Tightening The Parnell knot

[JetFlyr]

After 20 years of stringing, using mostly double half hitch knots and starting knots, I recently started using Parnell knots. I really like the Parnell knot: it holds tension well and is, I think, the best looking finishing knot.

I recently watched the videos that Richard Parnell posted showing how to tighten the knot. He uses his fingers to cinch the initial loop before pulling the final tail. I've been using a starting clamp to grip the loop, using a rocking motion to pull out the extra slack, then removing the starting clamp from the loop and using the clamp to pull the tail and maintaining the tension on the tail while I release the clamp.

My question: is it necessary to use my starting clamp to pull/cinch the loop using a rocking motion, or will pulling merely with my fingers pull out enough slack (outside the frame) so that tension loss isn't significant?

How do you pull your Parnells?

 

[Roger Wawrinka]

I think it would depend on what strung you are stringing. For example I use a starting clamp for poly strings, but I use my hands to tighten synthetic gut or a mutli.

The parnell knot is great, but I use a pro knot. In my opinion I think it is much better.

 

[Irvin]

I don't think it is necessary to use starting clamps but it sure makes it easier to hold on with clamps. The rocking motion is not needed. If you watch Richard's video he has about 1/4" of drawback. No increase of tension on the tie off string will pull an extra 1/4" without breaking the string. But that is just one string outside the hitting area and in the overall scheme of things won't effect the DT of the stringbed.

 

[Clintspin]

It should be noted that Richard is tying off very close to the last cross. It's not that easy to take the slack out of a string that is being tied off several grommets up or down the stringbed, for example many of the Wilson racquets. I am not a fan of widening a hole to create a new tie-off location. That's fine if it is your racquet or the racquet of a pro who gets a new racquet whenever they please.

 

[Irvin]

It should be noted that Richard is tying off very close to the last cross. It's not that easy to take the slack out of a string that is being tied off several grommets up or down the stringbed, for example many of the Wilson racquets. I am not a fan of widening a hole to create a new tie-off location. That's fine if it is your racquet or the racquet of a pro who gets a new racquet whenever they please.

I just made a video using the Parnell to tie off on a Babolat at 10T right next to the outside main with RPM Blast no trouble at all I will convert the video and when I get it loaded I will let you know. I am not a big fan of widening grommet holes either.