Single-column tie
A cuff of rope around one limb or object, fastened so it keeps its size and does not tighten under load; a basic building block of rope bondage.
A single-column tie, often shortened to SCT, is a cuff of rope around one column, such as a wrist, ankle, thigh or bedpost, held by a knot so that the cuff does not collapse and tighten when pulled (Shibari Study; Rope365). Autostraddle’s Shibari 101 series presents single- and double-column ties as the foundation for more complex shibari: the cuff should be snug enough that the limb cannot slip out yet loose enough to slide a couple of fingers beneath it. Placement is a recurring safety theme. Shibari Safety stresses keeping rope over muscle and away from nerves and major blood vessels, with checks for tension and circulation, and Autostraddle advises keeping the knot off the sensitive inner wrist.