blakes hitch.
- Thread starter chad
- Start date
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Now you can switch over to the distel.
- Location
- Austin, TX
Explore new hitches.......
I'm with Nathan on this one: time to explore new stuff. I started climbing in NOV 2002 (I know, not long ago). Blake's was the first climbing hitch I used. It was fine in the early stages, but I found that the more comfortable I got in the tree, the more restricted I was by the Blakes. I found myself wasting a lot of energy trying to tend the knot with my micro pulley... especially while body thrusting.... Blake's just seemed to bite too hard and not release smooth.
Anyway, to make a long story short I'm now playing with both the Distal and Schwabisch... can't decide which I like better. Both operate real smooth for me and don't get tight like my Blake's used to. I took some advice from guys on these discussion groups and purchased 100' of 5/16" Sta-Set. Now I'm making my own tres cords and experimenting with different lengths... at only .29/ft, I can afford to mess some of it up
Anyway, to make a long story short I'm now playing with both the Distal and Schwabisch... can't decide which I like better. Both operate real smooth for me and don't get tight like my Blake's used to. I took some advice from guys on these discussion groups and purchased 100' of 5/16" Sta-Set. Now I'm making my own tres cords and experimenting with different lengths... at only .29/ft, I can afford to mess some of it up
ive tried the distal and swabish... the do move smooth i cannot deny, but i did not get good distance on my climb up without using an ascender. i have looked for longer 10x but i think i have a standard length. do they make longer 10x? or would i have to make it myself?
i actually do experiment a good bit and climb with different hitches on a regular basis to keep my memory up on how to tie each one.
i actually do experiment a good bit and climb with different hitches on a regular basis to keep my memory up on how to tie each one.
Chad,
If you are looking for a 10X longer cord for your Distel hitch, then you are trying to use it like a Blake's instead of an advanced hitch. In order to take advantage of the advanced hitches, you cannot use them like a Blake's. To advance the hitch, you never touch it. Instead, you pull the tail of the rope below the hitch and the tender pulley advances the hitch. It's basically 'hands off' unless you need to descend. The less slop in the hitch, the better it works. I'm tying my 8mm tres cords at 23" eye-to-eye and tying a 4-1 Distel hitch. There is less than an inch of slack between my tender pulley and my hitch. It is a thousand percent better than the Blake's hitch, but I had to completely change how I use a friction hitch.
If you are looking for a 10X longer cord for your Distel hitch, then you are trying to use it like a Blake's instead of an advanced hitch. In order to take advantage of the advanced hitches, you cannot use them like a Blake's. To advance the hitch, you never touch it. Instead, you pull the tail of the rope below the hitch and the tender pulley advances the hitch. It's basically 'hands off' unless you need to descend. The less slop in the hitch, the better it works. I'm tying my 8mm tres cords at 23" eye-to-eye and tying a 4-1 Distel hitch. There is less than an inch of slack between my tender pulley and my hitch. It is a thousand percent better than the Blake's hitch, but I had to completely change how I use a friction hitch.
TheTreeSpyder
Branched out member
- Location
- Florida>>> USA
i prefer distel to swab.
Am playing with knut, it is self tending if pulled to the side and seems to move easier up with tending.
Brian mentioned before about tending a lanyard friction hitch with the same karab that holds the hitch, so am trying that likewise on climbing line.
Am fixin'to try his sta-set cord suggestion too!
Am playing with knut, it is self tending if pulled to the side and seems to move easier up with tending.
Brian mentioned before about tending a lanyard friction hitch with the same karab that holds the hitch, so am trying that likewise on climbing line.
Am fixin'to try his sta-set cord suggestion too!
brian-
thanks for the picture, i tie it the same way it looks like(from memory, no rope in front of me), but i understand how easy it advances with a micropulley. my disregard for it comes from hitch advancement when you are ascending by the hitch alone without an ascender. that was where i felt the hitch had flaws and i may need a longer piece of tenex. the picture looks like the anchor point on the carab. were hand tied, whereas mine are spliced loops. that may have something to do with it.
thanks for the picture, i tie it the same way it looks like(from memory, no rope in front of me), but i understand how easy it advances with a micropulley. my disregard for it comes from hitch advancement when you are ascending by the hitch alone without an ascender. that was where i felt the hitch had flaws and i may need a longer piece of tenex. the picture looks like the anchor point on the carab. were hand tied, whereas mine are spliced loops. that may have something to do with it.
The method I use most when working around the tree is to pull myself up by grabbing the rope above the hitch. If there is enough rope below me, it can fall through the hitch from it's own weight. If it doesn't fall by itself, I can reach down with one hand and pull the tail of my rope sideways to remove slack. The vast majority of the slack is from the carabiner flopping down on the D-rings on my saddle.
Since I am not possessed by whatever demon that makes footlocking possible, I use a Pantin on almost every climb. I can step on the tail of the rope to ascend and I advance the hitch by pushing up on the tender pulley.
