Does anyone really use a sheepshank?

[mikeb]

Can't remember using it for sailing but I have used it many times when tying a load down and needed a way to get some 3:1 purchase to make the line tighter - when I lived on a farm it was a regular knot for helping to hold loads down - go through one of the sheepshank ends with the free end of the rope to get a bit more tight.

mb