It seems useful to do some destructive testing. As I understand it, Dyneema/Spectra (Amsteel) cordage is proportionally weakened by knots (loaded bends) much more than is nylon, for instance.
Some forum members appear to have lots of cordage and the inclination to sacrifice it for experiments, so I offer the suggestion to perform some tests (which I'm not prepared to do myself).
Obviously, very strong anchors are necessary. Pulleys can be used to multiply forces and water can be used to apply a measured load. I suggest testing the Garda hitch and the marlinspike hitch (especially with small-diameter pins), because those are so popular.
It should also prove interesting to test D:d strength, if nothing else, and discover how much the plot differs from that for wire rope.
Bookmarks