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  1. #1
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    A Rolling/Magnus Hitch Variant that works on "Slippery Cord" (like Amsteel/Dyneema)

    If you've ever used a Prussic on Amsteel, you've probably noticed that they slip... a lot. Heck, if you've actually tried to tie a Prussic using Amsteel, you almost certainly know that it doesn't grip at all, and just slides up and down like a hilarious miniature zipline.

    Well, about a year ago I came up with a hitch (whose closest known hitch with a name would have to be the "Magnus Hitch") that grips flawlessly on virtually all "slippery cord" types.

    Better still, you can tie it in-line on a single length of cord (unlike a Prussic which requires a separate length of cordage).

    It's not just useful on "slippery cord" either, and I use this on all of my guy lines. If you place the adjustable loop this hitch produces on one end of the guy line, then you have a finite adjustment to 50% of the length of the cord itself. If you're attaching both ends of the line inside a fully-opened loop, then you can adjust it down to less than an inch between the two anchor points.

    Basically: you can use it however you want.

    I've uploaded this video showing how to tie it (deliberately using Amsteel to demonstrate that it does actually grip onto itself perfectly):


    Just want to be 100% clear that I'm not sharing this to gain subscribers or view count (there's no point, I don't get paid for any of those pointless numbers anyway).

    Another thing to add that wasn't mentioned in the video: Instead of doing the final "lock-off knot" as shown in the video, you can take the excess on the working end and tie two half-hitches on the outside of the loop, which adds even more grip. Be careful, though, because you might just add so much grip that you can no longer adjust the line!

    Hope you find it as useful as I have.

    All the best,
    Simon

  2. #2
    gunner76's Avatar
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    Thanks for sharing.
    I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !

  3. #3
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    Good one, Thanks! Video was fine.
    YMMV

    HYOH

    Free advice worth what you paid for it. ;-)

  4. #4
    Senior Member Dux's Avatar
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    Nicely done.
    (insert pithy quote here)

  5. #5
    gunner76's Avatar
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    I have been playing around and trying to tie the knot but I have quickly found out I need to start with something larger than braided mason line as it wants to tangle, making hard to tie properly. I am sure once I do the knot a few times with something larger like Amsteel, it will much easier to do with smaller line. I am looking forward to using on it with my tarp tie out lines.
    I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by gunner76 View Post
    I have been playing around and trying to tie the knot but I have quickly found out I need to start with something larger than braided mason line as it wants to tangle, making hard to tie properly. I am sure once I do the knot a few times with something larger like Amsteel, it will much easier to do with smaller line. I am looking forward to using on it with my tarp tie out lines.
    The best line to practice this knot with would have to be 550 Paracord. Amsteel is slippery, and can make it quite fiddly to work with, where-as Paracord has inherently good grip on itself.

    Glad you like the hitch

    Next one I'm going to demonstrate is an "infinite adjustment" tension knot for the ridgeline (a simple "pull to tension" system allows you to get the ridgeline guitar-string taut). It's also vastly easier to tie than the Trucker's Hitch!

  7. #7
    Senior Member JKDmoo's Avatar
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    Interesting idea. I think I'll play with it for a while. I wonder if this could make UCRs less slippery.

  8. #8
    Senior Member dtp2c111's Avatar
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    Nice and useful.

  9. #9
    Senior Member BrianWillan's Avatar
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    That is basically a prussic hitch that is tied over itself with the addition of the knot at the end. I suspect that it is the knot at the end that adds the extra bit of friction to make this hold under tension. Nicely done. Usually on slick cords like dyneema, adding an extra wrap of two (of the same thickness line) provides enough extra friction for the prussic to hold. Depending on application, it is sometimes desirable for a prussic to slip beyond a certain force. If you want a prussic to hold with just the 3 wraps, then the cord for the prussic should be of smaller diameter than the line it is attached to.

    Cheers

    Brian
    Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by BrianWillan View Post
    That is basically a prussic hitch that is tied over itself with the addition of the knot at the end. I suspect that it is the knot at the end that adds the extra bit of friction to make this hold under tension. Nicely done. Usually on slick cords like dyneema, adding an extra wrap of two (of the same thickness line) provides enough extra friction for the prussic to hold. Depending on application, it is sometimes desirable for a prussic to slip beyond a certain force. If you want a prussic to hold with just the 3 wraps, then the cord for the prussic should be of smaller diameter than the line it is attached to.

    Cheers

    Brian
    Surprisingly the "locking-off knot" at the end isn't the reason it bights (try it without that final knot, you'll see what I mean).... I think it's probably because the tension is being applied against the line running into the loop, instead of on the trailing side as well (which would serve to pull on the leading side as though you were pinching the knot to adjust it, causing it to release itself).

    I only came across this particular method through trial and error looking for a way of tying an in-line Prussic (to replace plastic cord locks on my guy lines), and because I keep lengths of various cords tied to a post attached to my desk (specifically for messing with different types of knots and hitches) I randomly tried it out on Amsteel and noticed immediately that it bights.

    It's true that using a smaller diameter cordage on "slipper cord" can help it bight more, but it can also apply too much friction to cords with low melting points (like Amsteel) and quickly fray/melt the line. That's another reason why this particular hitch is so useful: because the friction applied is distributed over sufficient surface area to prevent fraying and melting at any point.

    So long as people find it useful, then it's all good

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