I (Think/Hope) I Developed A New Hitch Design

[Knotorious]

Hey everyone!

I have been so busy with other things lately that I haven't spent much time trying to create new hitches. Another reason why is because I already have a bunch of hitches that I created, and made instructional videos for, which I still have yet to post; I am back logged with new designs.

However, today I decided to play around with my hitch cords and I came up with two new designs and rediscovered a third older design that I haven't made any content for, but which definitely deserves to be seen by the world on my channel.

I haven't come up wtih any names for them yet with the exception of the third hitch, which I named a little while ago the Treble hitch because it resembles a treble clef (used when writing music). I'm just going to upload the picture of each and let you check them out. The Treble clef will be the last one in the list and the first two are completely new as of today. Let me know what you all think. Enjoy!

 

[Knotorious]

Revenue, ya'll! I realize it isn't fat stacks quite yet, but it's all about long term optics... $100 in month for a few new videos and shorts? I'll take that! Remember when it was like $15?

Pretty good for doing something I enjoy!

 

[Knotorious]

I'm coming up with a new series of hitches that incorporate a double clove hitch instead of a coil. I've done some testing and it seems to work really well. It definitely focuses the tension from each strand more evenly throughout the four wraps since it is distributing it through the center of the knot versus pulling from the bottom. This means it locks in place really well and releases really well also. You can use it with literally any hitch that already exists. Give it a try next time you're tying your Distel or Michoacan. You won't be disappointed. The only hitch I've created officially with this double clove is a variant of the VT that I shared with this forum half a year ago. So I'm not revisiting this concept since I believe it deserves more attention. You see a ton of customizations for everything BELOW the coil, but this is one of the first customizations of the coil itself that I am aware of.

"Rethinking the status quo! Knot concepts by @Knotorious!" That could be a nice little motto or catch phrase! Below if have a picture of the rethought out coil design. It's just as easy to remove a wrap with this arrangement as with the standard coil. You'd want to take it out of the bottom two wraps, though...

 

[Knotorious]

Some people on this website have this preconceived notion that this forum predominantly houses "experts." This is absolutely true if you fail to account for the huge amount of guests, which easily likely outnumber tenfold (or even twenty or thirtyfold and beyond) the amount of ACTIVE members. Please bear in mind that, on a forum where most of the members are indeed experts, it can be intimidating for a guest to join. his place should contain content for every climber of every experience level for every discipline. It is for this reason, and also because I don't give a f\/ck, I'm going to share my last three instructional videos for using basal anchors and friction savers...

Basal Anchor Series (Part 1) Simple Anchors for SRT/SRS Tree Climbing!


Basal Anchor Series (Part 2) Complex Anchors for SRT/SRS for Tree Climbing!


Friction Saver Installation Guide (From the Ground Using A Throwline)!


Having said all that, and having shared my videos with you all, please ENJOY!

...Or don't...I really don't give a shit. =-D

EDIT: I changed the statistics to better reflect the discrepancy between ACTIVE members and guests.

 

[lxskllr]

Watched the first one. Good video, and I learned a couple things. Biggest quibble is during the rescue section, you said you'd be holding half the climber's weight when clipped into the butterfly. That should have been 100% of the climber's weight, disregarding any friction of course. If you were figuring on friction taking half the weight away, I'm not sure that would be a good approach. I don't think it would be half in ideal circumstances, and couldn't be counted on in any case. When doing mental calcs regarding weight and force, I try to assume everything disfavors me, and build accordingly, cause overkill is the best kind of kill, at least when real stakes are on the line.

I mention it cause weight between climber and rescuer could be severely mismatched. I'm close to 250# geared up, and there's a lot of people in this activity way lighter than that. Could end up with an unpleasant surprise, though it should be apparent when unweighting the anchor.

 

[Kaveman]

What's the testing procedure that you use for your hitches?

 

[Knotorious]

Watched the first one. Good video, and I learned a couple things. Biggest quibble is during the rescue section, you said you'd be holding half the climber's weight when clipped into the butterfly. That should have been 100% of the climber's weight, disregarding any friction of course. If you were figuring on friction taking half the weight away, I'm not sure that would be a good approach. I don't think it would be half in ideal circumstances, and couldn't be counted on in any case. When doing mental calcs regarding weight and force, I try to assume everything disfavors me, and build accordingly, cause overkill is the best kind of kill, at least when real stakes are on the line.

I mention it cause weight between climber and rescuer could be severely mismatched. I'm close to 250# geared up, and there's a lot of people in this activity way lighter than that. Could end up with an unpleasant surprise, though it should be apparent when unweighting the anchor.

You're correct about this. I made an error during filming and failed to edit it out. I meant to make a text post-edit with Premiere but forgot. Thanks for alerting me to this error so I can add in comments and description.

