Theory of Tie Knots
Thomas Fink and Yong Mao, two physicists of Cambridge University, more than 10 years ago conducted a mathematical study on the tie knot
(A Mathematical Theory of Tie Knots), amongst others published in
Nature and
Physica in 1999.
For years now we have been struggling with their eighty-five (85) tie knots, all carefully established along the laws of atomic physics.
Fink and Mao reveal the dna-structure of the tie knot (“
we discovered that tying a tie knot is equivalent to a so-called persistent random walks on a triangular lattice’). Who ties a knot, commits a series of acts. Each of these acts is coded and used to distill 85 formulas sometimes with just very refined differences.
Fink and Mao bring their analysis one interesting step further. They submit their 85 knot to strict esthetical criteria and the authors appear to have a taste for the beauty of equilibrium and symmetry; no more than 15 of their tie knots meet these demands. Of these 15 knots, four are widespread in use (the basic four-in-hand, the Windor, the half Windsor and the Pratt or Shelby), two are rare and a respectable number of nine are new esthetically sound tie knots.
The big Borelli knot used by the famous Dutch politician Fortuyn does not surpass the strict criteria of Fink and Mao. It is cross-eyed and slant of structure and against all esthetics, even though it originates from Italy.
All in all wonderful reading material for a slow Sunday afternoon and a strong breeding ground for our crusade against the
anti-necktie sentiment.
Published on 12-3-2010 - Fashion
