Integrated Soft Shackle

[ruel]

Our summer intern sent the winch line through our chipper this year, and the next week another local company did the same thing. It ended up being a cheap fix for us, but cost the other guys a few thousand. For both of us, most of the damage was done by the steel carabiner on the line. That got me wondering about ways to choke the line without using a chunk of metal.

I was looking for high strength composite hooks, but never came across anything. When I found this splice on youtube the other day (search for "integrated soft shackle") I thought it might work instead.








I Haven't tried it in the real world yet, but I see two possible downsides. First, it will be harder to push under logs. Second, the knot can get sucked into the winch past the rollers, at least on a 1590.

What do you all think? Anyone have a non metal winch choker?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Use a bowline on a bight instead. Double that stuff up!

 

[Altissimus]

...or maybe a beating for workers who feed metal to Wood Chipper.

 

[No_Bivy]

Looks promising
Have you pulled hard on it yet to see if it stays put?

 

[biggun]

I have seen soft shackles in chandlers. Never seen them used in tree work though.

 

[GemCutter]

I've made and used smaller soft shackles and find milking the bury to close them a bit fiddly and not something I really want to do with cold fingers. I also wonder how reliably a worker in a hurry will get it securely closed every time.

It sure is pretty.

 

[Tucker943]

Just tie a loop in the end of the winch line and choke your material.

 

[Limbrat]

Butch's bowline on a bight is simple, tried and true and as you say, the knob on the rope would be difficult at times to get under a log. It looks like it would be strong enough, as long as it was cinched down and nothing slipped but it would definitely be tested before I trusted it. I'd be curious as to how hard it is to release after applying a heavy load. As GC said, it's pretty.

 

[cory]

Hey ruel, how you doing? Cold up in Maine this winter!!!!

 

[treebilly]

We do something like a timber hitch on the piece. On a bare log or a really long pull well put a small Clevis on. I'll look into this pretty looking knot.

 

[GemCutter]

A word of warning...in the video he cuts the tails off of the diamond knot after only slightly loading it with pliers. The tails should be left long until the knot has been fully loaded a few times as the the tails will pull in a little. After being well loaded the tails can be cut off short (or flush).

 

[ruel]

Thanks for the replies everyone,

Cory, my name is Sean. The winter in Maine was great until two weeks ago, but we've had 6 feet of snow since then. I had this idea during the blizzard and haven't done any serious tree work since, so no chance to test it out.

I don't much care for tying knots on the winch line, looking for something quick(er) and easy. Plus I find the tight bends in a bowline really mess up Amsteel. The timber hitch might work, but I know my co-workers won't use it.

Gemcutter, I realized after the fact that i cut the tails too short, but this was just a quick mock up and won't be seeing any real action. Thanks for the heads up.

BTW, The sexy stopper knot on this thing is called a Diamond knot. Still time to learn it before VDay.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Just for a note... A bowline on a bight is not a good thing for Amsteel winch lines.... It will more than likely melt at the bight through the loop.

 

[NickfromWI]

I think you could accomplish similar function by splicing a wooden toggle inline rather than the knot. Might save a few minutes of fiddling if you had to redo it in the field. More importantly, it lets you skip the need for milking the cover to cinch down on the knot

 

[pantheraba]

Rangers in WWII used ropes like this...each Ranger carried one...they would interlink them to make a long rope as needed. They saw good use on D-Day, at Pointe du Hoc. Some info on that here: http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/smallunit/smallunit-pdh.htm

I suppose this is what you are talking about, Nick?

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[MasterBlaster]

Nice.

 

[climbernz]

I combine my companies pinto rigs that are not spliced into loopies with soft shackles I think its a better alternative to caribiners as theres no side loading.

 

[Brocky]

The use of a toggle is a excellent idea. Maybe instead of splicing it on put it on the end of a Prusik hitch, like they do with rings, and attach it to the winch line. The winch line just needs an eye for the toggle and is easy to slide under logs. After toggling, cinch up the Prusik around the log.

 

[NickfromWI]

I agree 100%. This is a great place for a wooden toggle. There are folks making plastic winch line hooks now for this very purpose.


love
nick

 

[Brocky]

Yea Nick, but what are you going to do if it breaks on a job? It's not like there are any replacements just lying around on the ground.

 

[Raj]

How about aluminum?

 

[NickfromWI]

Yea Nick, but what are you going to do if it breaks on a job? It's not like there are any replacements just lying around on the ground.

That's a sticky situation


love
nick

 

[ruel]

Nice bump. I left my job in November and haven't worked with a chipper winch since, so no field trials... Might be using a tractor winch sometime this month, I'll try and knock a few together, toggled/knot, and report back.

It's such a neat splice I feel compelled to find a use for it! Anyone got another possible application.

Nick: I made this one before I found the "Improved Soft Shackle" which eliminates the need to milk the cover down.

 

[Brocky]

I thought about using one on the end of a lanyard to replace the carabiner, for rec climbing only though, definitely not a one hand operation.

 

[Brocky]

I thought about using one on the end of a lanyard to replace the carabiner, for rec climbing only though, definitely not a one hand operation.

Edit:I meant a soft shackle end not a toggle in the above.