Old Timers - Was The Blakes Hitch Pretty Cool When Released?

gf beranek said:
I much prefer the feel and level of control with a friction hitch.

It's the old-school in me, I guess.
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Friction hitches (with or without a wrench, for either SRS or MRS) are currently still superior in control relative to mechanical devices. I'm 35, so your beliefs still resound as true to this day.

Before someone disagrees with me, please understand that I'm expressing my personal opinion. This is not a matter of fact.
 
As much as I like my Unicender, don't fall on it! Most mechanicals aren't meant as fall arrest, but I've been caught by cord hitches plenty of times. I'm better at minding slack now too lolz.
 
I didn't use that trick much as I got into the distle hitch about then, but it seemed to work well for him.
 
Kaveman said:
As much as I like my Unicender, don't fall on it! Most mechanicals aren't meant as fall arrest, but I've been caught by cord hitches plenty of times. I'm better at minding slack now too lolz.
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there is a video by (i believe) morgan thompson where they do some impressive drop-test‘s with the unicender. i‘d say you can fall on it.
 
They did not mention the stopper knot at the Davey Climbing Classes in1967. Just suggested that you set the knot after each move in the tree. Also left a long tail. I did use the stopper in the end of my pigtail occasionally in later years. It was the friction knot that would untie itself if it got loose. Then using your hands for the friction device got uncomfortable.

In reply to Cursed's inquiry about staying warm. We just had a week and a half below 0 here in Illinois. Otherwise plenty toasty. Really miss the nice climate of ND.
 
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I started on the 'one rope for all system'...16 strand and tie a prussik on one end of your rope, and using your tail as a second system.
Never liked the prussik, I was always adjusting it, and 'mind the loop' was always a pain.
Quite soon after though went to 16 strand with a Blake's on a split tail AND a separate lanyard, thought the sun had risen! Blake's was pretty much set and forget, and no more dangly loop! Heaven.
This was only in 2000 so I don't really qualify as an 'old timer'...and being way out in Bermuda, the Blake's was probably around for a while before we got introduced to it there, but when it came, yes it was cool.
 
That was a similar timeline of discovery to mine.
Bermy said:
I started on the 'one rope for all system'...16 strand and tie a prussik on one end of your rope, and using your tail as a second system.
Never liked the prussik, I was always adjusting it, and 'mind the loop' was always a pain.
Quite soon after though went to 16 strand with a Blake's on a split tail AND a separate lanyard, thought the sun had risen! Blake's was pretty much set and forget, and no more dangly loop! Heaven.
This was only in 2000 so I don't really qualify as an 'old timer'...and being way out in Bermuda, the Blake's was probably around for a while before we got introduced to it there, but when it came, yes it was cool.
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