) piece of Natural 1/4" (6mm) hemp.For most ties on this site, I use an amazing Natural hemp rope provided by my affiliate Twisted Monk. Check them out!Prerequisites:
Prerequisites
Video
Core Technique - Pictures & Text
Find someone with something to which you want to attach a rope :)
Lark's Head Single Column (1)
Fold a rope in half. Place the bight over the wrist or item to be tied.
Lark's Head Single Column (2)
Reach through the bight.
Lark's Head Single Column (3)
Grab the tail.
Lark's Head Single Column (4)
Pull the tail through.
Lark's Head Single Column (5)
Note that I am holding the tail with one hand while the other is pulling it through the bight. This helps you control the rope as it moves, so you can prevent the tails from “flailing” around and whipping your partner.
Lark's Head Single Column (6)
This forms a Lark’s Head from which this tie takes its name.
Lark's Head Single Column (7)
Place your fingers on top of the bight and reverse tension on your rope (it was heading downward in this picture and now it is heading upward) and begin a second wrap.
Lark's Head Single Column (8)
Place the new wrap(s) on the side *opposite* the direction you want the tail to go when the tie is complete.
Lark's Head Single Column (9)
You can wrap once or twice (for a total of 4 or 6 strands), then feed the tail to your fingers.
Lark's Head Single Column (10)
Pull the tail through.
Lark's Head Single Column (11)
Note that the tail is naturally moving in the direction we want it to go when complete. Now we just lock it off with a half-hitch.
Lark's Head Single Column (12)
Keeping the tail on the same side of the bight, pull it backward over the cuff to form a small loop.
Lark's Head Single Column (13)
Protect that loop with your thumb while you slip your finger under all the strands of the cuff.
Lark's Head Single Column (14)
Hook the rope under that finger.
Lark's Head Single Column (15)
Use that to draw the tail under the cuff.
Lark's Head Single Column (16)
Pull the tail all the way through.
Lark's Head Single Column (17)
Grab the loop and…
Lark's Head Single Column (18)
…move it to the other side of the cuff.
Lark's Head Single Column (19)
Place your fingers behind the ropes of the cuff so you can feel how tight things are and to add friction as you tighten the knot in three steps…
Lark's Head Single Column (20)
One: Grab the line coming into the half-hitch from the cuff.
Lark's Head Single Column (21)
Pull that line until all 4 (or 6) of the lines of the cuff have the same tension.
Lark's Head Single Column (22)
Clip that with your thumb to hold that tension in place while you finish tightening the Half-Hitch.
Lark's Head Single Column (23)
Two: Grab the line on the other side of the cuff.
Lark's Head Single Column (24)
Pull that to…
Lark's Head Single Column (25)
…tighten the rope around the tail.
Lark's Head Single Column (26)
Move the finger that is inside the cuff to underneath the line you just tightened to hold in in place while you…
Lark's Head Single Column (27)
Three: Grab the tail and…
Lark's Head Single Column (28)
…Pull it tight.
Lark's Head Single Column (29)
Complete!
Lark's Head Single Column (30)
An older version of this tutorial that shows a closeup of the 2-tail-pull version.
Fold a rope in half. Place the bight on the wrist or item to be tied.
Larks-Head-SC-01
Reach through the bight. GT&PT
Larks-Head-SC-02
This forms the Lark's Head from which this tie takes its name
Larks-Head-SC-03
Reverse tension and begin a second wrap. Place the new wrap on the side *opposite* the direction you want the tail to go at the end
Larks-Head-SC-04
Thus
Larks-Head-SC-05
Reach through the bight you just formed
Larks-Head-SC-06
GT
Larks-Head-SC-07
PT
Larks-Head-SC-08
Reach under the cuff. GT
Larks-Head-SC-09
Use your other hand to keep a little of the rope back. Pull the rest of the tail through
Larks-Head-SC-10
Thus
Larks-Head-SC-11
Put your fingers through that loop
Larks-Head-SC-12
GT
Larks-Head-SC-13
PT
Larks-Head-SC-14
Tighten
Larks-Head-SC-15
Complete
Larks-Head-SC-16