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  1. #1
    Senior Member Redoleary's Avatar
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    A more user friendly Soft Shackle

    Well, its not actually more user friendly to build, just (IMHO) to use.
    When soft shackles hit the scene I tried to get on board with them but they were just to finicky. Fast fwd two years and I finally made a soft shackle that I find easy enough to operate, and that I'll actually use. With a sliding modified whipping knot from Grizz and inspiration from various other sources such as Knotty and TeeDee I've made an overly complex soft shackle. Forgive me if someone else makes them the same, I couldn't find anything in my searches. At the end of the day its nothing revolutionary, its just a different variation on the same theme.

    For whatever reasons I didn't care for the two legged variety of SS's and I didn't like the milk/bury variety either; never made one with a leash but it looked like I wouldn't like that either, so here is what I came up with.

    I made this from 1/8" amsteel (had some scrap lying about), it actually takes quite a bit of line to make one so you can comfortably tie the diamond knot.

    What I did was form a fixed eye of approx 2" with a locked brummel, then bury one line inside the other and come out a few inches later and do another locked brummel. Tie the diamond knot on top of this locked brummel and then do another locked brummel one the other side of the diamond knot before burying one line inside the other again. Now tie Grizz's whipping knot on the fixed eye and open and close it around the diamond knot. Like I said, overly complex, but it works for me, I've been using this on my tree straps with great success. I don't know if all the LB's derate the line or not, but I haven't hit the ground yet (knock wood).







    Good luck,
    RED

    My Youtube Channel

    Deep peace of the running wave to you.
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    Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
    Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
    Deep peace without end to you.
    adapted from - ancient gaelic runes

  2. #2
    Senior Member Jazilla's Avatar
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    I love this idea. Eliminates the trying to open the eye. Great job Red.
    Yosemite Sam: Are you trying to make me look a fool?
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  3. #3
    Senior Member SmokeBait's Avatar
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    Very good Red. The only thing I've ever wondered about with this style of soft shackle is that if one strand of the whipping should break, the loop would open up. That probably isn't a factor for you but some don't inspect their gear as often as they probably should.

  4. #4
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Thanks for the great pictures. I've made all my soft shackles this way for quite a while, but never took the time to lay it out so plainly.

    One modification I often use is to take the strand of cord that is left up near the loop after making the whipping knot, pass it through the loop, and then secure it in the whipping loops. This keeps you from accidentally pushing the whipping knot right off the loop.
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  5. #5
    Senior Member Redoleary's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazilla View Post
    I love this idea. Eliminates the trying to open the eye. Great job Red.
    Thanks Jazilla, I always liked the idea of soft shackles I could just never get them to work for me, until now.
    Quote Originally Posted by SmokeBait View Post
    Very good Red. The only thing I've ever wondered about with this style of soft shackle is that if one strand of the whipping should break, the loop would open up. That probably isn't a factor for you but some don't inspect their gear as often as they probably should.
    Thank you SmokeBait, I don't think it would open while under a load if the whipping failed, but it could come off while unloaded.

    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    Thanks for the great pictures. I've made all my soft shackles this way for quite a while, but never took the time to lay it out so plainly.

    One modification I often use is to take the strand of cord that is left up near the loop after making the whipping knot, pass it through the loop, and then secure it in the whipping loops. This keeps you from accidentally pushing the whipping knot right off the loop.
    Thanks Grizz, I thought I did that to this one, I did it properly on the back side of the whipp, but I did it one loop back on the front side. And just now while inspecting it I slid the first loop off the end, so a fresh opportunity has just presented itself to do it correctly this time. Thanks for showing that knot in your video.
    Good luck,
    RED

    My Youtube Channel

    Deep peace of the running wave to you.
    Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
    Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
    Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
    Deep peace without end to you.
    adapted from - ancient gaelic runes

  6. #6
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Redoleary View Post
    I've made an overly complex soft shackle.
    Maybe, but it's a great idea, works well, and looks good to boot! Nice work, Red!

  7. #7
    Senior Member SmokeBait's Avatar
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    Was thinking this might be a great opportunity for a titanium Dutch Sleeve for sliding along the locked brummel

  8. #8
    Senior Member raiffnuke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SmokeBait View Post
    Was thinking this might be a great opportunity for a titanium Dutch Sleeve for sliding along the locked brummel
    That is genius! Hey Dutch....!

  9. #9
    Senior Member DemostiX's Avatar
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    There isn't a two ounce weight reduction easier to come by than substiting soft shackles for carabiners.

    Considering how little of the snap-in and most other functionality of the carabiners is used in hanging a hammock, a few seconds to open and close the soft shackle isn't much to pay for a shackle which will attach multiple cords --(There, answers "What about Dutch xxxx ?") All improvements in the opening and closing of the softie, like RedO'Leary's, Grizz's, and those at Allan Edwards www.l36.com are worth applause.

    So, too, is SmokeBait's aggressive pricing of soft-shackles at whoopieslings.com. I like the value-added approach. I hope he will keep adding value.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Redoleary's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RootCause View Post
    Maybe, but it's a great idea, works well, and looks good to boot! Nice work, Red!
    Thanks RC!
    Quote Originally Posted by SmokeBait View Post
    Was thinking this might be a great opportunity for a titanium Dutch Sleeve for sliding along the locked brummel
    Thats exactly what this thing needs is a Ti Dutch Sleeve! Now you have me thinking... and thats never good

    Quote Originally Posted by DemostiX View Post
    There isn't a two ounce weight reduction easier to come by than substiting soft shackles for carabiners.

    Considering how little of the snap-in and most other functionality of the carabiners is used in hanging a hammock, a few seconds to open and close the soft shackle isn't much to pay for a shackle which will attach multiple cords --(There, answers "What about Dutch xxxx ?") All improvements in the opening and closing of the softie, like RedO'Leary's, Grizz's, and those at Allan Edwards www.l36.com are worth applause.
    Thank you DemostiX. I never minded the time it took to open a SS I just couldn't get past the seemingly extraordinary effort, now life is much easier.
    Good luck,
    RED

    My Youtube Channel

    Deep peace of the running wave to you.
    Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
    Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
    Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
    Deep peace without end to you.
    adapted from - ancient gaelic runes

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