metal core lanyards?

Rugged made
Treestuff
Wesspur
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I have both, the 20' rope lanyard for pruning and the wirecore for takedowns. There is nothing quite as comforting as a wirecore 8" from a running chainsaw. (that actually sounds quite dopey, but tree people know what I mean!)

I had a close call on a reduction job about 4 years ago, climbed above my main anchor point, (it was the last suitable TIP) and stropped in with the rope lanyard for the last high cut. It was a bit of a leaner so when it went, it went quick. I grabbed the stub with one hand and my saw skidded down the trunk and JUST nicked my lanyard....gulp. I went and borrowed a wirecore for the rest of the work, cussed myself for knowing better and being stupid, and ordered my own wirecore that night. Knowledge and sometimes God given grace for idiots keeps us safe, the lesson is to learn from the survival stories, or avoid that position to start with!

Whenever you use a wirecore, there should be somewhere in the system that can be cut with a knife in emergencies, rope prussick or a short nylon strop to connect the micro adjuster to your harness.
 
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I definitely agree with "horses for courses" when it comes to my lanyard.

I have a double ended 16' x 5/8" wire-core with a wire-core prussic, swivel snaps on both ends and at the prussic, it's not set up self tending, but very handy when I just have to climb up a branchy conifer like a ladder and just need safeties as I go.

Also have a 12' x 1/2" wire-core with a single swivel snap and running on a Petzl microcender. My favourite removals lanyard.

I also get called upon to "fag out" trees where I'm working in the outer one third of the canopy with a hand-saw, and for that I have a set-up I made from really stiff and flippable 10mm mil-spec rappelling rope (yes it's rated) with a DFL ended 8mm prussic and micro-pulley tender.

And I keep a couple of different lengths of old climbing rope that I use as 2nd overhead TIPS on the longest of limb-walks, but I like to keep my saddle's bridge unconfused so I employ them as a lanyard on my side D's, quickly set up with a DFL ended prussic and micro pulley.

Edited to add: If you are going to use shortish ropes as a lanyard, fix a stopper knot on you free end!

Just more tricks in the bag, and since no single lanyard is perfect for every job, I dig out the one that will do the trick.


RedlineIt
 
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I had the good fotune to work on a job with a smoke jumper in his off season a couple of winters ago. He told me that they had tested wire core lanyards for cut resistance, by hanging a training dummy on it and then cutting into it while it suportted the dead weight, with a stihl 44. He said that the saw never even slowed down, that a straight cross cut on the tensioned wire core gave virtially no protection.
But I feel that with a slight contact, especially with a smaller saw that is decelerating, (as in Bermie's incident) that it gives a lot more protection.
I also agree that no one lanyard is ideal for all situations.
 
Good posts Joe and Redline (out of rep points!)
Variety is the key, and knowing when to use each component.
I have nicked my wirecore as well, but like you say a decelerating, almost stopped saw, and it just puffed the sheath. Again thats why TWO tie in points are crucial, as well as positioning and thinking ahead!
 
i see wire core lanyards, like the chaps. a full power shot with the saw will go through the majority of the chaps, just like the wire core. however that wire core will probly save you from the little accidents.

i actually made me own wire core flip line. i took 1/8 in steel cable, and twisted it into a 3 strand nylon rope. it was fun to make, a substantial savings, and actually works pretty good. the only complaint it the prussic, can really lock into the 3 strand.
 
Somebody invent a steel-core that has an adjuster like the Grillion in the Sherrill catalogs. (Adjusts while under tension). I've got the Grillion, but it just sits at the bottom of the box. The adjuster is the ***t, but the rope is way too flimsy. Never nicked it, but while lowering a limb, lowering line and safety rope made contact. Got a nice little cut from the friction. I try to stay tied in twice most times, sometimes not the case though. Never-ever use just the Grillion as your tie-in while blocking down ! I bet even a Silky could slice it with very little effort. Couldn't get much better than a steel-core that would adjust under tension! Yeah , I know, complaining about leaning up just a touch to let out slack is nit-picking, but I spent a while today on the receiving end of some nit-picking. Had to pick on something, I feel better now.:cheers:
 
Custom shop

Thirty Dollars for a wirecore with a swivel snap is pretty hard to resist.

My problem is I've gotten used to 11 mm diameter flipline, and I like it. The adjuster is so much more responsive than on 13 mm.


I would really like an 11 mm wirecore. Step up wirecore industry! Hey Sampson, I want 1/4" cable core, surrounded by 11 mm Amsteel Blue, 8 foot 2 and 1/2, and swivel snaps on each end. A second sheath choice would be 7/16" Stable Braid.

I'm not kidding.
 
Tree Machine;773296 My problem is I've gotten used to 11 mm diameter flipline said:
Step up wirecore industry! [/COLOR] Hey Sampson, I want 1/4" cable core, surrounded by 11 mm Amsteel Blue, 8 foot 2 and 1/2, and swivel snaps on each end. A second sheath choice would be 7/16" Stable Braid.
I'm not kidding.
Click to expand...

Hey Tree Machine, I've been using a three strand rope landyard with an english prussic and a micro pully minder, for a flip line. I went with the larger wire core because I was planning to use the English prussic and wanted some difference in diameter between the flipline and prussic. I didn't even think about there being a difference in responsiveness, good point. And yes, I would have preferred a snap on both ends.
Do you think I should have went for the 1/2" x 8' long one? or would you have passed on both? Also ,What length flipline do you use the most?
 
luvthetrobag said:
What do you guys think about metal core laynards. Ive been thinking about buying one. Ive had guys tell me they could trap a climber in a tree.
Click to expand...

If you knick them with a gaff, stationery saw chain or moving saw chain while cutting, they are expensive to replace. Just make your own lanyards out of short bits of climb rope. If you want a good rope for flip line use 16mm kernmantle - nice and stiff for fllipping but still knottable to attach snap hooks.
 
I've gone through three or four wirecores over the last ice age, still have one on my vacation harness.

Right now, 11 mm rope is my excuse for a flipline. The micrograb ascender is light, the aluminum triple lock on the adjuster is light and the end termination a rated aluminum triple lock. When flipping around a tree or limb, all the aluminum gets pushed to the end and you get used to flipping this lightweight wad of metal over and around things.

The 11 mm I thought would work more smoothly than a 13 mm, which was offering unwelcomed resistance to the rope grab. I knew this from ascending 11 mm, much more warm to the ascenders.

Anyway, using 11 mm climbing rope has also allowed me to customize the length, a standard being 8-foot, I made mine 8 foot 2 and 1/2 and terminated with a tight eye whose bight had been run through tube webbing to make the wear surface on the flipline rope more or less 'wear-proof'. Almost two years suffering with this.

I just really like and miss the wirecore, I don't care about weight issues, the wirecore performs better. I like 11 mm. I like the custom length, the extra 2-1/2 for my approaching middle age gut, uh, I mean Winter wear.
 
I say I've been suffering with this rope lanyard, but if it didn't somehow work more smoothly than what I was doing before, I wouldn't still be using it.

It was cheap, definitely that. The perfect length for what I do. It's very tight and tidy on the right side Dee ring, a ways slimmer than 16mm kernmantle knotted to the ring, but same sort of end result.

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