Tom fool's knot under and through the outer side of the opposite loop. Tom fool's knot The Tom fool's knot is sometimes considered a handcuff knot but is somewhat inferior for this purpose to the knot which usually bears that name. It is a good knot with which to commence a slightly fancy sheepshank. It is also used as a trick knot due to the speed with which it can be made. Tom fool's knot is believed to be the knot "epankylotos brokhos" described by the 1st Century Greek physician Heraklas. It is formed by making two loops, not exactly overlaying each other.
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie described in the book, in order of size, are as follows. Terminal sequences (the final three moves that end in the tying of the knot) are in bold. The knots are sometimes designated by their number alone (e.g., FM2 for the four-in-hand, with "FM" standing for Fink-Mao). A knot is self-releasing if, when the thin end is pulled out through the knot, no knot is left; as all knots start on the left, a knot is self-releasing if the terminal sequence is Ro Li Co; it is "not" self-releasing if the terminal sequence is Lo Ri Co. Symmetry and self-releasing