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  1. #1
    Senior Member Graybeard's Avatar
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    Knotting AmSteel Blue

    I'm looking for a quick, simple, way to tie AmSteel Blue to descender rings. I have incorporated descender rings into the gathers at the ends of the hammock. My plan is to secure single lines of 7/64" Amsteel Blue to tree huggers with eye splices and toggles and to make adjustments at the descender rings at the hammock ends.
    I find that slippery half-hitches slip under very little load. No surprise. Adding a second slippery half-hitch holds much better but still slips. This did surprise me. Then I tied a single half-hitch, inserted a hardwood toggle into the loop, pulled the loop tight against the toggle, and was surprised to find that it did not slip.
    The suspension line was at a pretty common 30* angle but the load in the hammock was a pretty light 130#, namely me.
    Undoing, the toggle in the loop was now pretty tight but came out easily enough because the toggle was hardwood and quite smooth. A toggle of opportunity from the forest floor or a softwood toggle would most likely present a problem.
    Can anyone suggest a knot that would readily untie without requiring a toggle? Note that for convenience the knot should tie in a bight--not requiring dragging the entire tail end through the knot.
    bob

  2. #2
    Senior Member sclittlefield's Avatar
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    Maybe I missed it, but just for clarification - double descender rings per end or just one?
    DIY Gear Supply - Your source for DIY outdoor gear.

  3. #3
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Graybeard View Post
    I'm looking for a quick, simple, way to tie AmSteel Blue to descender rings. I have incorporated descender rings into the gathers at the ends of the hammock. My plan is to secure single lines of 7/64" Amsteel Blue to tree huggers with eye splices and toggles and to make adjustments at the descender rings at the hammock ends.
    I find that slippery half-hitches slip under very little load. No surprise. Adding a second slippery half-hitch holds much better but still slips. This did surprise me. Then I tied a single half-hitch, inserted a hardwood toggle into the loop, pulled the loop tight against the toggle, and was surprised to find that it did not slip.
    The suspension line was at a pretty common 30* angle but the load in the hammock was a pretty light 130#, namely me.
    Undoing, the toggle in the loop was now pretty tight but came out easily enough because the toggle was hardwood and quite smooth. A toggle of opportunity from the forest floor or a softwood toggle would most likely present a problem.
    Can anyone suggest a knot that would readily untie without requiring a toggle? Note that for convenience the knot should tie in a bight--not requiring dragging the entire tail end through the knot.
    A few weeks ago I modified a BMBH for an HF member who is going to take it on a through hike.

    A made up a "how to hang" video, and posted in my covert channel Threw it together in an hour, there's crappy background noise, etc. etc.



    This rig has descending rings "at the hammock" and 7/64" Amsteel
    going to the tree. The knot that works is a full turn with two embedded slippery hitches. Yeah. That's why I made a video of it.

    Works though.
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  4. #4
    Senior Member Graybeard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sclittlefield View Post
    Maybe I missed it, but just for clarification - double descender rings per end or just one?
    Just one, like this:
    bob

  5. #5
    Senior Member Graybeard's Avatar
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    Grizz;
    Bingo!!!
    I don't know if I got it right or not but it works.
    Watching your video, it looked to me like:
    1. take an extra turn around the ring;
    2. tie a slippery half-hitch;
    3. Then, instead of tying a second half-hitch, make a bight in the tail end and insert it just like I inserted a toggle.
    And it holds!!! One less item to keep track of, and worry about losing.

    PS: I love the train whistle in your video. It reminds me of the small rural town I grew up in in Minnesota in the '50's. Great Northern's Empire Builder came through at about 60 mph at 10:00 PM on it's way to Seattle, every night if I remember correctly.
    Last edited by Graybeard; 03-22-2010 at 14:12. Reason: add postscript
    bob

  6. #6
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Graybeard View Post
    Grizz;
    Bingo!!!
    I don't know if I got it right or not but it works.
    Watching your video, it looked to me like:
    1. take an extra turn around the ring;
    2. tie a slippery half-hitch;
    3. Then, instead of tying a second half-hitch, make a bight in the tail end and insert it just like I inserted a toggle.
    And it holds!!! One less item to keep track of, and worry about losing.
    by jove, I think he's got it!

    The magic bit is, I think, the turn and half around the ring.
    That takes off so much of the force that the rest is manageable.

    I used to do full rounds with two half-hitches all the time, but
    got tired of having to pick out the half-hitches. This was in
    my pre-Amsteel past, on spyderline mostly. Always doable,
    but never easy. Then I learned about slippery hitches, and
    this was a natural thing to try. And has been working just
    fine for me.
    Last edited by GrizzlyAdams; 03-22-2010 at 14:14. Reason: old boring history
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  7. #7
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    ..........The knot that works is a full turn with two embedded slippery hitches. Yeah. That's why I made a video of it.

    Works though.
    OK ... I have to ask ... from the video ... on the two "recursive" slippery half hitches ....

    How many times do you have to "curse" it before you "recurse" it?


    WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.


    "A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
    Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin


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  8. #8
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk-eye View Post
    OK ... I have to ask ... from the video ... on the two "recursive" slippery half hitches ....

    How many times do you have to "curse" it before you "recurse" it?

    get thee hither to some far remote youtube-challenged domain sire!
    You can re-curse the People's Protectors from there.

    just for that I WILL make another video while you're gone

    safe travels, round-eyes
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  9. #9
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    .... just for that I WILL make another video while you're gone

    safe travels, round-eyes
    YIKES .... cruel Grizz!

    Well I'll be in hot steamy Surabaya the first of April ... and the PRC be danged after that! HA!

    Might be stinky but can get YouTube!!!!

    WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.


    "A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
    Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin


    Home of the Gorge Rats: Linville Gorge
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