??? The Timber hitch and Sheet Bend ???

[OutandBack]

Was helping my neighbor's son (Boy Scout 2nd class) with some scouting knots. When it dawned on me. These two knots might work with a hammock.

Has anyone tried using a Timber hitch for their tree hugger and a sheet bend to attach the hammock line to the tree hugger?

Is it because a Timber hitch with webbing won't hold or won't untie as easy as rope?
Would a Sheet Bend not work with webbing and amsteel?

Timber Hitch
http://www.animatedknots.com/timber/...matedknots.com

Sheet Bend
http://www.animatedknots.com/sheetbe...matedknots.com

[TomsBackwoods]

Timber Hitch worked well But I never tried the sheet bend with a hammock

[mrmike65]

I used the Sheet Bend while I was making my first hammock. It held very well and was easy to undo, making it useful to try different lengths. Once I had the length I wanted, I made a channel to run my suspension through.

[waddy]

The Sheet Bend is a miracle "knot". While guiding elk hunters, we carry large spools of nylon/poly rope to use when towing harvested elk up out of the steep and deep gulches. We use the sheet bend to tie the different spools of rope together until we have enough length to reach the dead elk, hook to a 4-wheel drive vehicle and start towing. Believe me when I say there is a tremendous amount of force generated! When it comes time to untie the ends, they come right out, no trouble. We have never had one come loose. The sheet bend is only good under tension though; if it gets much slack, then it can come loose. There would be absolutely no worry about it holding you up, but if there was no weight in the hammock and there was some movement in the hammock with little or no weight on the lines, it could slip or come loose.

We have tied the slippery twisted poly lines together and they held, though it takes a bit more care to see that they draw down properly. I haven't tried with the super slippery amsteel. I really haven't used the timber hitch enough to have much experience with it.

[Bubba]

I've used a sheet bend with webbing through continuous loops in the ends of some of my hammocks. Worked well and untied fairly easily. Timber hitch should work on the tree I think.

[tdickenson]

I've used a sheet bend with webbing through continuous loops in the ends of some of my hammocks. Worked well and untied fairly easily.

I do that to, with a spliced loop in the suspension as the blue rope on that animatedknots photo. If the webbing is exactly the right size for the tree then I larks head the suspension onto the stitched loop of the webbing, but on smaller trees I use a sheet bend.

This is backwards from the normal structure of a sheet bend with ropes of different sizes - the "right" way round does allow the amsteel to slip even with a double sheet bend.

Timber hitch should work on the tree I think.

But Im not seeing any advantage over a stitched loop.

[Bubba]

...


But Im not seeing any advantage over a stitched loop.

I suppose an advantage is when you are setting up and you find the stitching on the loop has been compromised somehow and can longer trust it and you have lost your carabiner, the timber hitch would allow you to secure the webbing without having to tie a water knot and then feed the webbing through it. Just a thought. I've never used it but it could come in handy one day.

[OutandBack]

Thanks for your thoughts fella's.
I just thought a person wanting the lightest weight rigging would use these knots.
A simple amsteel length from the hammock and a simple 1" wide strap for the tree.
When I get some time to play in the backyard I plan to try these knots to just find out if they hold.

[JDBear]

I've been thinking about my setup in the last few days. I've got a HH, with the stock suspension. I've been using 1" webbing through a sewn loop on the tree end, with a carabiner to connect the hammock line. I've tied a small Farmer's loop (or Alpine Butterfly, I'm not sure which) very close to the hammock on each end that I can use in a Trucker's hitch, secured with half hitches.

I'm about to change that plan to something I hope is quicker and easier to rig. I'll keep the webbing with the loop on the tree end, but use a Marlin Spike hitch with a toggle instead of a carabiner to connect the hammock line, and then a simple Sheet Bend to secure the main line to my Farmer's Loop.

I figure this method will be the least amount of gear (no metal, a found stick will work just fine as a toggle), and super quick to tie. I can put in a Marlin Spike hitch faster than I can say it, and the sheet bend is close to as quick. Taking the rig down will be even faster.