The packer's knot is a binding knot which is easily pulled taut and quickly locked in position. It is most often made in small line or string, such as that used for hand baling

Baler

A baler is a piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport and store...

, parcel tying, and binding roast

Roasting

Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization or Maillard browning of the surface of the food, which is considered by some as a flavor enhancement. Roasting uses more indirect, diffused heat , and is...

s. This latter use, and its general form, make it a member of a class of similar knots known as butcher's knots. The knot is commonly taught to Guides

Girl Guides

A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...

 and Scouts

Scouting

Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....

, and those in similar organizations as a basic binding knot.

Tying and variations

A lightly tightened figure-eight knot is formed around the standing part of the line such that both ends emerge from the same point. Pulling on the standing part tightens the binding. After the desired degree of tension is reached, a locking half-hitch is added over the working end and pulled taut.

Even without the locking half-hitch the knot will generally maintain tension while additional tying is accomplished, such as putting a second, perpendicular

Perpendicular

In geometry, two lines or planes are considered perpendicular to each other if they form congruent adjacent angles . The term may be used as a noun or adjective...

, wrap on a package.

A similar knot made with an overhand knot

Overhand knot

The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot and water knot. The overhand knot is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is...

 instead of a figure-eight works almost as well. Many other variations also exist finishing with this style of locking half-hitch. In fact, Clifford Ashley

Clifford Ashley

Clifford Warren Ashley was an American artist, author, sailor, and knot expert. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, son of Abiel Davis Ashley and Caroline Morse. Ashley married Sarah Scudder Clark in 1932 and had two daughters, also adopting his wife's oldest daughter from a previous...

claimed that there were more knots of this type to be found than any other used for a single purpose.