Climbing Friction Knots

[OTG BOSTON]

Hey Bull

I voted for the Martin. Martin Morales invented this knot. He is a Teacher for Arbormaster and from Mexico. It isnt a blakes on a split tail it is a blakes hitch on an eye-eye prussic, except you only come under one wrap not two.

It is also not called the Martin its called the Michoacan, after the city where he lived in Mexico.

How long should the cord be for tying this knot??? I just got some icetail and bailout. I'm looking to advance beyound my tenex schwabish.

 

[moss]

How long should the cord be for tying this knot (Martin)??? I just got some icetail and bailout. I'm looking to advance beyound my tenex schwabish.

Check out this PDF, Martin on page 4:
Son of a Hitch

I tie it and try it first before cutting the final cord length. Leave plenty of extra on one side of the hitch, climb on it a little and then make a decision on the final length after you've made adjustments. You may end up needing one length for your 1/2" and another for your 11mm rope.
-moss

 

[OTG BOSTON]

thanks

Thanks AJ, great advice as always. Would you like to try some of this icetail or bailout?? I've got plenty.

 

[FSburt]

Just tried out the Mihocan AkA Martin

Just tried out this knot this weekend and it works very well. I was climbing on a distel before but this knot does not lock on the rope at all so slack tending is so nice now.

 

[moray]

Thanks to this poll, and various posts on this topic, I may well change to the Martin aka Michoacan. I gave it a fairly tough test a few days ago, climbing to a pulley 50 feet up, then descending, and then climbing again from the bottom using hip thrust. My split tail was made of 3/8 sling-grade tenex. Even after the long descent, where the knot was doing all the work, the knot freed up instantly when I started to ascend again.

I did discover that it is less forgiving than the Schwabish that I had been using for the last 8 months or so. The Schwabish will work almost no matter how badly you tie it. The Martin, in my hands anyway, needed to be set quite tightly or it would slip on my Arbormaster. I ended up using a 5-wrap Martin, tightly set, and found it superior to the 5-wrap Schwabish that I had been used to. Both are far better than a Blake's made of climbing rope IMHO.

 

[dc59222]

I climb on a Blakes. I was taught the Blakes and the Taughtline when I started but I rarely tie the Taughtline anymore. The Michoagan looks really interesting and I may try that. Anyone recomend a splittail brand and diameter that will work well on Safety Blue?

 

[Fireaxman]

...The VT is the best hitch that has come unto the climbing scene all the others will basically get tight the longer they are worked on a rope, not so with a VT. The bridge on a VT never has to broken to get the top coils to loosen up so you can advance on it or descend on it.

...

Ax-man, I owe you for helping me get going on the VT last February, but I had to vote for the Martin after my last 2 days work. The advantage of the Martin is that it is shorter, more compact. Therefor less slack to take out when you set down on it. Tied with 3/8 Stay Set on 1/2" Yale Spearmint and Arbormaster Blue Streak I've been working the Martin for 2 days on Loblollies at 75 to 100 feet and it has shown no inclination to get tight on me.

I do think the VT gets higher marks for "Self Tending", but I just hate to lose that extra few inches when I set back on it. And because there is less slack, the Martin just feels more secure.

I would like to say the high vote for the Blakes indicates to me there are a lot of people who have not tried the so-called "Advanced" hitches. I learned on a Taughtline and thought the Blakes was a great improvement. But when I started making these long climbs on the clear stemed pines after Katrina I knew I needed something better. As of yesterday, it looks like that means Martin.

 

[(WLL)]

if u like the martin u will love the icecicle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[emr]

What is the icecicle? I hope I didnt miss something obvious.

 

[(WLL)]

What is the icecicle? I hope I didnt miss something obvious.

it is another great slack tending friction hitch. i hope tree spider sees this because he can tell u a lot more and even post picts i say it is like the blakes comparred to the tautline as the icecilce is 2 the martin

 

[(WLL)]

send a pm to the treespider and ask him. he is very helpfull and detailed

 

[Treeman67]

taugthline vs. Blake

i was wondering, how well Blake works compared Taughline. Taughline is easy to tied up into life line but with Blake hitch, i notice some guy had to make sure Blake hitch tied correctly to avoid slippage. but easier to rope climbed vs.Taughline intend to bind up hard knots , difficult to loosed it up. i hated to fight to get up into tree when knot started had some plm, i've been used Taughtline since 1988 and never change or explored different climbing knot. i wanted tried Blake but i need a option and suggestion before i used it.