In other words I get up there using whatever method is easiest for the situation at hand.
Since I am not possessed by whatever demon that makes footlocking possible, I use a Pantin on almost every climb. I can step on the tail of the rope to ascend and I advance the hitch by pushing up on the tender pulley.
In other words I get up there using whatever method is easiest for the situation at hand.
- Location
- Home of the New Jersey Devils
I think that's a great final point. Too many climbers lack the ability to differentiate between specific situations. Not every tree needs to be SRT'd just as not every tree should need a throwline and a pair of ascenders. Sometimes, just a toss of the rope and some good old body-thrusting is the best technique for that case. I think the better climbers have a way of assessing each task efficiently.
TheTreeSpyder
Branched out member
- Location
- Florida>>> USA
That is how i beleive it evolves to be. Though along the path i find myself concentrating and polishing a technique; maybe not so much now; but i remeber phases of time everything i did i broke out the throwline, anything real lowered was on a pretighteend porty etc. Sometimes i have thought off it as a process whereby i work on developing a habit or process, that i get down very well before going on to something else. So i can be that quick gunfighter and draw that skill out at anytime when it is needed.
But all in all i respect and agree about having the open mind, that fixates not on one process, except perhaps only briefly for deeper growth at that level; but realize it as an evolution that will go on beyond that. i think allowing and fostering that in yourself is good.
But all in all i respect and agree about having the open mind, that fixates not on one process, except perhaps only briefly for deeper growth at that level; but realize it as an evolution that will go on beyond that. i think allowing and fostering that in yourself is good.
ok, if anyone is interested... i tried double fisherman's(or barrell) and my decision was to roll with the buntline for awhile. i tie my buntline and pull up from it. this sets it nice and tight. then to be safe i tie an anchor hitch right above it and snug that up to the buntline. very safe, very quick. put on the pantin and ascender and head up.
ha......i goofed and thought i was replying to an old post of mine about the buntline hitch on the previous reply...this was the one i had about the blakes. sorry, had a truck go down today and the situation must have fried my brain. yes, cheers to diversity in climbing and the good old body thrust. just as every tree is different, we must sometimes use a different approach, even if it is just to mix it up and entertain ourselves a little bit.
- Location
- New Zealand
Interesting about the hitches you use.
Do you know a site i can look at to see how one ties the Schwabisch hitch. Thanks
Do you know a site i can look at to see how one ties the Schwabisch hitch. Thanks
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Ian;
You can see it here ...
http://www.proclimber.co.uk/knotting-shed/proclimber-knotting-shed--arborist-treeclimbing-hitches.htm
You can see it here ...
http://www.proclimber.co.uk/knotting-shed/proclimber-knotting-shed--arborist-treeclimbing-hitches.htm
TheTreeSpyder
Branched out member
- Location
- Florida>>> USA
Nice link!
When i think Schwab, i think 1 lower, 3 upper closed, prusik. Distel, i think 1 lower 3 upper clove hitch/rolling hitch/tautline hitch family (where bar is slanted, ends exit opposite sides) in a closed tail. i think that distel is much better.
i also think if ya learn knots in these familiess and as you make them realize the likes thaat bind them and that which diffrentiates them from the resst of their family your grasp of knots will grow faster.
Tom first sent it to me distel as a friction hitch for lanyard; in fact i'm starting to think in pink paint....... even that is starting to make more sense......
When i think Schwab, i think 1 lower, 3 upper closed, prusik. Distel, i think 1 lower 3 upper clove hitch/rolling hitch/tautline hitch family (where bar is slanted, ends exit opposite sides) in a closed tail. i think that distel is much better.
i also think if ya learn knots in these familiess and as you make them realize the likes thaat bind them and that which diffrentiates them from the resst of their family your grasp of knots will grow faster.
Tom first sent it to me distel as a friction hitch for lanyard; in fact i'm starting to think in pink paint....... even that is starting to make more sense......
- Location
- New Zealand
Thanks Kevin. Good site....Ian
TC
Participating member
[ QUOTE ]
has anyone noticed their blakes hitch getting too tight for their micropulley to tend knot properly while limb walking. i used to have this issue with my tautline so i switched over to blakes. i wonder if it is just me tying on too heavy with my hitches.
[/ QUOTE ]
Did anyone ever find a solution to this problem with the Blakes specifically?
has anyone noticed their blakes hitch getting too tight for their micropulley to tend knot properly while limb walking. i used to have this issue with my tautline so i switched over to blakes. i wonder if it is just me tying on too heavy with my hitches.
[/ QUOTE ]
Did anyone ever find a solution to this problem with the Blakes specifically?
- Location
- Chattanooga
I pretty much use a Schwab with 8mm BeeLine on anything from 10mm PMI EzBend to PI and such. I find it very easy to tie, easy to advance, and it holds securely. I have had the Distel tighten up.
A Schwab is no more than a girth hitch with extra turns at the top.
A Schwab is no more than a girth hitch with extra turns at the top.
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