The rope tightening and fastening device of the invention is a flat, elongated device having at one end a forward-opening, V-shaped mouth including opposing surfaces and at the other end a rear-facing back edge with a knob extending rearward therefrom. Rear and cinching apertures are disposed between the mouth and knob, the rear aperture having a forward-facing engagement surface and the cinching aperture having a rear-facing engagement surface, the forward-facing engagement surface configured to engage the beginning of one leg of a rear loop of rope that is passed through the rear aperture and fastened around the knob, the rear-facing engagement surface configured to engage the end of a return leg of a forward loop of rope extending from the rear aperture, and the opposing surfaces of the mouth having gripping members for securing a portion of rope under tension in the mouth.

A fastener with one or more movable locking bands in a drawstring of sweatpants. The body of the fastener is made out of a material, such as highly dense polyurethane foam, that is strong, yet flexible, or of a rigid plastic, that is strong, yet flexible. The two strings to be fastened pass through one or more gripping and/or locking holes in the fastener body. When the shoelace is passed through the gripping and/or locking holes, the dense polyurethane foam grips the lace tightly. The free ends are pulled through one or more peripheral slits extending towards, but not all the way to, the gripping and/or locking holes and then bent against the upper outer surface of the disk and locked in place in the respective one or more peripheral locking slits. Flexible and/or rigid bands encircling over the fastener drawstrings further secure the drawstrings in a locked position.

A fastener connects two strings together, such as the drawstring of sweatpants or the two shoe lace strings ends of respective shoe lace strings in a pair of sneakers. The body of the fastener is made out of a material, such as highly dense polyurethane foam, that is strong, yet flexible, or of a rigid plastic, that is strong, yet flexible. The two strings to be fastened pass through one or more gripping and/or locking holes in the fastener body. When the shoelace is passed through the gripping and/or locking holes, the dense polyurethane foam grips the lace tightly. The free ends are pulled through one or more peripheral slits extending towards, but not all the way to, the gripping and/or locking holes and then bent against the upper outer surface of the disk and locked in place in the respective one or more peripheral locking slits.

A line tensioner comprises a first attachment portion (2) for releasably fixing to a line (3). The first attachment portion (12) has a slot (4) with two opposing surfaces (5, 6) extending in a first direction from a throat (7) towards a mouth (8). The line (3) is receivable via the mouth (8) into releasable gripping engagement with the two opposing surfaces (5, 6). The line tensioner (1) also comprises a bearing portion (9), with the line (3) being slidably engagable with the bearing portion (9) for tensioning the line (3). The line tensioner (1) further comprises a second attachment portion (10) for releasably fixing to the line (3). The second attachment portion (10) has a slot (11) with two opposing surfaces (12, 13) extending in a second direction from a throat (14) towards a mouth (15). The line (3) is receivable via the mouth (15) into releasable gripping engagement with the two opposing surfaces (12, 13). The second direction is opposite to the first direction. Methods of tensioning a line using the line tensioner are also described.

An adjustable stabilizer is provided for securing a medical device to a patient, relative to the angle and point of insertion. The stabilizer has a bottom surface and first and second top surfaces which meet at an apex of the stabilizer. The angle of the first top surface relative to the bottom surface may be adjusted to correspond with the medical device's insertion angle to permit the medical device entering the patient's body to extend from the insertion site on the patient's body along the first top surface, over the apex, and along the second top surface back towards the patient's body, thereby reducing stress at the insertion site, discomfort for the patient, and the risk of insertion site bleeding, while minimizing risk of damage to the medical device. The stabilizer may transition between a relaxed state and a flexed state to releasably secure the medical device to the stabilizer.