Son of a Hitch by Mahk in TreeBuzz Published Articles Archive
TK is similar, slightly different charachteristics, along with cord, rope and climbing charachteristics all being different. 1 frustrating aspect of VT is the braids can lose position when splitting, recrotching etc.
Either the TK or Knut 'finish' under the VT braids can lend some self tending capabilities as well as not unwrap if retying in. (Theorizing all the hitches as a family that has a 3-4 uniterupted coil at top for too much stop; as base mechanichs. Then only varying the particular finish to buffer loading to coil on top (from between you as load and coil so underneath). The finish under the coil make VT, Knut, TK, Distel, Schwab, Icicle, Howard, Klem, Heden etc. that coil won't sieze on. The chosen finish buffering loading to the could-sieze-if overloaded-coil on top that they all share. Siezing meaning won't act right, mostly siezing as not to slide like we like.
Seeing as all are related, once familiar feel safer jumping around trying them i think. Easier to remember too, make coil completet with half hitch in same direction like clove/tautine have distel. Reverse that final half hitch to finish like cow/prusik you have Schwab. Where half hitch makes Knut; Marline Hitch finish makes TK.
i still favour the Icicle. Self tending, doesn't unwrap like VT(didn't like it as a finish to VT though). Still favoring using it in coreless 3/8 Tenex so it lays flat on the host line to grip. All kinds of variants to try combinations of, even down to the flat vs. round line!
A 100# person in SRT, can't slide on same hitch and line up and down as we in DdRT. i used to think that was becasue there is only 50# per line in DdRT(vs. 100# in SRT), so hitch slides. But 300# will slide on the DdRT with same hitch,cord, hostline, that won't slide at 100# in SRT.
As if we had 2 lines lowering a log, the stiffer line, the less elastic, stronger, tighter line will always work harder. If 1 line starts to fail, the other line instantly carries the excess of load. By the scales, when we pull down on the friction hitch in DdRT, the weight shifts off the hitch to the other leg of line. The 'expanding line' running thru the hitch, is essentially failing; and his buddy the other line takes the load instantly. The hitch unloads as the other leg of line carries you, the unloaded hitch slides, not a hitch only loaded half as much. In SRT there is no buddy line/ helper line, as the system tries to still support you, it has no other choice, no other support strategy, than to tighten bottom coils as you try to slide top etc.
When the self tending styles are more loaded, they need to be lightly redressed; they aren't quite as smooth as mechanical tender i think, real nice in combination. Mostly use self tending going up at first, so i try not to let my bodyweight be multiplied force on the hitch too much or redress mebbe. So if i impact line, or make support me at angle on way up i'll check hitch. To see if the increased loading of speed or angle on the hitch maid it less friendly for primary climb.
Gettin'Hitched
