A cowboy will never leave the house without his trusted lasso! If you really need a lasso or just want to fantasize about living in the Western world, knowing how to tie a lasso can help you catch wild horses or farm animals that want to escape. Luckily, you only need to learn one simple knot to start tying a lasso!
Step
Part 1 of 2: Tying the Lasso with the Honda Knot
Step 1. Prepare a piece of rope
The length of the rope you use doesn't matter to make a lasso, as long as it's long enough for the knot and loop, and you can loop it overhead. The rest of the rope can be rolled up and carried. For adults, a rope of about 9 m is long enough; while for small children, it is better to use a shorter rope.
If you just practice, you can use almost any type of rope. However, if you're going to use a lasso, take a rope that's thin, strong, and slightly stiff. Stiff rope is more difficult to tie. However, quality is guaranteed because a rope like this can be "pushed" to suit the size of your hoop
Step 2. Make a loose hand knot
The first step in tying a lasso is to make a regular hand knot. This knot is a standard type of knot that you may have made many times in your daily life. To make a knot, all you have to do is loop your string, then slip one end through the loop. Do not tighten this knot; keep it loose so you can modify it easily. You'll be doing this in the next few steps. If done correctly, your rope should now look like a big "O" with a loose knot at the bottom.
Step 3. Thread the end of the string back through the knot
Take the "shorter" end of the rope and hold it in your hand. Drag this section around the "O" shape and through it. Pull in between the outer edges of the "O" section of the hand knot and pull it through the shape of the letter as well. Pull about 15 cm long. This will create a new circle that will form the basis of your lasso.
Step 4. Tighten your knot carefully
Do it without pulling the end. Pull on the other end of the rope (where you'll be holding the lasso) and the new loop you just made. As you do this, be careful not to pull the end back through the knot. When you're done, you'll have a tight knot at the bottom of the small loop (with the end of the knot sticking out of the knot as well). This is what is called Honda knot.
Step 5. Pull the end you'll be holding through the Honda knot
After that, pull this end through the small loop on your Honda knot, to create a working lasso. By pulling on the end of the rope you will be holding, you can tighten the lasso to hold things together.
Step 6. Tie a stopping knot (optional)
If you're just looking to make a lasso for fun or decorative purposes, you can stop here. However, if you really want to use it, you can make a new knot to make sure your lasso is more durable and easier to use. In its final state, the short end of the lasso could be accidentally pulled and over the Honda knot, causing your knot to fall off and your lasso to unravel. To prevent this, tie a stop knot at the end. You can use a regular hand knot.
Part 2 of 2: Throwing Lasso
Step 1. Hold the lasso
If you grab the end of your rope and start swinging it, the tension in the rope will close the loop of the lasso before you can throw it. So, use a grip that keeps your lasso open as you twist it around to generate the necessary momentum. Hold the lasso with the steps taught below:
- Make a neat big loop by running the rope through your Honda knot.
- Leave about 30-60 cm of rope next to your lasso loop.
- Hold this loop and the rest of the rope together. This will create a "double" length of rope between the Honda knot and your hand. This double portion is called the "shank".
- Point your index finger on the shank so that it points to the Honda knot. This is important to keep your control of the lasso stable.
Step 2. Rotate your wrists over your head while holding the straps
Begin swinging the rope overhead by holding it by the end of the shank. Be careful not to hit your head or slash your neck yourself. Swing fast enough to keep the knot in a horizontal position, but not so fast that you have trouble controlling it.
Step 3. Release the rope when you feel the momentum moving forward
How to throw a lasso is not the same as throwing a baseball; releasing the lasso should be done at the right time, instead of just throwing it forward like you would with a baseball. Try removing the lasso when you feel the weight of it swinging forward; this may not happen when the circle itself is in front of your body. Chances are, this will actually happen when the circle is on your side.
When throwing the lasso, release the hoop but maintain control of the rope so you can tighten the lasso
Step 4. Tighten the lasso so you can trap your target
Once the lasso is around the object you want to catch, pull the string hard. This will pull the loose part of the loop through the Honda knot, allowing the lasso to tighten around whatever object is in the loop.
