Stitched eyes

[emr]

So these stitched eyes seem to becoming more popular in climbing gear like split tails and lanyards and the like. If they are so good, why dont they make rigging slings with them?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm thinking rigging slings inherently demand more strength because they take a much heavier load?

 

[Bermy]

Shock loads?

 

[NickfromWI]

Stitched eyes will continue to become more prevalent because it's done by machine. 2 guys can crank out a ton in one day vs a few splices.

They stitches are just as strong as the hand splice. But in a rigging sling it might be annoying to tie your hitch (clock hitch, stilson hitch whatever you're using) with a large clunk hanging off the end.

Long live hand splicing!

love
nick

 

[MasterBlaster]

I hate clunks hanging.

 

[emr]

I thought I heard stitched eyes are stronger than splices.

I don't own any but I guess I would try one. There is something old school and artistic about a hand spliced eye. A stitched eye is just a piece of gear.... nothing impressive.

 

[emr]

I have to believe they wouldn't hold up to shock loading as well either.

 

[swingdude]

A hand splice is artistry for sure and nothing beats it's neatness and practicality. Nothing and I mean nothing beats a professionally hand spliced eye, it is such a wonderful thing. I have a great respect for those who splice well, my good friend Eric is one of them, nuff respect.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I just don't like how they look.

 

[vharrison]

Shoot, I thought some one hurt their eye and had to get stitches. I was about to warn Darin, don't look!

 

[Adam_P]

I don't like how they look either. With the amount of bulk they add I feel like you may as well just have a knot.

The only time I do think they're useful is for really short stuff. I have one of those dmm thimble prussics that's stitched and it's much shorter than a double braid end to end would allow.

 

[swingdude]

Stitched eyes are just downright ugly for sure.

 

[DMc]

Pretty is as pretty does. They're strong as hell and easy to inspect. Certainly not good for everything but I'm glad they are out there.

Dave

 

[woodworkingboy]

Got one on my hitch cord. Works for me.

 

[swingdude]

Pretty is as pretty does. They're strong as hell and easy to inspect. Certainly not good for everything but I'm glad they are out there.

Dave

Well Dave you are perfectly correct. They have their place, in my case the pulley saver and thimble saver. But I prefer hand spliced for my hitch cords and lanyards, for inspection just make a mark with a sharpie at the re-entry by the throat. If it starts to creep then stop using it, a well made splice never creeps. Been looking at the sterling tri-tech cord for a lanyard and that has to be stitched so maybe it ain't all that bad. Still think they are ugly though, sighhh.

 

[Burnham]

May be as bulky as a knot, but far stronger.

 

[gf beranek]

I hand stitched splices back in the mid 80's and tested them too. At the time they proved adequately strong for my purposes, of which were only prusik eyes. I did not let others use them. Since they were experimental at the time.

The more stitches you put in the splice the damn harder the rope gets. My hand would be sore by the end. Over all I was quite pleased with the results.

Twenty five years later come the machine stitched splices. I'll be damned.

 

[swingdude]

I like giving exmples of why I prefer one thing over another. Here is and adjustable ring/ring that my friend Eric made me. At first he did a sterling prussic ring which he hand stitched, it is a very good job and I would climb on it any day however look at the hand spliced ocean 8mm prussic ring. Which do you prefer? I know my answer.

 

[NickfromWI]

no way would i climb on that hand stitched prusik loop. That's not to say I wouldn't (or haven't already!) climb on a hand stitched one, but that one looks like it needs more stitches.

 

[swingdude]

Never climbed on it Nick and yes it probably could have used more stitching as you say. Wish I could have it break tested though just to see. I am never going to use it. Was more showing the ugliness and bulkiness of the stitched as opposed to the hand spliced. Granted that was an overly bad one compared to a machined one. Here is the DMM pulley saver prussic. Still bulky but not as ugly.

 

[swingdude]

Hey Nick by any chance can a continuous loop be made with 8mm ocean by hand splicing. I am sure it can, obviously it has to be a certain length to get the bury correct. Let me know if it can't. Thanks in advance.

 

[woodworkingboy]

They really stitch the heck out of them now. Looking at some hitch cord that I received, think it was Bee-Line, I first wondered if so much stitching hadn't weakened it?

 

[PCTREE]

Who says stitched eyes are ugly??? Take a look at my beautiful new climbing line

 

[woodworkingboy]

Ugly or beautiful, I dig the color combination between the thread and rope. Gold and orange reminds me of a Carp I once caught.

 

[brendonv]

Really, Paul?!