Custom Marlin Spike--who will sell them?

[MacEntyre]

I'm sorry, Tee... you were specific about compression only, and I forgot all about that. I should have left Dave's comment where I found it! I also posted before I completed my thought, said it wrong, and got all screwed up. I'm going to bed now!

Before I go, here is what I was going to say... since I don't trust sticks from the ground, and since the MSH falls apart without the toggle or spike, I thought it might be a good alternative to use a sheet bend tied in the bight, with a toggle. I have tried to show some folks how to tie a MSH, and their eye glazed over.

So, now you know that you can't dump my hammock on the ground with me in it by yanking out the toggle!

Good night!

- MacEntyre

[TeeDee]

The only purpose of the toggle is to make it easy to untie.

Well not really. The Marlin Spike HItch is just that a hitch - which attaches a rope to a solid object. Without the toggle, it wouldn't be a hitch at all - in fact it wouldn't be anything except some twisted webbing/cord/whatever that doesn't even form a closed loop.

In the case of the Marlin Spike Hitch used in the hammock suspension we are more interested in the fact that the Marlin Spike hitch makes a big "blob" in the webbing that can be used to hang the loop in the suspension rope from. The toggle merely serves here to make that "blob" possible. Any knot could be used that created a big blob that wouldn't come undone under the forces applied. I have used the Pile Hitch in place of the Marlin Spike Hitch with success also. I have found the Pile Hitch to be much better with a rope hugger than a Marlin Spike Hitch. With Samson Rope's samthane coated rope, the rope tends to "cement" tightly to the toggle which can make the toggle in a Marlin Spike Hitch exceeding difficult to remove no matter how smooth the surface, even mirror polished stainless steel. The pile Hitch is easier to undo in samthane coated rope. It still takes some doing, but the forces in the pile hitch are different enough that the loop over the pile/toggle can be undone.

With the MSH, the knot falls apart when the toggle is removed.

Exactly and that is one of the really great features when used for this application. Use a smooth toggle that is easily pulled from the MSH and the MSH is non-existent, it literally falls apart. Cannot get any easier than that when it comes to undoing a knot.

Now I am in real trouble here!

- MacEntyre

Not really, when among friends that isn't really possible beyond some good natured ribbing.

I hope I'm not really coming across as lecturing you or anything. I just think it important that others understand the method properly. I should probably let Grizz do this, he is much, much better than I am.

[TeeDee]

I....

So, now you know that you can't dump my hammock on the ground with me in it by yanking out the toggle!

Good night!

- MacEntyre

Would I ever ?!?!?!?

[oldgringo]

I'm sorry, Tee... you were specific about compression only, and I forgot all about that. I should have left Dave's comment where I found it!

- MacEntyre

And Dave should a) sieze the opportunity to keep his mouth shut, or, barring that, b) choose his words more carefully.

[mtncmpr]

Being a newbie to hammocks, I'm uncertain as to what the actual discussion is about. The way the whoopie sling hangs on the webbing, the way the toggle hangs in the webbing, or both??

Can anyone clear this up? I'm not very familiar with this style of suspension, but thought I might be interested in it because it seemed so simple. Though now, I'm not so sure...

Anyone with photos (or links to photos) to demonstrate the "proper" way to hang this setup?


Thanks

[Hooch]

Anyone with photos (or links to photos) to demonstrate the "proper" way to hang this setup?

[mtncmpr]

Thanks Hooch!