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  1. #1
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Yet Another Self Tensioning Line Technique

    The new Nite Ize Knot Bones arrived last week and we've been searching for an application so that we have a good excuse for purchasing more gear.

    After fiddling with them for a few days, we finally found something to use them for - yet another Self Tensioning Line (STL) technique.


    So far we've got the shock cord technique reported by HeadChange4U, the Theraband technique reported by Just_Jeff on his web site, the Silicone tubing variation created by Opie, and my variation of Opie's technique.

    So I figured we need another shock cord technique to help balance things out. So I present the shock cord technique using the Nite Ize Knot Bone.

    Materials:

    1. Knot Bone
    2. short length of 1/8" shock cord, say 6"
    3. short length, 6", of cord. Guy line cord or any 7/64" or 1/8" cord will do.
    4. cable tie
    5. guy line
    6. length of guy line for Prussic


    First assemble items 1, 2, 3 and 4 as shown here:


    Thread the shock cord through one of the end holes, then secure the ends along with the ends of the 6" length of cord using the cable tie.

    Then secure the guy line to the knot bone. There are probably several ways to do this, but here are 2.

    First, the simplest, simply secure in the slot, wrap then secure again in the opposite slot.


    Another way is to do the above, leaving a longish tail:


    Then secure the tail to the Knot Bone making a loop:


    With the loop formed in this way, you can use either shock cord STL or skip the STL and use the guy line loop or make the loop longer than shown and use both to limit the stretch of the shock cord.

    Use the Prussic to adjust the guy line tension.

    This method has pros and cons.

    Pros:
    1. the knot bone with the shock cord can be easily detached from the guy line if so desired. Sometimes the permanently assembled tubing technique is less than optimal, e.g., when I need to use the the cord for a purpose other than as guy lines. So long as I have a set of Knot Bones with shock cord, I have a set of STLs. A set of Knot Bones with shock cord as shown here is less bulk than a full set of silicone tube STLs
    2. No knots to tie for those who, like me, always seem to tie the clove hitch wrong and have to spend several minutes re-learning how to tie it.
    3. less tangling than the technique using the clove hitch.
    4. It proves to some people that we purchased the Knot Bones for a worthwhile purpose.


    Cons:
    1. Heavier than the technique using a clove hitch, but then every thing else is.


    There is also a hole down the middle of the Knot Bone from end to end. We are still looking for a really cool way to use this hole. It is so strategically placed that we just know there must be a really cool application. Interesting that Nite Ize doesn't make any mention of the hole. So I guess they think there must be a cool application, but they just haven't thought of it yet.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  2. #2
    Senior Member opie's Avatar
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    Ive been brainstorming on a good use of these too.

    I tried using the center hole running down its length to try to get it to lock up on the line by running the line through, bring it back over and through again.... But that didnt work.

    It does work well on the first end of a TRL by building it into the fixed eye using one of the end holes.

    Good job on the guy lines...

  3. #3
    Senior Member opie's Avatar
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    Tee... Try running the SC through the Center and tying a stopper knot in the end.

    You can also use one of the end holes to gain some mechanical advantage.

  4. #4
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by opie View Post
    Tee... Try running the SC through the Center and tying a stopper knot in the end....
    That works also, but I wanted a loop in the shock cord. I tried running down the middle and looping the end back and use a cable tie to secure the shock cord to itself, but that just slips - nothing to keep the cable tie from slipping on the shock cord.

    I didn't want to use stopper knots (would have to if repairing in the field), but they use a lot of shock cord and are impossible to untie in shock cord when pulled tight. I'm trying to keep the total length of shock cord to a minimum. No special reason, just my own hang up.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  5. #5
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Added Note:

    Test the Knot Bone and shock cord assembly by pulling the shock cord to it's max extension when done assembling and before using on a tarp. Sometimes the shock cord will slip out of the cable tie.

    I have found that I have to melt a pretty good blob on the ends to prevent that from happening.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  6. #6
    Member
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    Teedee
    have you tried hanging from this? I set up the same thing last night using elastic cord doubled and a prussic knot to keep it on the cord, but it would not hold body weight in a hammock. As I see it, the problem is one of the ratio of force on the elastic side vs the "loaded side" . With a whoopie, the force pulling up on the constrictor side is approximately half of the total, balancing the "locking mechanism" and the load on the "load side".
    Jim S

  7. #7
    Senior Member Harpo63's Avatar
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    Have you guys seen the pdf of the advanced techniques in using the knotbone on the Nite Ize website? It gives several different diagrams of tying the knotbone using all the different holes. You can easily visualize using a shock cord in some of those diagrams.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Harpo63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post

    I didn't want to use stopper knots (would have to if repairing in the field), but they use a lot of shock cord and are impossible to untie in shock cord when pulled tight. I'm trying to keep the total length of shock cord to a minimum. No special reason, just my own hang up.
    Im not familiar with those bungie hair ties used for ponytails- but are there strong versions of that? not sure if the connection hardware is strong enough as its in one continuous loop

  9. #9
    Senior Member opie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harpo63 View Post
    Have you guys seen the pdf of the advanced techniques in using the knotbone on the Nite Ize website? It gives several different diagrams of tying the knotbone using all the different holes. You can easily visualize using a shock cord in some of those diagrams.
    Yes, I've seen that.

    The issue I'm having is being able to incorporate the bone somewhere in the line and be able to bring the tail back up and loop it around. It would need to lock on the main line.

    Another issue I'm finding is if you have more than a foot or so of tail, making the wraps can become a PITA.

  10. #10
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim S View Post
    Teedee
    have you tried hanging from this? I set up the same thing last night using elastic cord doubled and a prussic knot to keep it on the cord, but it would not hold body weight in a hammock. As I see it, the problem is one of the ratio of force on the elastic side vs the "loaded side" . With a whoopie, the force pulling up on the constrictor side is approximately half of the total, balancing the "locking mechanism" and the load on the "load side".
    Jim S
    This not meant for a hammock suspension.

    It is meant for tarp guy lines. The shock cord keeps the silnyl tensioned when wet.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

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