Talk:2880: Sheet Bend

Why is this called a "sheet" bend? SystemParadox (talk) 21:17, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

I don't know the full answer but it's a sailing thing: the 'sheet' is the rope you pull in or let out to control the position of the sail. I guess bend describes the category of knot. 172.70.90.48 21:23, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

NO NO NO. The sheet is the sail. JohnB (talk) 21:36, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

It is the rope - Sheet (sailing). "In sailing, a sheet is a line (rope, cable or chain) used to control the movable corner(s) (clews) of a sail." 172.71.242.5 21:56, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

Huh. Dueling Wikipedia articles. The Sheet_bend article has a definition section that says the term "sheet bend" derives from its use bending ropes to sails (sheets). But the Sheet_(sailing) article says a sheet is a line used to control the movable corner(s) of a sail. JohnB (talk) 23:08, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

The sheet bend is named for its ability to to secure a sail, or sheet. You fold over the corner of the sail and that's one of your "ropes". The sheet bend is generally used as a knot for tying a large, inflexible rope (or rope-like object) to a smaller, more flexible rope.172.69.70.22 22:30, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

I would take the Ashley Book of Knots as authoritative. Sheet Bend is the first knot in the book, and is always (in modern terms) rope-to-rope, not to sail. It is one of the basic knots. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ashley_Book_of_Knots https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_bend

-- PRR (talk) 04:04, 13 January 2024 (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I added a link to the wikipedia entry, it explains the name. Barmar (talk) 21:25, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

Presumably the "different loads" title text is a pun between electrical load and mechanical stress on the knot? Jim-at-home (talk) 21:56, 12 January 2024 (UTC)