Half hitch

The half hitch is a simple overhand knot, where the working end of a line is brought over and under the standing part. Insecure on its own, it is a valuable component of a wide variety of useful and reliable hitches, bends, and knots.

Two successive half hitches tied around an object makes up the common clove hitch. Two successive half hitches tied around the standing part a rope is known as two-half-hitches or double half hitch.

One instance where a half hitch stands on its own without additional embellishment is when added to a timber hitch to help stabilize a load in the direction of pull. A timber hitch is tied on the far end of the load to bind it securely and a half hitch made at the forward end to serve as a guide for the rope. In this instance, the half hitch combined with a timber hitch is known as a killick hitch or kelleg hitch.

The knot is attractive to the eye and so is used decoratively for French whipping which is also known as half hitch whipping.

See also

Half Hitch (comic strip)

Half Hitch was an American comic strip by Hank Ketcham, in syndication between 1943 and 1945. It was an example of military humor, but unlike most cartoons and comics, focused on the navy, rather than the army. The unnamed character first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1943.

During World War II, Hank Ketcham served in the U.S. Navy. During his service, he created a comic strip for the amusement of his fellow sailors, following the adventures of a short, lecherous sailor and his friends. It was published in The Saturday Evening Post where it became popular. The strip ceased in 1945, but after the great success of Dennis the Menace, Ketcham revived it as Half Hitch. The revival was distributed by King Features Syndicate, running from 1970 to 1975, as described by comics historian Don Markstein:

The strip's main character, Half Hitch, was short, rather lazy, and intensely interested in the pursuit of women. Other characters included the ship's stern captain, various NCOs and sailors, and Poopsy, Hitch's pet seagull.