Bell Ropes

A labor of love

“Now, your old time sailor, to whom the making of so common a thing as a bell rope was a labor of love rather than a chore …“

Hervey Garrett Smith
The Marlinespike Sailor

I’m not really sure why I love bell ropes so much. I don’t actually recall the first time I saw a bell rope. But, I do remember the first time I actually tied one. I was reading Hervey Garrett Smith’s The Marlinespike Sailor and was fascinated by the elegance of his description of the purpose as well as the tying of a bell rope.

I suppose the thing that fascinates me is the pure simplicity of the purpose of the bell rope and the near infinite possibilities in the way the bell rope can be tied. This page is a collection of photos of bell ropes I’ve tied over the years. The pieces range from pocket-sized keyrings to a 36-inch bell rope made from 1/2-inch sisal rope.