UKC

Homemade tether - permanent knot

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Denislejeune 26 Jun 2019

Hi all.

I made my tether out of climbing rope 2 years ago, permanently tied to my harness with a Fig 8 knot. There is also a butterfly knot midway for adjustment and rappelling.

I'm wondering about the effect the permanent Fig 8 knot is having on the rope itself. I haven't taken falls on it but it's basically been frozen in place for 2 years now and yeah, not sure what to make of it. Yes I could undo it to check, but before I do that I want to check if I'm overrreacting.

Cheers.

 NigelHurst 26 Jun 2019
In reply to Denislejeune:

I'd worry more about where it attaches to your harness if it's been on there for 2 years

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1933713/Todd-Skinners-failed-harnes...

 TobyA 26 Jun 2019
In reply to Denislejeune:

You should definitely check what's happening to the harness and the inside the bight on the knot.  Many Americans, where people tend to use things like that, or PASs, or daisies much more, suggest that leaving anything permanently on your harness is a bad idea because it can wear through the nylon and makes visual inspection harder.

Personally: cutting it off, chucking it away and carefully checking the harness for friction damage is what I would do. 

OP Denislejeune 26 Jun 2019
In reply to NigelHurst:

Thanks for that, interesting reading.

My tether attaches just as my climbing rope does, so it moves freely and doesn't cause fraying. The harness is also in good to very good condition.

OP Denislejeune 26 Jun 2019
In reply to TobyA:

Cheers.

Are you aware of any research or pix on the matter? I'll probably end up doing just as you said anyway and move to the Petzl Adjust. 

In reply to Denislejeune:

Leaving a rope knotted shouldn't cause a problem.

Otherwise every bit of abseil tat around the country is not to be trusted.

Post edited at 09:28
3
 EdS 26 Jun 2019
In reply to Denislejeune:

Better off looking a caving style cows tail set up.

 PaulJepson 26 Jun 2019
In reply to Denislejeune:

For maybe 30 seconds to tie/untie to be on the safe side, I'd not leave it permanently on my harness.

I have a Kong Slyd which attaches with a figure 8 and I retie it every time I use it rather than leaving on.

As others have said, the rope itself is probably fine but small movements with fabric/fabric could wear down your harness without you being able to properly inspect. 

 nniff 26 Jun 2019
In reply to Denislejeune:

By way of a spot of history - larger nuts always used to be tied on a length of rope - 6-9mm usually, depending on size.  5mm was not confidence inspiring until dyneema/spectra/whatever came along. To cut to the chase, I'm not aware of one of those breaking at the knot (double fisherman's) - if they did break, it was where they went through the nut.  Getting them undone involved a teaspoon as a marline spike, or a knife, but if you had the whole length you could more easily measure the new length against it.  When undone, the rope inside the knot was always bright and shiny, as opposed to the faded and worn stuff outside the knot.  I wouldn't worry, and if you take a load strong enough to break a piece of rope there, your spine will probably join it for solidarity.

OP Denislejeune 26 Jun 2019
In reply to nniff:

Thanks for that. I wonder whether the type of knot may have an impact too. The double fisherman's may not act the same on the rope as a Fig 8. But I do get your point, and will probably check at least visually once I can get hold of a marline spike.

In reply to Denislejeune:

The amount of force on the knot would be very low, plus the rope has a sheath to protect the core from abrasion. Still, if you're starting to wonder it's probably worth getting a new metre of old rope eh?


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...