Looking for a certain knot

I'm trying to figure out how to tie a knot
or rig up a series of knots to serve a particular purpose,
briefly, holding open a heavy utility shed door against the
wind.

What I want to do is anchor the standing end to a ring on the
inside of the door. The other end is to be looped over the
top of a metal cement filled post about four feet away.

I want the loop to be adjustable so it can be snuggled up
to the post, but I also want the rope to be as taut as possible
between the post and the ring.

The loop will be placed and removed many times a day
by many different people, most of whom know nothing
about knots and can't be expected to tie anything down
or alter the knots. I want them to be able to just grab the
loop, slip it over the post and pull it tight, then be able
to back it off and hang it up for the next user.

This arrangement seems to rule out the very few slide and grip
or noose-like knots I know, as they all require the loop become
larger as the slack gets pulled out of the rope between the post
and the ring. If you just tighten these knots snug to a post you
end up with a sagging dip of loose rope with too much
play for my needs.

Can I have my cake and eat it too?

Luke in Ca

I'm confused. If the door is just being held open, it wouldn't seem
like it'd need to be a taut line. More confusing yet is why the loop
needs to be choked tight around the metal pole.

My confusion aside, a Slippery 8 loop in theory would do the basic
task, but I wouldn't count on it to be readily released once taut and
choked up on the pole.

Perhaps you could explain why a regular old fixed loop like a bowline
wouldn't work.

My quick-and-dirty approach would be to incorporate a bungee cord to take
care of the tensioning, since you stipulate that the user can't be expected
to fiddle with knots. I would do this as follows: Tie both the rope and the
bungee to the door. A foot or so from the door, tie the other end of the
bungee into the rope (figure-8 in the rope, followthrough with the bungee
for example) leaving a bit of slack in the rope.

To get the loop to snug up around the post, double the loop (so it makes a
full wrap around the post). To keep your users from having to think about this,
run the two strands of the loop through a short piece of tubular webbing or
hose as you tie the knot (figure-8, bowline, whatever). This should also help
with wear resistance.

--
Caleb Hess

tie a Mathew walker knot and on the other end put an eye splice
it just buttons up
"Caleb Hess" wrote in message
...
My quick-and-dirty approach would be to incorporate a bungee cord to take
care of the tensioning, since you stipulate that the user can't be
expected
to fiddle with knots. I would do this as follows: Tie both the rope and
the
bungee to the door. A foot or so from the door, tie the other end of the
bungee into the rope (figure-8 in the rope, followthrough with the bungee
for example) leaving a bit of slack in the rope.

To get the loop to snug up around the post, double the loop (so it makes a
full wrap around the post). To keep your users from having to think about
this,
run the two strands of the loop through a short piece of tubular webbing
or
hose as you tie the knot (figure-8, bowline, whatever). This should also
help
with wear resistance.

--
Caleb Hess

I'm confused. If the door is just being held open, it wouldn't seem
like it'd need to be a taut line. More confusing yet is why the loop
needs to be choked tight around the metal pole.

My confusion aside, a Slippery 8 loop in theory would do the basic
task, but I wouldn't count on it to be readily released once taut and
choked up on the pole.

Perhaps you could explain why a regular old fixed loop like a bowline
wouldn't work.\

Well, I knew someone would ask this. There are solutions that don't
involve choking the post, but my basic curiosity is about whether
or not there are riggings that are both choking and taut.

A bowline was in place for some time (the door catch that holds
the thing open is broken, btw.) However, the wind blows and the
tensioning changes and the bowline drops. When the bowline and
slack was adjusted to be just the right length, the loop was hard to
get on the post. Grip and slide knots were used (I tried a tautline
and someone something he called a Duncan loop)
but the door banged the rope in the wind
and loosened the grip, and the loop slid down the post again.

It seems the best solution would be to fix the catch, but these are
public utility "b-boxes" and getting things like this fixed take an
act of congress. In my turf alone there are at least 30 boxes with
broken catches and each one presents a different little
problem that I try to solve with knots and a line.

Luke in Ca

My confusion aside, a Slippery 8 loop in theory would do the basic
task, but I wouldn't count on it to be readily released once taut and
choked up on the pole.

Tried this today and it worked great! I tied in stopper knots on either
side of the slip loop to keep it from spilling, and voila, you're a genius.
It also has a built in loop at the end to pull it tight. It released fine
just by pulling back on the knot a bit at the choke point.

I knew this knot, but it's interesting how knowing a knot and
knowing how to use it are two entirely different things.

Thanks.

Luke in Ca