Caterpillar Friction on a CE Lanyard by TEUFELBERG

Richard Mumford-yoyoman

Richard Mumford-yoyoman

Been here a while
Location
Atlanta GA
I like the CE Lanyard and currently use a leather friction saver with it as you can fit that over the sewn eye.
I would prefer to use a short caterpillar friction saver as they pass thru the crotches so much better.
Any suggestions on how I can undue the stitch and re-stitch a new eye after installing the short caterpillar. Sherrill Tree won't do it as it is used.
With the proper thread should I even be thinking about doing that stitch myself with a sewing awl?
 
Make your own leather cambium saver, and instead of stitching/sewing it together, sew heavy duty Velcro to the opposing edges so it's midline attachable.

If you can't do it? Any good boot repair man can.

jomoco
 
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Any suggestions on how I can undue the stitch and re-stitch a new eye after installing the short caterpillar. Sherrill Tree won't do it as it is used.
With the proper thread should I even be thinking about doing that stitch myself with a sewing awl?

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You might want to check in with other folks who do machine sewn eyes, I'll bet they'll do it for you. As you know I sew my own, sewed an eye on my year+ old Tachyon, it's super solid. Sherrill is being too liability conscious, there's no reason why it can't be done safely on a used rope. You might lose a little length on your lanyard though, I would not want to re-sew back through the same eye as the old one.
-AJ
 
Thanks so far for both responses, both good ideas.
Moss do you have something that shows how you do it, I would like to learn that skill. (of course safely) Sending it away to be done, also a great option but I don't learn from that.
 
Here's how I prepare the eye for hand sewing:
sewn eye photos

First form the eye around a carabiner, then tape it hard at the neck of the eye. Take the carabiner out and then wrap tape (the yellow tape in the photo) over the eye. After that I use small C clamps to compress the two legs of the eye. As you see in the photos I wrap tape tight to hold the compression. After it's all wrapped I take the first section of white tape of at the throat of the eye and start sewing there, and then remove one section of tape at time as the stitching progresses.

I use a Speedy Stitcher sewing awl and a modified round tip machine needle with 50 or 75 lb. test polyester waxed thread (depends on the diameter of the cordage I'm sewing).

You can use the straight needle that comes with the Speedy Stitcher except it's a leather cutting needle, you don't want to be cutting rope fibers while you sew. I ground the cutting edges on my Speedy Stitcher needle but it's still not as smooth through the rope as my ball tip machine needle.

I'm using a 7x3-180 machine needle ordered from Tippmann Industries web site. I had to grind down the shaft slightly to fit the sewing awl chuck.

Thread I like best is polyester 346/4 black from the thethreadexchange.com

I do three passes, first pass open diagonal (zig-zag), second pass half that then a tight pass to finish. The sewing awl is doing a lock stitch, it's just a continuous wrap. Last pass can be tough to get the needle though but it's doable.

Obviously there's a learning curve, I'd try practice eyes before doing the lanyard. It's a lot of work, takes me an hour to sew a single eye, took me at least an hour and a half when I first started doing it.
-AJ
 
Found some more photos, this shows starting the first pass open zig-zag or basting stitch

8519825348_25ee6a7d6c_c.jpg


I wax the thread on a small block of beeswax, more photos here:
Hand-stitched rope eye documentation

For the eye above I used C-Lon Tex 400 nylon thread, 75 lb. test. I've switched over to the polyester thread spec I mentioned earlier, I like the polyester better than nylon for hand sewing, handles better for some reason, nylon thread seems to hockle more.
-AJ
 
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Found some more photos, this shows starting the first pass open zig-zag or basting stitch

I wax the thread on a small block of beeswax, more photos here:
..

For the eye above I used C-Lon Tex 400 nylon thread, 75 lb. test. I've switched over to the polyester thread spec I mentioned earlier, I like the polyester better than nylon for hand sewing, handles better for some reason, nylon thread seems to hockle more.
-AJ

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Thanks moss, some great information there and just the start I needed. I'm looking forward to doing it.
 
I think that you should be able to pull an eye splice thru one of my 3/4" size rope sleeve.

Not sure but I think Caterpillar uses inferior imported light-weight conduit that are 1/2" ID.

(Yes I am biased and I wonder why they have dropped them out their latest catalogue?)

Un-wrap the end tape;
un-screw each ferrule;
cut the 30" length to whatever length you want;
make a loop of throwline thru your eye;
pull the eye thru one ferrule, the conduit then the last ferrule.

Screw/tape it all back together. Voila!

Insist on the original Dan House Rope Sleeves since 1999.

Operators are standing by.

Now back to our show.
 
Dan's sleeves are schweet!
smile.gif
I'll be after some more in short time for those quick, lighter weight rigging scenarios that don't warrant setting a block.
 
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Not sure but I think Caterpillar uses inferior imported light-weight conduit that are 1/2" ID.


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Good one Dan, indeed not all black high-flex conduit is created equal.

