Questions About Making a Continuous Loop

**Jucee** · 12-17-2015, 08:41

I'm a newbie to hammock camping and I've now made several "practice" continuous loops. All made the same way except the very last one. For the first three I've used the method as demonstrated by numerous folks, including Opie. And my questions come to the point of right before you perform the bury;

1. Since your bury is going down the center of the Amsteel, why initially pull it through when you're just going to grab it with a splicing tool and pull it back through?
2. For that matter, why insert the splicing tool with equal strands on both sides? In the end you're going in but not coming out, so it would seem that this doesn't matter?

My last continuous loop was made the following way; seems like it's the same result but wanted to run it by you "pros" out there for feedback.

Assuming you measure everything correctly;
1. Taper the ends.
2. Insert splicing tool at appropriate distance, going towards the end and running down the center of the Amsteel.
3. Exit at the proper point, and pull the end back through with your splicing tool.
4. Repeat for other end.

Where am I going wrong?

**oldpappy** · 12-17-2015, 08:47

I think you are asking about the 'lock'. Just using a burry would rely on the constriction alone to maintain the loop - the lock prevents the constriction from slipping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcoKeXAwBZY

**Jucee** · 12-17-2015, 09:10

You're right, it is the lock that I'm questioning. But most instructions have you bring your splicing tool out of the same hole as that lock, and you wind up just bringing it back down the center to create a bury. I could better understand the reasoning behind the lock if you were to bring your splicing tool out just before and then pull the bury through. But again, most instruction doesn't show that.

Pappy, now you got me wondering what would be the better method.
Incidentally, I think Ian does one of the best demos out there. I use his measurement methods.

**Jucee** · 12-17-2015, 09:13

Originally Posted by Jucee

You're right, it is the lock that I'm questioning. But most instructions have you bring your splicing tool out of the same hole as that lock, and you wind up just bringing it back down the center to create a bury. I could better understand the reasoning behind the lock if you were to bring your splicing tool out just before and then pull the bury through. But again, most instruction doesn't show that.

Pappy, now you got me wondering what would be the better method.
Incidentally, I think Ian does one of the best demos out there. I use his measurement methods.

In fact if you look at 6:50 of Ian's video (the link you sent), you'll see what I'm referring to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcoKeXAwBZY

It could be I'm just ignorant of something here and I apologize to all for any frustrations.

**Countrybois** · 12-17-2015, 09:17

I agree. There is no 'lock' if you pull it through the same hole. I just haven't been willing to put that argument out there. I'll be interested to hear what comes of this.

**TominMN** · 12-17-2015, 09:29

Those pass-throughs are not locks like the locked Brummel on a spliced eye. Try doing the pass-throughs without the buries. Now tug! It all comes apart. In other words, the pass throughs accomplish nothing for a CL except to probably actually weaken the splice itself (no benefit other than a tiny bit of possibly stopping the buries from creeping out.) There is one exception. That is the CL design that has the buries doubled back, i.e. turning the ends 180 degrees and doing the buries in the opposite direction from what most people do. This is a bad idea because it puts relies on the pass-throughs to bear all of the weight. The buries are where the strength is and that needs to be relied on. Better to use a stitch (or two) or a bit of heat-shrink to prevent the buries from creeping. Creeping prevention is really all the locked Brummel accomplishes with a spliced eye. The locked Brummel, I believe, is actually the weak link when a spliced eye has one but there's almost always enough margin to make that negligible.

There is one other thing to consider. Only one of the buries in a CL truly needs to be of the recommended length for the CL to be adequately strong. That means that the other can be a bit shorter and a smaller CL is possible.

I'm sure this will prompt a bunch of responses, but just think about it...

**printgeek** · 12-17-2015, 09:31

Originally Posted by Countrybois

I agree. There is no 'lock' if you pull it through the same hole. I just haven't been willing to put that argument out there. I'll be interested to hear what comes of this.

Ditto. I've always figured I was doing something wrong.

**Jucee** · 12-17-2015, 09:57

Yeah, on my very first CL, after making the pass thru I found that it just pulls apart. On my very last CL I didn't bother with the pass thru and used a small piece of heat shrink (idea came from my new Blackbird).
Again, I like Ian's measurement formulas to at least arrive at the total length of cordage required.
Thanks TominMN. Dutch may be in store for some new Amsteel orders.

**Boston** · 12-17-2015, 10:11

I'm agreeing with TominMN - The "lock" isn't actually a lock. I just bury each end and call it a day. My C/L's are used with a larks head, which prevents any slipping anyway, so I don't back it up at all.