climbing ropes

[hooch27]

hey there
I am new also to this and I want to practice my knots and climbing, so I am goingto buy some rope. I want to know why the difference. I mean 3 strand, 12 strand, 16 strand? I see the mecahnical differences ( ie load ratings) but what is the standard that people use if there is one. I am want to buy the best I can, I am going to be the one hanging from it. but can some one or somebodies give me some pointers on chosing a rope.

thank you

mike

 

[Kevin]

Mike, send for a catalog from Sherrill.

 

[Bradley]

3 strand is for old timers, not used much for climbing these days but is good for rigging and lanyards. 12 strand is a rougher finished rope, that usually gets fuzzier than 16 strand from my experience. 16 will usually be a tighter constructed rope, and it has a separate core which makes it a safer rope. Look at all three, it's really just a matter of preference. Also, 16 strand can be spliced, which makes for slick connections.

 

[Rob Murphy]

ropes

try this mate..........

 

[Rob Murphy]

http://www.treevolution.co.uk/documents/Ropes.htm

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Buy Yale XTC in your favorite color and you won't be disappointed. Yale rope stays smooth and doesn;t fuzz out. Another way of looking at it is that XTC stays "new" feeling for a long time.

Don't get caught up in the breaking strenght of climbing rope. Talk to some one, like me, who climbed on cheap natural fiber rope. Climbing ropes don't break unless they're beat up or stored near batteries.

Most climbers prefer 16 strand rope. A while ago I posted a survey about climbing rope that should still be in the archives.

True Blue is one of the largest and heaviest ropes on the market. Weight might not seem like an issue but wait until you start to do some long footlocks and have to lift all of that rope every time you do a 'lock. It adds up quickly, especially for anyone who isn't doing SRT on static line.

Tom

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If you call Sherrill and order some Sampson Blue Streak, I promise you will be happy. It is strong, subtle, and from a well respected company.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i think long lines of 3 strand can hockle. But i like it for making my own lanyards and tails, very easy to eyesplice, and has unique gripping characterisitcs on braided line. Strong preference for NE,Safety blue hy-vee.

12strand is what i usually start new guys on; i think of it as slower, being more nubbier, less round, as a square is less round than a stop sign. i think aborplus and arborplex, get fuzzier due to stiffer, cheaper addition of poloyolyfin fibre or something. True blue and Tree pro red are top 12 strand choices i thinkin strength, color and handling.

i think 16 is smoother and my only XTC seems to have those properties quoted. Many good lines. Smoother travel.


i like the bright lines, and buy a rope for climbing looking to downgrade it to rigging at first oppurtunity and then get diffrent one. Keeping my butt on the new line always. Just in case that 7k test line doubled over were to think about dropping my 135# carc-ass.

You'll see several refrences to 'get a Sherrill catalog' for a lot of questions. That is not because they are a sponsor! Let it open your eyes; don't worry the price is write! Find a mnetor and hook your wagon to him/her; but look at it as a journeymanship; that you will evoleve your own personal safety program from many inputs.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Since you are just starting out, ask the new boss if he has an old hank you can practice tieing before you start climbing anything. Have the basic knots doewn pat.

for fixed tail climbing I like an anchor hitch on my snap and a Blakes for the friction hitch

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

John, you forgot to mention your favorite rope!

 

[hooch27]

hey thanks guys
I ordered "the book" on climbing. I think that I am going to use the 16 strand. I have been practicing knots on some rope that I have laying around the house. You know the stuff that lowes sells cheap. I don't use it for anything but tying my greenhouse down..lol. It has a smooth finish like the climbing line. I looked in the catalog and I like what I see even for prices. I looked at a couple of other companies too. I don't have a mentor to go through. Does any body know of a climber in my area of PA? cambria county. any help I would appreciate.
thanks \
mike

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i always liked using an old piece of climbing line to practice on; feeling it; becoming familiar with it; realizing its strength. Thinking about this is the stuff i hang on; this is my friend!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Go Packers rope...

that's what I want to happen to the rope I'm climbing off now, to go.

I won this stuff at a WAA (Wisconsin Arborist Ass.) seminar as a door prize. It's a 120 foot hank of green and gold 1/2" 16 strand, I forget who makes it.

The outside of the rope bunches up over the core and it seems to twist, almost like it is being pulled through a figure 8, only much less. I did milk it through my knot the full length of my rope a few times but that didn't help.

Now to my question, the core is about 6" or 8" shorter than the rope, so when I tie my rope snap to the end I wonder if this is good not to have the core, so the rope lies flatter across the bend radius of the rope snap's eye? Or should I jut cut the uncored portion off?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

yes, cut off extra line to core length!

That core gives very lil strength, but keeps line from flattenning out, giving less fiber per inch (weaker) and especially in a bight. It is made that way by design; and to function at maximum.

Tape one end and use that for termination for a while so all of line is pushed one way and not back, while leaving other end open while you do. Then tie off on ground; and milk like that slamming body weight on it for a few runs, even get 300#'r to do it a few times.

i really like V-Max, but this hank has had 10' of 120' cut off and still milking. i don't know if that is end of reel or what; but think that is excessive. Anyone else?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

When they make split tails out of 16 strand, they remove the core and I'm told this actually makes the tail stronger because of the flattening, is that wrong?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Brion Toss only shows it removed and tapered to make eye; then cover is fed inside cover to make that the core on that portion. Don't know if total removal of core is done, or if it is write Mike.

Perhaps Shawn can ask splice dept. at Sherrill for us..............
Or Tom might reach out to Brion himself.......

 

[rbtree]

Brian and John,

When a 16 strand rope or split tail is eye spliced,the cover is removed. You can tell by noticing the flattening at your tie in connection. I have often worried about that point being weak, ,but essentially each side of the splice takes one half the load. however, I still like a long splice which allows a girth hitch, whcih spread out the load and wear, while losing ~80% of strength as it is a knot. But for the rest of the splice, the cover is buried, thus making a stronger line. Critical with all splices is lock stitching and preferably also whipping. otherwise, a splice can slowly work loose when not under load. So, check em, and chuck em, or get a needle adn whipping twine (Sherril's has 'em)

Well, I've done my first splices, on hollow braid 12 strand (Tenex), a piece of cake. 3/8th makes a 1/2 inch eye and eye for schwabish, 1/2 for a balancer/ spider sling, 5/8 for 3-9 foot whoopie, 3/4 for 4-20 foot whoopie. Now on to 16 strand. I don't think i'll bother with making any double braid slings, as the tenex is much easier to splice, and stronger. It might wear a bit faster, that'so problem, I don't think.

Gonna try the whoopies for in the tree lowering. May have to do the final block connection while in the tree, a bit of a hassle, but then it should be a breeze to loosen and work the sling down to the next cut.

Rog,

Proud owner of Hobbs LD, thanks to deal from Mr Dan Kraus, esquire. Plan to add fair lead on outside like the LD 2000, to solve the wrap over problem.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'm using eyes tight enough so that I have to jam the 'biner in. I dip the eye and tail in ruber. The ey does not move at all on the 'biner and does not take up all the room a girth does. Seems to wear real good too.

Mike the yellow/green with a twisted pattern is XTC, the stuff that is flecked is made by Buccaneer.

 

[dan kraus]

I have never heard of the tail becoming stronger because of the flattening. When they remove the core they should tuck the cover into the cores vacant space, all the way through. Before I started splicing my own tails I hated getting a tail with a flat end, it jams the knot.