In our local stringing business we attempt to string with one piece whenever possible.  Stringing with a single piece of string allows us to complete the job with only needing to use 2 knots.  Fewer knots look better and tension loss is minimized.  There are exceptions where more that two knots are needed and these include hybrids, tri-brids and many Head racquets.

When tying knots we make primary use of the Parnell knot.  Our friend Yu Little made a tremendously informative YouTube video that demonstrates the tying process very clearly.

We like the Parnell knot because it cinches up nicely, loses minimal tension , does little to damage the grommets and it looks extremely professional.

When starting crosses with a two piece method we use a starting knot sometimes called a fishing knot.  Once again Yu Little has created a helpful video to demonstrate how this knot is tied. 

We like this starting knot because it looks good and we like how the end of the string that is cut rides flush next to the main string.  As the video points out, it is safe to pull tension on this knot.

There are a slew of knots out there and while it can be argued that some are better than others, the bottom line is consistency.  Find the knot you are most comfortable with and stick with it.

A special thanks to MRT Yu Little for his excellent library of videos.  Lots of great stuff for those looking to learn the trade and/or  improve their skills. We recommend spending some time reviewing his stuff.  It’s truly first rate.