Is Rich Hattier Still Around???

[Maverick06]

I just met Rich this past week at a splicing workshop during the Midwest ISA conference in Columbia, MO. That guy is some kind of magician with the rope splicing!

 

[Tree_Machine]

splicing

I just came across this picture. 6 or 7 years ago we had an exhaustive thread going on how to back up dual ascenders.

Nick went as far as to create a new eye-eye-eye, a tri-clops(?), for approaching twin line backup it in a way that, as far we knew, hadn't been done yet.

When someone can splice 11 mm KMIII, let me know.

 

[Norm_Hall]

Re: splicing

[ QUOTE ]
When someone can splice 11 mm KMIII, let me know.


[/ QUOTE ]

It can be grizzly spliced. Stronger than a bury splice.

 

[Tree_Machine]

splicing vs eye terminations

Ahhhh, but you ask either of these two Nobel Laureate Splicers and Nick will tell you, and Rich will tell you that what you grizzlingly describe as a splice is not a splice, but rather is an eye termination.


Now there's a number of ways to doing an eye termination from horse leads to the grizzly commercial machine stitcher, or the Swiss helical method, a splice is a splice, and an eye termination is the same thing, only not spliced. The eye is terminated by a non-splice method.

The correct calling of things is really important here.

Nick, Rich.... comment?

 

[rich_h]

Re: splicing vs eye terminations

In my eyes the "Grizzly Splice" is in effect an "eye termination" not an actual splice. That being said, there is no doubt that the stitched eyes have a place in the industry as they allow you to put strong terminations on ropes that normally would not allow it.

I would probably consult Norm on this one as he has certainly forgotten more about splicing and termination techniques than most of us will ever learn...

 

[Norm_Hall]

Re: splicing vs eye terminations

Thanks Rich. I'll pay ya later.

I was just calling it what they call it. It is 'in fact' an eye termination, not a splice. Maybe someone should change the name. "Grizzly Stitch"??

 

[Tree_Machine]

Re: splicing vs eye terminations

It seems like you could call an eye termination a splice, but that seems to be taking away from those who've spent the time and study to promote and carry on the art and practice of splicing.


I wish they would change the name of the 'grizzly splice'. I'm sure a splice has a specific definition under which the sewn termination does not fall, regardless of the functional similarities.

A spade is not a club, even though they're both black and both appear on cards.
An apple is not an orange just because they're both fruits, both round in shape and both come from trees. You can find similarities all day and point out ways they're related and function alike, but one is not the other, and they have different names.


I'm not a splicer myself. I respect the guys who do this stuff well, and find their talent amazing.

 

[Tree_Machine]

Re: splicing vs eye terminations

I'm a big fan of 11 mm New England KMIII and 11 mm Petzl Vector, both non-spliceable. As Rich says, the non-splice eye termination lets a person use these high-performance ropes with permanent eyes, and in that way you don't have your advantages limited just because the rope can't be 'spliced'.

 

[Tree_Machine]

Hattier\'s and Nick\'s splicing art

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I don't know Jim, I think having you apply your mind to splicing would bring nothing but good things and quite possibly many new developments.

[/ QUOTE ]
How about I think it up and commission a professional splicer to do the work?

[ QUOTE ]
On a side note, I don't suppose you would have interest in thoroughly abusing some products for me? I am anxious to have some rope bridges put through every last possible ringer and I have a good feeling that you could come up with some tests that would be significantly "outside the box".

[/ QUOTE ]

I need a 200' Stable braid of 7/16" (11 mm) diameter, both ends spliced, one tight eye, one 4" eye. I call this rope "Stable Eyes". I am willing to commission this to someone, anyone......
.... you could come up with some tests that would be significantly "outside the box".

[/ QUOTE ] Anything I would do with them would be outside the box of how they're designed to be used. I have no problem 'abusing' some gear, send it on.




[ QUOTE ]
If you are interested just let me know where to ship the bridges and I will get them out to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's OK. I handle friction quite differently than other tree climbers, and probably wouldn't put the bridges to any sort of conventional use, but as far as being an extreme end user of these products, I am probably the least extreme. I do not climb 2:1, except downward, and only occasionally, and my friction pieces are metal and minimal, they take 5 seconds to off / on them and if I can beat that swiftness and ease, I am all about it.

A spliced product (other than a rope) will last years in my hands. Honestly, I'm a terrible tester guy for spliced products. I climb with things people have never seen, spliced products for me are accessories, not the VT workhorses that most of you pro climbers use them for. I'm a metallian climber, and though related to my hitchand2:1ian brother climbers, I'm a mutant.

Blinky would make a good tester. You should send <u>him</u> a bunch of stuff.