Treeman67

 

[beowulf343]

The Blake's is a much better hitch than the tautline imo. Like you, I started with the tautline and like you I had the same problems with it binding up. But it is a good knot and it never let me down. Then a buddy showed me the Blake's. It's like night and day. Still dependable, easy to tie, but doesn't bind up. Also had concerns about not tying it right but I practiced it on the ground every morning for quite a long time just to make sure it was right. Then just used it in a split-tail system as a lanyard and would switch to a tautline to tie in. Now it is all I use and I still like it. Granted, can't be tied one-handed like the tautline but is still very simple whether off your snap or on a split tail. (Oh, and that description of the Martin in the poll is a little misleading-I use a Blake's on a split tail but it definitely is not the Martin.) I've tried most of the advanced hitches but still like and use the Blake's daily.

WLL, what happened? A couple weeks ago you were saying the Martin was the best friction knot out there. Now suddenly you are on the Icecicle bandwagon?

 

[(WLL)]

the change will do u good

i was wondering, how well Blake works compared Taughline. Taughline is easy to tied up into life line but with Blake hitch, i notice some guy had to make sure Blake hitch tied correctly to avoid slippage. but easier to rope climbed vs.Taughline intend to bind up hard knots , difficult to loosed it up. i hated to fight to get up into tree when knot started had some plm, i've been used Taughtline since 1988 and never change or explored different climbing knot. i wanted tried Blake but i need a option and suggestion before i used it.

Treeman67

the blakes is by far better then the taughtline. its not hard 2 tie and any knot tied wrong is just asking 4 trouble. just remember when u start tieing take the bridge and start behind the rope. if u start and go over the rope with the bridge it will slip or run. other than that i think it is easer to tie and is much more climber friendly. i hate the tightline/tautline and if that was the only option id a quit climbing. so go ahead and make the switch and u will be very happy.

 

[(WLL)]

The Blake's is a much better hitch than the tautline imo. Like you, I started with the tautline and like you I had the same problems with it binding up. But it is a good knot and it never let me down. Then a buddy showed me the Blake's. It's like night and day. Still dependable, easy to tie, but doesn't bind up. Also had concerns about not tying it right but I practiced it on the ground every morning for quite a long time just to make sure it was right. Then just used it in a split-tail system as a lanyard and would switch to a tautline to tie in. Now it is all I use and I still like it. Granted, can't be tied one-handed like the tautline but is still very simple whether off your snap or on a split tail. (Oh, and that description of the Martin in the poll is a little misleading-I use a Blake's on a split tail but it definitely is not the Martin.) I've tried most of the advanced hitches but still like and use the Blake's daily.

WLL, what happened? A couple weeks ago you were saying the Martin was the best friction knot out there. Now suddenly you are on the Icecicle bandwagon?

i still have a little trouble with the martin binding its not as bad as the distel but the icecicle is far Superior to the martin. im always changing and looking to improve whenever possible un like a lot of people i have a very open mind and enjoy changing 4 the better i said its the best ive tried yet and if you think u know everything than you will never learn anything. LMFAO. are u still tring to find top climbers at min wage?

 

[(WLL)]

hellow mr treespider

im amazed with your Superior intellect:rockn:

 

[beowulf343]

just remember when u start tieing take the bridge and start behind the rope. if u start and go over the rope with the bridge it will slip or run.

What? I take the bridge and start in front of the standing part then go around behind the rope.

 

[(WLL)]

What? I take the bridge and start in front of the standing part then go around behind the rope.

i think a good sig 4 u wood be cant teach this old dog new tricks

only 4 u buddy:bang:

 

[(WLL)]

What? I take the bridge and start in front of the standing part then go around behind the rope.

with all that weight it be hard 4 u to get any knot to run LMFAO:hmm3grin2orange:

its the fear that keeps me safe!!!! no fear no brains:monkey:

 

[beowulf343]

are u still tring to find top climbers at min wage?

Must have me confused with someone else. I don't do the hiring for my company. I'm just a simple climber.

i think a good sig 4 u wood be cant teach this old dog new tricks

At least this old dog can do his old tricks properly. It worries me a bit that you can't start the Blake's correctly. But maybe I just misunderstood what you were trying to say.

its the fear that keeps me safe!!!! no fear no brains:monkey:

I've explained my sig line to you once before but I'll try again. A person once asked me after I finished a job if I had no fear. I replied that no, fear is what keeps me from doing something stupid-fear is what keeps me safe.
I agree with you that having no fear is not a good thing. But if you can't understand my sig line, I'll stop using it. I wouldn't want new climbers reading it and jumping to the wrong conclusion. Thank you for reminding me of the poor job our schools seem to be doing these days. Sincerely, Andy.