is 7/16 inch blaze rope ok for use as a split tail with a larger rope?

[chrisdafer]

I bought 21 feet of Yale blaze 7/16 from the clearance section to make a few split tails and a spare lanyard.


Yale Blaze and Bandit Lightweight Climbing Line

I want to make a split tail by just tying 4 feet onto a beaner with a triple fisherman's knot. This will be tied on to my 5/8 climb line with a blakes hitch.

I never used a split tail before but like the idea of using it with my climb line as a lanyard for getting around limbs.

How does this rope handle heat?

Will I have any problems using my friction hitch tied with rope smaller diameter than my climb line?

I have only been climbing for 3 months but I have worked for this company the last two years and I am picking it up fast. I have been using all of our main climbers gear to get a feel and now I'm starting to build my own setup.

 

[bigchuck]

How does this rope handle heat?

Will I have any problems using my friction hitch tied with rope smaller diameter than my climb line?

Quick answer, and general, as I do not use that specific system:

Blaze, as you probably realize, is a regular climbing line, not one of the higher-tech cords often used to make eye-and-eye split tails and such. It will handle heat about like any climbing line, and right in the hitch, it could definitely start to glaze from a fast buzz out of a tree. The plus side, of course, is it will be very easy to replace.

No, you will not have a problem tying your hitch with a smaller-diameter line. Most split-tail systems utilize tails with smaller diameters than a standard climbing line. One caveat - depending on the specific line-tail-hitch combination you use, you may need to change the number of wraps in your hitch.

One thing you might consider is purchasing a length of bulk cord of a more heat-resistant type like Ice, Beeline (two of my favorites), HRC or something else and tying your tail with that.

Hope that helps.

 

[Kottonwood]

Why are you climbing on a 5/8 line? Seems like overkill to me.

 

[chrisdafer]

thanks for the advice. thats pretty much what i thought. I always come down pretty slow any ways and I wont use it when setting straps on the crane hook because those are always really long descents.

Bought the rope mostly for the 15 foot spare lanyard I will make. Just wanted to try split tail.

We climb on 5/8th's because thats what my boss buys us. I think he gets it because once we retire it from a climb line he can still use it for random light rigging. He is a tight wad. I don't mind it. Its real easy to grip when I use the hip thrust to ascend which I do a lot.

As for the hitch and wraps, Right now I use a Blakes hitch with one extra wrap (5 total) when I will be spending a lot of time on it. For quick tie in and drop out stuff, and going up on the crane to set a strap, I just use the old tautling climbing knot I was first taught. Its faster to tie.