Naoki Knot vs Berluti Knot
Naoki Knot vs Berluti Knot
The Naoki Knot, Berluti Knot, Ian’s Secure Knot, and various knots are closely related types of secure shoelace knots.
Knots such as Ian’s Secure Knot, Surgeon’s Shoelace Knot, Turquoise Turtle Knot, Equality Knot, and others use different tying methods, but generally produce the same basic type of secure bow structure.
On this site, we refer to these collectively as secure shoelace knots.
Advantages of the Naoki Knot
The greatest advantage of the Naoki Knot is that it keeps the speed and basic hand movements of the Ian Knot, while producing a more secure bow.
- Very fast to tie
- Easy to learn if you already know the Ian Knot
- Starts exactly like the Ian Knot, so you can choose between the two while tying
- With practice, it can be tied by feel without looking at your hands
- The same starting sequence every time makes it easier to avoid accidentally tying a granny knot
If you are in a hurry, or the laces are too short to handle comfortably, simply finish with the Ian Knot.
If you want extra security, you can decide just before tightening and continue into the Naoki Knot instead.
Same start. Two finishes.
Secure Shoelace Knots
Some well-known knots in this family include:
- Ian’s Secure Shoelace Knot
- Surgeon’s Shoelace Knot
- Turquoise Turtle Knot
- Equality Knot
- Double Slip Knot
- Berluti Knot
- Naoki Knot / Ian Knot Plus
The Berluti Knot Exists in Several Forms
The original form shown in older Berluti instructions appears to correspond to the Double Shoestring Knot described in The Ashley Book of Knots.
In this form, an ordinary bow is made first, and then only one loop is passed through the center a second time.
This creates an asymmetrical structure:
one side is held twice, while the other side is held once.
Today, however, several different methods are commonly presented under the name “Berluti Knot.”
Some double both sides of the bow, while others also double the base knot before forming the bow.
For this reason, this site distinguishes when necessary between the original-style Berluti Knot and the modern variations commonly taught under the Berluti name.
Naoki Knot vs the Original-Style Berluti Knot
The difference becomes especially clear in the extra step performed just before tightening the bow.
Pass only the loop through the center again
→ Original-style Berluti Knot: one-sided double hold
Pass the loop and the adjacent lace end through together
→ Naoki Knot: symmetrical double hold on both sides
The Naoki Knot passes not only the loop but also the neighboring lace end through the center.
This produces a symmetrical structure in which both sides are held twice.
Does the Base Knot Need to Be Doubled?
Many instructions for the Berluti Knot and other secure shoelace knots begin with a double base knot, in which the laces are wrapped around each other twice before forming the bow.
This increases friction and can help prevent the base knot from loosening while the hands release and reposition the laces to form the loops.
However, the extra wrap also makes the base of the knot wider and can make the finished knot more difficult to tighten into a compact shape.
A less compact knot may actually be more prone to working loose.
With the Ian Knot, the lace ends can remain under tension throughout the tying motion. There is therefore little need to double the base knot simply to keep it from loosening during the tying process.
The Naoki Knot uses the same single base knot as the Ian Knot, keeping the two techniques fully compatible and allowing the finished knot to tighten compactly.
In most situations, this produces a stronger and cleaner result than adding an unnecessary second wrap at the base.
What Makes the Naoki Knot Different
The Naoki Knot was not designed to create an entirely new type of finished knot.
Its purpose is to create the secure double-hold structure already known from other secure shoelace knots, while preserving the speed, rhythm, and basic tying sequence of the Ian Knot.
Tighten immediately, and you have the Ian Knot.
Add one extra step, and you have the Naoki Knot.
One starting sequence. Two possible finishes.
You can choose whichever one you need without learning an entirely separate tying method.
That is the defining feature of the Naoki Knot.