Prussic Knot

[Talondale]

Can the main line be Poly?  or is poly not good for any of this?  Any ideas for a cheap source for good rope?  Climbing stores charge a premium for their rope, which is worth it when hanging off the side of a mountain but I want to be able to put up multiple main lines and just carry in my connecting rope.

[SmittyQ]

Where is a good place to get some dark colored rope to use this method

[Ray Hammond]

I don't think poly would be a good choice...if its the poly I am thinking about.

Remember, its going to be withstanding about 3000+ lbs of force when you drop against it(so in my case about 9K!)- I would make sure I had some kind of rated rope, technical stuff.

It's more expensive, but its a lot cheaper than one trip to the emergency room, right?

I retied all my stuff with Blake's hitches after talking to a guy who climbs stuff for a living.

[B.O.D.]

[Rico]

Show us the Blake's Hitch, this is the knot you need for the smaller loop correct. I use the carabiner actually I wear that and just a waist belt for most of my stands,when I want to climb turn the carabiner to the front when I get in my stand I slide it around to the back most of my stands I am comfortable with just a  restraint belt.

[troutms]

Big Dog, what about that pictoral?

[Huntschool]

Ah yes, those tree climbing days when we  were just "tree surgeons".  Best knot in the world BD.

Climbed back in the 60's.  That knot still works with my old saddle harness.......

[B.O.D.]

I'll do it today, I have to take down a big locust anyways, so I might as well do it then.
Look for the pics later.
BD

[Ray Hammond]

A waist belt COULD spell disaster in a fall,
Rico!

What happens at the time you need it is that it slides upward to your armpit area and chokes off your air supply.

Change your setup to include a harness that goes under your legs, around your waist, and attaches to the tree behind your shoulder blades.

Much safer. Again, even with that system you are going to undergo severe stresses on your body that could cause you to pass out after only a few minutes.

Your goal is to be able to climb back onto your stand, or get to your climbing system and get down before that happens. Set your connection to the tree as high as you can reach, and tether it so that when you sit down you can lean against the strap - that means when you fall you fall at the level of your stand rather than falling 2,3 or more feet below it. It also means you can lean against it while sitting, taking strain off your back and legs while waiting for your quarry to come by.

[B.O.D.]

rico,

             If you use a single belt make sure it is up under your armpits, this is much safer than around your waist. It will still cut off your air if given enough time.
you will have a much better chance of getting back to the stand with it there than around your waist. a harness is better.
BD

[BobCo 1965]

An alternative to using this knot is using an ascender devise. You can get them at mountain climbing stores or cheaper at any construction supply store. You would use them the same as the prussic knot, but the ascender is easier to move up and down the rope, you can also descend with it attached. They are also much easier to attach and detach from the main rope. Cost is between about $18 - >$50. Cheaper models (construction) are made of steel, expensive are made of aluminum (weight) and are shaped to your hand. I wouldn't worry about the either of them breaking though.

[Caranthir]

BobCo do you have any web sites that show an ascender device? Thanks Rich

[Talondale]

The industrial one is here:
 http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/itemDetailsRender.shtml?ItemId=1611773196

sport climbing type:
 http://www.cmi-gear.com/catalog/ascenders/index.asp

[Rico]

What I like about the knot its quiet,light and cheap

[swamper]

just remember if you use a prussik and slip dont grab the knot itself you will keep slipping then

[B.O.D.]

okay, here is a pictorial of how to tie the knot and how to use it for bowhunting( Blake's hitch), a couple are a bit fuzzy, my groundie doesn't know the meaning of "use two hand to take the pic"! LOL

number one: tie into your harness with a figure eight and a carabiner or a screw quick-lock of 1800# rating.( figure eight is eay to tie, check any knot site to see it, I won't show how to tie it, it is very easy to learn form a pic.)  

[B.O.D.]

with your mainline tied in the tree( leave it there for the season) take a 6 foot length of rope and tie it to your harness with a figure eight and a carabiner or screw quick-link like shown, take the other end of the 6' rope and make one loop clockwise around your mainline.  

[B.O.D.]

make 4 more loops around above the 1st one then bring the tag end down and BEHIND the mainline, it will be in front of you as shown.

[B.O.D.]

[B.O.D.]

now, insert the tag end up and thru the bottom 2 colis of the wraps, then snug both the tag end of the 6' rope and the other end of it that is tied in to your harness, pull them until the knot snugs up and looks like this.