Strongest Choked configuration?

Jimmycrackcorn

Jimmycrackcorn

Participating member
Location
Boston
I have seen many many different things made out of Tenex to be run in choked configuration..

Whoopies with a twist.. Ultraslings with different terminations.. Double headed girthed configurations with a pintos blakes' on the backside to cinch.. Regular knots.. etc.. However, when all said & done, what is going to be the strongest?

I hear ppl rave about Ultra's & go onto reference how strong they are.. but how strong can they really be considering your choking & there are brummels or spliced ends involved..

Then i hear ppl say they don't like whoopies & how the choked configuration is weaker anyways so they don't feel their losing anything by tying a cow or timber... but thats an actual knot your going to use to choke, vs a splice that would rate higher..

So what gives? I get that there is allot of personal preference in this scenario.. but where am i going to find the strongest configuration outside of a Loopie or a Ring & Ring?

If this has been beaten to death.. please point me in the correct direction.. this search feature keeps kicking back everything I've already seen..

It would be nice to hear some actual average percentage figures as to what losses can be expected with each configuration.. Or if there's usually a loss but it's compensated by something, it would be nice to know what. For a hypothetical example.. An Ultra Sling = a choker but for some reason is stronger than a choked whoopie.. id be looking to know why.
 
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A locking brummel retains about 80-90% of rope strength.
A double eye choke reduces strength by 50%
A endless loop choke doubles strength of single strand choke
Tenex is strong as shit.
Good rule of thumb is use a sling 1-2x up in diameter from the rigging line. Never forget the rigging line should be the weak link in the system.
http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Product.aspx?ProductID=826

Use 5/8ths as an example 18,500# ABS
straight pull #18,500
Brummel eye straight pull #15,725
dead eye choke #9,250
double eye choke #9,250 (brummel doesnt matter)
endless loop basket #37,000
endless loop choke #18,500
Whoopie Choked #9,250
Whoopie basket #18,500

(basket config assumes worse possible angle, best angle doubles straight pull)

Don't forget your SWL of 5:1 or 10:1 or whatever else your comfortable with.
 
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Dude if you want ultimate strength don’t use a choke, use double or triple wrap eye to eye. And if you want stupid bomber do the same with Big assed rate cargo straps! You can rip the world down with that!
 
My mechanic works at the docks in Vancouver, he showed me a picture of the cargo straps the use on the gantry cranes for special lifts! Holy crap! 1 guy can’t even lift em! They come in all different sizes and strengths.
 
Stephen Moore said:
Dude if you want ultimate strength don’t use a choke, use double or triple wrap eye to eye. And if you want stupid bomber do the same with Big assed rate cargo straps! You can rip the world down with that!
Click to expand...

Haa.. yeah you can.. those things can get pretty freaking big... I'm looking for a choked configuration to use a Safebloc though..
I have 20ft of 3/4 Tenex-Tec i bought a while back for a whoopie or dead eye design but I'm not sure that's enough to get a useable sized Ultra going. I keep hearing the average of 30ft is needed to get a 10ft end result. I'd assume a foot or two is used in the block wrap, but is there really that much lost within the brummels & termination
 
Jimmycrackcorn said:
Haa.. yeah you can.. those things can get pretty freaking big... I'm looking for a choked configuration to use a Safebloc though..
I have 20ft of 3/4 Tenex-Tec i bought a while back for a whoopie or dead eye design but I'm not sure that's enough to get a useable sized Ultra going. I keep hearing the average of 30ft is needed to get a 10ft end result. I'd assume a foot or two is used in the block wrap, but is there really that much lost within the brummels & termination
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Yes I believe so. But what sized wood do you typically work? And what weights are you dealing with mostly?
 
The reason I ask, is because most of the typical block tie in methods won’t reduce overall capacity below 50 percent. By rights, that’s still much greater capacity than the safe work load limit. Correct me please if I misunderstand something here.
 
I have no experience with the safeblock to be honest. I just ordered one and all the stuff to splice it together and stuff for ring slings. And a basket fid. I don’t really know how to do the work yet so I will be instructed by someone who knows how to do it correctly. Unfortunately I live in an area that doesn’t see many tree guys except loggers, so I’m basically it. I learn as I go. Typically to maintain safety I usually just go Big.
 
I am getting old and fat so I am looking forward to reducing my gear weight in tree. I have always used large impact blocks. So a safeblock will be a welcome change.
 
To answer your other question, i wanted to be able use the Safebloc at max SWL if i needed to.. but i think i get what your saying & i was wondering the same myself.. The 2700lb of the Safebloc is going to be superseded by the Tenex-Tec no matter which tie in method i use.. As long as I'm using a big enough Cordage. Idk the #'s off the top of my head, but im pretty sure 3/4 is well beyond..

Overall, point of the thread was to see which of the different tools were the strongest after hearing some conflicting information
 
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