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Un-wrap the end tape;
un-screw each ferrule;
cut the 30" length to whatever length you want;
make a loop of throwline thru your eye;
pull the eye thru one ferrule, the conduit then the last ferrule.

Screw/tape it all back together. Voila!

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Aha, excellent strategy Dan. With the end cap/ferrule removed I was able to slide a sewn eye on 10mm OP cord through the 3/4" ID conduit, sewn eye in Tachyon no, definitely won't fit. The Teufelberg lanyard cordage is 11mm, sewn eye may slide through but would be a very tight squeeze.

For a lanyard though I like the 1/2" ID conduit, 3/4" is too bulky for the length I use on the lanyard. For example I have a 14" length of 1/2" ID conduit on my lanyard, that works well. Sewn eye on 11mm cordage will not fit through 1/2" ID conduit sleeve.
-AJ
 
Yoyoman, it just occurred to me looking at the Teufelberg lanyard photos... Is that a sewn stopper on the other end of the lanyard? Or is it a full-on sewn eye? If you just need a stopper I would work on that end, undo the stopper, put the sleeve on and sew up the stopper. I think you can do an excellent job sewing the stopper, hell if you sewed it well with whatever you have and then did a hard tape wrap on it you'll be good to go, no way your hitch will slide off the end of the lanyard.
-AJ
 
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Insist on the original Dan House Rope Sleeves since 1999.

Operators are standing by.

Now back to our show.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had to put this show on pause to call the 800 number....operators were standing by....thanks Luke.
Thanks for the suggestion Dan.

Moss, yes it is a sewn eye and nice to have the option on that end but not entirely needed as a stopper knot would do.
I think I will put Dan's 1/2 on and re-sew the eye. This way I don't loose any function, have the best compact friction saver in the world and learn how to sew a tight eye.

Thanks Y'all

Let the show continue.............
 
Here's my lanyard with a 14" sleeve, 1/2" ID conduit

8643259794_6b99051cbe_c.jpg


And the sewn stopper on the other end. I could've put an eye there but I really didn't need it. But I like the idea of a compact stopper so the tail of my lanyard is much less likely to get hung on anything, especially climbing in conifers.

8642158383_0e20231536_c.jpg



more photos

-AJ
 
Andrew - In all seriousness, I wish you'd start your own tree supply/tree gear brain trust shop, you know in the vein of Sierra Moreno, New Tribe, Anchor Bridge. Your ideas and designs are so cool.

I vote for

"Moss Tree Outfitters"

I'll even pose for your marketing photos...me in all of my 135 lb. glory!

I guarantee TreeStuff would carry your ideas.

Quit your day job!

Do it!
 
You're too kind, I bow to the Kevin Binghams, the Surveyors, the Oceans, the Dan Houses and all the other awesome innovators out there. Waiting for the big check so I can quit the day job. I will be waiting a long time ;-)

I mostly refine and rework other peoples ideas to come up with the most pain-free solution for my climbing style. And once in a while I come up with something good.
-AJ
 
You all are so kind and this is exactly the driving factor in ALL of our lifes that makes the most out of life.

I long for the day where somewhere sometime we all can cross ropes for but awhile. October 2013 at SimpsonWood, Atlanta GA would be nice. All you ARBO's really need to hang around with some of those crazy REC-climbers.

To miss-quote someone special that said:


You see things and you say:
Why?

But I dream things that never were and wake up saying: Where's Moss?

Just a thought but since having a rope sleeve on your
CELanyard is such a nice marriage would the Teufelberger folks want to know our enhancement?
 
I recently bought a real House Sleave (great product) and I have some concerns about the recommended min diameter that can be used as a TIP. Mine is the 3/4 and I think not said 3 or 4 inch min. What happens if it's less?

I use mine as a cambium saver so must of my TIPs are 3"+ but on a lanyard I would be less than that on a regular basis.
 
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I recently bought a real House Sleave (great product) and I have some concerns about the recommended min diameter that can be used as a TIP. Mine is the 3/4 and I think not said 3 or 4 inch min. What happens if it's less?

I use mine as a cambium saver so must of my TIPs are 3"+ but on a lanyard I would be less than that on a regular basis.

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That's one reason I use the 1/2" ID for my lanyard, has a tighter minimum radius than the 3/4". For the 3/4" if you tie into less you'll potentially cause the interlocking metal core to open up and ruin the sleeve. It's obvious when it happens, the sleeve will look distorted. I've wrecked a few conduit sleeves that way. Usually it happens when I wedge it into a tight V crotch typical in the upper branches of American Beech. Good news is your rope won't be harmed, but the sleeve will be ruined.
-AJ
 
Installed a shortened caterpillar and re-sewed the eye on my CELanyard and liking it!
Also modified the Leather Cambium Saver as suggested making it mid-line attachable, liking that too!! They should sell it with that option, it is a great idea.
Thanks for the tips.
CELanyardModified.jpg
 
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