Knotty Scouts
A Bay Area rope community that runs the Knotty Rope Jam, usually on Thursday nights, combining short workshops with open practice and a consent briefing. It marked its fifth anniversary with a late-night jam in San Francisco in January 2026.
Knotty Scouts is a Bay Area shibari community that says it welcomes everyone from complete beginners to experienced practitioners, with an emphasis on consent, safety and building connection within the kink community. Its regular format is the Knotty Rope Jam, held on Thursday evenings.
Format. Jam nights combine short workshops with open practice. Listed events open with a mandatory consent talk: the Kink Store jam names the FRIES model (freely given, reversible, informed, engaged, specific), the anniversary jam the FIRES principles (freely given, informed, reversible, engaged, specific). House rules forbid interrupting scenes, playing while intoxicated and taking photos without the enthusiastic consent of everyone in the frame. Hard points are shared first come, first served. Experienced members, called Knotty Scout Leaders, give basic rope instruction throughout the night and can be booked for workshops outside the regular events. One listed jam at the Kink Store in San Francisco included a guest arm-binding workshop by JD Lenzen of Two Knotty Boys. The jams have been play-friendly and clothing optional.
Access. Low-income tickets are available on request, and a few volunteer places come with free or reduced entry. Tickets can be transferred but not refunded.
Venues and status. Venues have changed over time: the listings mention the Kink Store and a venue the group calls EBCS. In January 2026 the group marked five years with a late-night anniversary jam at Club Six in San Francisco that combined workshops and demos with a play space, a tea lounge and community DJs. As of November 2026 its ticket page listed no upcoming events, so check current dates with the organizers before going.