What knot do you use?

[Glen]

whatever comes out, usually the half Windsor that everyone in the military basic had to use, but other times something else just gets tied...

[creagdhubh]

The majority of the time, it's a Half-Windsor for me.

[orionpyoung]

I almost always use the half windsor. Others have mentioned the lack of symmerty, but that is actually a feature I like about that knot. It feels a bit more organic to me

[creagdhubh]

I almost always use the half windsor. Others have mentioned the lack of symmerty, but that is actually a feature I like about that knot. It feels a bit more organic to me

"Lack of symmetry," my @$$! Much has to do with how you finish/adjust the knot, along with how you actually tie it.

[Nathan]

In general I let the style of the collar and the thickness of the tie material determine the type of knot.

This is absolutely correct. Different collar spreads and tie materials call for different knots. Like most have mentioned, the three I use most often are full Windsor, which I picked up in the military, the half-Windsor, which my father preferred and the four-in-hand which I find useful for more narrow collar spreads, or for thick ties that look fat and short when tied in a Windsor.

[SemperFyffe]

I have always used the Windsor knot as that was the knot I was taught in boot camp and was led to believe that it was the only authorized knot. My son has learned how to tie the Eldridge knot and is not too difficult. Having the diagram on hand is a must though. Another knot that he has learned and get many complements on is the Trinity knot.
Trinity Knot.jpg

[HippieLee]

This is absolutely correct. Different collar spreads and tie materials call for different knots. Like most have mentioned, the three I use most often are full Windsor, which I picked up in the military, the half-Windsor, which my father preferred and the four-in-hand which I find useful for more narrow collar spreads, or for thick ties that look fat and short when tied in a Windsor.

lol, this just goes to illustrate how woefully sartorially deficient I've been all my life. It never occurred to me that one even could change the knot to reflect the collar. Heck, other than button-down and not button-down, I'm not sure if I knew there were many collar types. And I certainly never thought that a full Windsor wouldn't work for any of them if I did.

It's been 30+ years since I've had to wear tie regularly but I actually do like to dres sup once in awhile. I suspect when my kilt finally arrives (oh the jooooooooooones! So close I can taste the mutton from whence it came!) I will look for excuses to dress up more often and try out all these nifty tie knots.

[Tobus]

"Lack of symmetry," my @$$! Much has to do with how you finish/adjust the knot, along with how you actually tie it.

Thanks, Kyle. I was beginning to think I was the only one here who was capable of tying a half-Windsor symmetrically!

The under-knot is critical to a well finished half-Windsor.

[TheOfficialBren]

Onassis Knot 1 (open form)



Onassis Knot 2 (closed form)



Onassis Knot 3 (closed form)



Trinity Knot

[creagdhubh]

Thanks, Kyle. I was beginning to think I was the only one here who was capable of tying a half-Windsor symmetrically!

The under-knot is critical to a well finished half-Windsor.

No worries! And you are precisley right in regards to the under-knot, Tobus.