Mr. Stombaugh. It is a very common knot. I believe that knot is tied more than any other knot because it is right over right, right over right, and it is usually used by people wrapping packages who want it tied securely so the package will not come open.
Mr. Eisenberg. Did you say there was also a bow knot?
Mr. Stombaugh. Yes, sir.
Mr. Eisenberg. Could you illustrate that?
Mr. Stombaugh. This is the type of knot we use when we tie our shoe strings. It is made by forming a loop with the one free end, and wrapping the other free end around it and pulling it through.
Mr. Eisenberg. Is that a hard or an easy knot to slip out, Mr. Stombaugh?
Mr. Stombaugh. This is very easy, because you just take one of the loose ends and pull it and the knot falls apart.
Mr. Eisenberg. What was the relationship between the granny knot and the bow knot?
Mr. Stombaugh. I don't know. I have seen this numerous times, on numerous different occasions when one would either tie a granny knot or a square knot and follow it up with a bow knot. The granny knot would be to secure the package so it would not come loose. The bow knot is a temporary knot tied by one who wants the string to come off easily.
Now why they would tie a granny knot and follow this up with a bow knot I don't know, unless they had some long loose ends which they wanted to slacken up, shorten up, rather, so as they would not be hanging down.