The Fusion , also known as the Karash Knot is a knot proposed by the FFS as an alternative for the Bowline on the Bight in situations where clipping a single loop may occur.
The Fusion Knot is a double loop knot that can be used for attaching a rope to 1 or 2 anchor points as is common in SRT. The name comes from the fact that the knot is formed in the same way as a Bowline on the Bight but uses a Figure of 8 Knot as its base as opposed to an Overhand Knot, a kind of fusion between two knots.
Once formed the body of the knot contains an additional structural turn to the 2 rope strands that enter from the working ends. The nature of this knot should give the Fusion good holding power but less shock absorbency than a BotB.
You’ll need a Figure of 8 Loop to start with, with practice you can measure the arms for your Y-hang before tying, just like a BotB
Take your loop opened up and pass it over the body of the knot, ensuring that you do so on the opposite face of the knot to where the loop emerges
Now push the loop back towards the body of the knot. This will cause 2 strands to be pushed out of the back of the knot body. Once you have these 2 strands, continue to pull them out of the knot body forcing the loop to slide up the 2 working ends and jam against the knot body.
The 2 strands you pulled out now form your 2 loops for the anchors
Dress the knot, tighten down and make any adjustments to loop length you need.
Here we have the Fusion aka Karash Knot.
If you are looking for a knot to replace the Bowline-on-the-Bight in rigging for SRT then give the Double-Bowline-on-the-Bight a look also.
Mr. Knight, The method you are using to tie the Karash DL may be the cause of the awkwardness you are encountering. The bowline like loop, ‘kink’, at the ‘base’ of the knot serves two functions. First it allows easy adjustment of the loop size, but when tied using my method is seldom necessary. Secondly, it allows you to easily ‘break’ the knot when un-tying. The knot was developed to be utilized as leg loops in a self rescue harness. However, when tested by rope manufacturers, it was found to be an acceptable replacement for the DLF8 as well. Technical Rescue teams across the USA, and many around the world have been using the KDL and Karash Rope Rescue Harness for some time now and report satisfaction with it’s performance. My technical rescue team members donned the KRRH in 25 to 30 seconds with leg, waist and chest loops. They secured unconscious victims for extrication in the same manner in about 60 seconds. The training video on how to tie the knot is found on YouTube by searching ‘Karash Knot’, or from a link at http://www.karashknot.com.
Research by the IGKT, Professional Rope Technicians, and my own searches found no known example of the knot prior to my publishing it. I named and published the knot to ensure that it was a in the Public Domain to prevent profiteering or restriction of use. I would be interested to know the source of ‘Fusion’ as a name for the knot! Your critique is appreciated. Be safe, MK
Hi Mike, I’m sorry this took so long to appear here. Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.
At the time of writing the article the first reference to the knot was as a Fusion Knot via a FFS caving film and document in which they offered it up as a replacement for the Bowline on the Bight in rigging for SRT. In my discussions on IGKT the names Fusion and Karash seemed equally used so I opted to go with the earliest reference I had for the name.
I will make an edit of the Blog to reflect the information you have supplied and change the name to Karash.
Once again, thanks for the comment and apologies for any confusion caused with the naming.
Pete