 

[Knotorious]

@Kaveman This is going to be a long reply, so let me get back to it once I pick up my medication from the pharmacy haha

 

[FJR]

I watched the first video. While I like the rescue set up at the end of the video, I do think it is a bit impractical for the real world. It will be much more efficient to have a basal anchor with a lowering device so the climber can be lowered immediately. If I need to be lowered to the ground I do not want to wait for someone to put their harness on and setup the lowering system.

I do not mention this as a knock to your video. I liked the video and I understand you are demonstrating base ties without a separate base anchor. I do think it is important for people to know the techniques you are explaining. I mention this so newer climbers understand it.

 

[Knotorious]

I watched the first video. While I like the rescue set up at the end of the video, I do think it is a bit impractical for the real world. It will be much more efficient to have a basal anchor with a lowering device so the climber can be lowered immediately. If I need to be lowered to the ground I do not want to wait for someone to put their harness on and setup the lowering system.

I do not mention this as a knock to your video. I liked the video and I understand you are demonstrating base ties without a separate base anchor. I do think it is important for people to know the techniques you are explaining. I mention this so newer climbers understand it.

Watch the second episode. It's got a few lowerable options using the actual climbing line. I agree with you insofar as having a lowerable anchor using the climb line versus having to finagle a doubled rope setup. You're absolutely not wrong. It's just a matter of preference.

 

[Knotorious]

Also, can somebody identify this tree that I'm using throughout these videos? It's beautiful. It has a monster of a parent tree nearby (I assume one came from the other or maybe someone planted them). See the video about the friction saver for more detailed views.

Also, thanks to anyone who has watched my videos and taken them seriously. I'm not an expert, but I really do try hard, and I am very knowledgeable. I would never upload something if I thought it would endanger someone.

 

[lxskllr]

Looks like eucalyptus. Maybe red river gum?

 

[Knotorious]

You asked a fine question, @Kaveman,

What is my protocol for testing hitches? It is as follows…

First I test the hitch by hand and I see how it tends via hand and how it grabs via hand both minimally and aggressively insofar as forces are concerned.

Next I will test how it responds with my body weight applied to it and see how it hand tends after my full weight has been applied to it.

Next, I will check to see how it functions with a pulley, both as part of a lanyard and as part of an MRS setup.

Finally, I will test it as part of an SRS setup, using a rope wrench. If the hitch is designed to function without a wrench, then I omit the wrench and test it “as is.”

I will go up and down the rope multiple times during testing of both the MRS and SRS setups.

I check to see how sensitive the hitches are when depressing (breaking) them and how quickly they grab with varying degrees of force.

I will bomb down the rope several times to ensure that the rope grabs under critical conditions.

That’s about all of it. I reserve the right to add more info as it comes to me.

 

[Knotorious]

You might be wondering: How could he possibly test all of these hitches with all of these parameters all the time?

Very simple: BATCH TESTING.

In other words, I test several hitches on one day. Just because I only post one or more at a time doesn't mean that they weren't tested as part of a batch.

*Takes a bow* Thank you!

 

[Burnham]

What is your backup for when it's "bombing down" test time, the hitch should fail to grab?

 

[Knotorious]

What is your backup for when it's "bombing down" test time, the hitch should fail to grab?

A dynamic rock climbing tether.

 

[Knotorious]

I have a perfect track record of knowing when a hitch is safe enough to bomb down on. Just throwing that out there.

 

[Burnham]

Attached how?

Just curious...I had to come up with something when testing backup systems for rappelling on rescue 8s and rappel racks, before putting them into the USFS Guide.

 

[Knotorious]

I basically have it connected laterally to my TIP and I only intend to descend down to the point where I would engage the dynamic line. So if the hitch fails, I just bungee on the dynamic line. Both are connected to my harness via two separate bridges and rings. I hope this makes sense. It's very basic.

 

[Knotorious]

I did testing with a bag filled with rocks to determine the extent of the dynamic line travel.

 

[Burnham]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[Knotorious]

@Burnham Do you have any suggestions for how I can improve the safety of my setup or is it copacetic?

 

[Burnham]

Seems fine to me.

 

[Knotorious]

Seems fine to me.

Instead of saying "cool," I'm going to say...

Kool...

...and the Gang!

Let's celebrate!

[Intro]
Yahoo! (This is your celebration)
Yahoo! (This is your celebration)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let's celebrate)

[Verse]
There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
Come on now

[Chorus]
(Celebration) Let's all celebrate and have a good time
(Celebration) We gon' celebrate and have a good time

[Refrain]
It's time to come together
It's up to you, what's your pleasure?
(Everyone around the world, come on)

[Pre-Chorus]
Yahoo! It's a celebration
Yahoo!



And yes, I'm actually 35 years old...

...I'm just cultured. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

 

[Kaveman]

No. Dis am "culture"