The
clove hitch is a type of
knot. Along with the
bowline and the
sheet bend, it is often considered one of the most important knots and is commonly referred to as a Double Hitch. A clove hitch is two successive
half-hitches around an object. It is most effectively used as a crossing knot. It can be used as a
binding knot, but is not particularly secure in that role. A clove hitch made around the rope's own
standing part is known as either
two half-hitches or
buntline hitch, depending on whether the
turns of the clove hitch progress away from or towards the hitched object.