The marlinespike hitch is a temporary knot used to attach a rod to a rope in order to form a handle.

The knot can also be made by using the rod itself to form the loop, but the tying method does not affect the performance of the resulting hitch.

Before tensioning, excess slack can be removed by pulling simultaneously on both the working and standing parts:

If the working end is loaded rather than the standing part, the knot will capsize into an overhand noose:

While this form may still hold when the standing part is subsequently loaded, it can jam badly against the rod.