Knotting and fancywork were a popular way to spend the little free time sailors had onboard sailing ships. However, the majority of sailors only knew a few knots just to fulfill their duties. Anyone who could tie complex and decorative knots were well respected. Most iconic of all knotwork were sailors chest beckets. To tie a pair of fancy beckets, a sailor used all his skills he had learned during his career. Beckets were studied by other crew members to determine if the owner was a true "marlinspike sailor".