Know the Ropes
A hand crafted Cornish driftwood sign with the caption “Know the Ropes”, which has been hand painted using waterproof ink markers. The original phrase “Know the Ropes" is attributed to the expression 'knowing the ropes' is often applied to the procedures and tasks that relate to a particular occupation. New employees are often told that it will take them a while to get 'to know the ropes'. More experienced colleagues might volunteer to 'show them the ropes' or 'teach them the ropes'. When you know the ropes you understand everything there is to know about the tasks and procedures relating to a job.
Like many other phrases, this expression has its origins in the world of sailing. Many of the sailing ships that plied the oceans of the world before the age of the steamship had complex systems of masts and sails that were controlled by ropes. Senior members of the crews of these ships were the ones who knew the ropes and understood how to use them to control the sails. The ambition of any sailor was to know the ropes as quickly as possible.
I draw the lettering by hand in pencil and when happy with the completed characters, it is scanned and then re-traced and vectorised in Adobe Illustrator. The traced artwork is then superimposed on to the wood, using carbon transfer paper. The driftwood sign comes complete with brass eyelets and a white macramé rope tied at both ends with a fisherman’s knot so the sign can be hung from anywhere! These can be easily removed if required and fixed from the reverse side. The driftwood featured in this product was found on Praa (pronounced 'Pray') Sands beach near Penzance in South West Cornwall, up against the cliffs at Hendra following a storm. The wood itself has been bleached in a large bleaching tank for two days and then rinsed and then left to dry naturally before being slightly sanded to avoid injury from splinters or rough edges. The sign is then painted with a pale blue wash with exterior matt emulsion and when dry two coats of exterior varnish are then applied should the sign be hung or displayed outdoors.
The origins of this phrase can be found here:
https://www.onestopenglish.com/your-english/phrase-of-the-week-to-know-the-ropes/145667.article
