I concur, Doctor!That would depend heavily on the diameter of the stick/spike and which strand(s) it pierces through in any given knot. I do know that introducing a stick/spike into certain regions of certain knots can increase the bend radius of the rope or cordage being used, therefore increases the overall strength of the knot...if it were placed in an optimum location. If can also make certain knots easier to untie after they have been heavily loaded. Too much of an added bend radius by an overly sized stick or spike could create a disruption to the structure of a knot, which might actually compromise it. It also depends on which knots are being used with sticks or spikes which have been implemented within their structures. Some knots tolerate such introductions better than others. This is my understanding of the answer to your question. Most people do not use sticks or spikes in their knots and so it's safe to say that, unless the knot is going to be exposed to very high forces, it's probably unnecessary to use them this way.
Haha, this guy and is "instructors" probably spent weeks or months trying to optimize tripod construction with minimal cordage and, meanwhile, somewhere in Maryland, @lxskllr has been doing this for years! =-DThat guy should've asked me! *That's how I always made tripods.
*Mostly cause I didn't know how to properly lash them, so that was what I hacked together as a good enough solution. Not like I'm making tripods all the time anyway.
Anyone ever use the Voodoo tensioning system? Click the link to learn more about it...
The "Voodoo Hitch" - a magic tensioning hitch — Alpinesavvy
Part tensioning hitch, part rope sorcery. Plus, it has a great name. You don't need to learn the “voodoo hitch”, but you should. Tie it 10 times, you still probably won't figure out how it works.www.alpinesavvy.com
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The Voodoo, as shown in the diagram, is pretty useless in my opinion. There's way too much friction and it probably will not tension a line very much or very easily. If you incorporate a pulley, or even two pulleys into it, careful to leave one of the sections with natural friction, you could feasibly maximize its efficacy by as much as 66.66%, which is enormous. If I were to ever need to tension a line (and I have on many occasions; especially for Tyrolean traverses), I will make use of a hitch around the tensioned line, connected to a mechanical advantage system with its own progress capture, allowing me to pull the line taught and preserve most of the lines original MBS and then secure any the line with a backup knot incase that hitch slips.That's kinda like a poldo tackle, and I've used a poldo for an adjustable leg when rigging. They don't work really well for tightening on a load in my experience, but they work great for having an adjustable sling when rigging certain stuff in a pinch.
Nope, I tie the tail off back over the closed ratchet.I'm curious how many of youse were familiar with/use this method.
Link to this came in a TreeStuff email. I thought it looked pretty cool...