Bermie
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Started on Blake's, switched to Distel (tied with icetail cord) with a micro pulley about two months ago...really like it!
What sort of Friction Hitch do you climb on?
- Thread starter KiwiTreeSteve
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Job Corps Tree
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what sort of friction hitch do you climb on
VT & Schwabisch with Ultra Tech.
VT & Schwabisch with Ultra Tech.
beowulf343
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Martin.
ClimbinArbor
ArboristSite Guru
split tailed blake's, with micro pulley and working end rope snap. you cant beat two lanyards that can be repositioned without untying......
Tautline, Ive used the blakes but it was with my buddies splittail & micro set up...worked nice but too much BS on his rig!! I dont get it, like the treemotion saddles for instance, that thing has so much crap on it or the ability to hold a bunch of tools that I think it would be nothing but a snagging device(think about thick pinoak)
Ive had guys tell me use this or that for a friction hitch.....WHY? I never found it that hard to reset my knot...granted it does tighten up on descent after sitting in it awhile but its tried & true just stuck on the old ways I guess.
LXT....................
Ive had guys tell me use this or that for a friction hitch.....WHY? I never found it that hard to reset my knot...granted it does tighten up on descent after sitting in it awhile but its tried & true just stuck on the old ways I guess.
LXT....................
md_tree_dood
ArboristSite Operative
After reading the post above I will state a FACT:
You've never sat in a tree motion which is why you are talking smack about it, for if you had you'd be raving about it.
Back to friction hitch discussion, I've climbed with a blakes (closed), a blakes with a split tail, and an eye to eye splice and I've never understood how pulling from below the knot is easier than pulling from above. I'd love to be enlightened as to how a blakes is superior, other than the fact that its cheaper (and it isn't when you use a split tail).
You've never sat in a tree motion which is why you are talking smack about it, for if you had you'd be raving about it.
Back to friction hitch discussion, I've climbed with a blakes (closed), a blakes with a split tail, and an eye to eye splice and I've never understood how pulling from below the knot is easier than pulling from above. I'd love to be enlightened as to how a blakes is superior, other than the fact that its cheaper (and it isn't when you use a split tail).
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targe14
ArboristSite Lurker
Blakes
Blakes hitch I think Robert Blake invented it ya know Beretta! Easy to tie very easy to advance when entering tree
Blakes hitch I think Robert Blake invented it ya know Beretta! Easy to tie very easy to advance when entering tree
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I've been climbing on the Treemotion for a little over a year now. It is the BEST saddle I have ever parked my a$$ in. Never had a problem with things catching on it or anything that I carry on my saddle. Hanging a chainsaw is more of a hindrance thatn anything on my saddle!
Nothing says that anyone has to buy anything............don't like it don't buy it..........simple really!!!
Choices is what makes things interesting!!!
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Mark Currie
ArboristSite Operative
I climb on a distel, with a Tenex eye & eye and micro-pulley. Started on a blake's hitch, but progressed to the eye & eye. I find it much smoother and easier to manage. Also, easier to set up for me as well.
sheesh, many defenders of the treemotion......probably is a good saddle, seems like lots of thought went into it!! BUT as far as me parking my Azz in it....no I havent & for what it costs it should be comfy!!
Im basically old school & honestly I get in, get done & get out!! Im not hanging around for hours on end......ask your buddy Rich...Me & my man(you know Bob) we do it all the time just like you guys do!! comfort to us is in the recliner when we get home!!!
All the fancy knots & gadgets does not make a climber/trimmer, its ones love of the work, willingness to learn & respect to others along with thanking God for the talent!!
LXT...........
Im basically old school & honestly I get in, get done & get out!! Im not hanging around for hours on end......ask your buddy Rich...Me & my man(you know Bob) we do it all the time just like you guys do!! comfort to us is in the recliner when we get home!!!
All the fancy knots & gadgets does not make a climber/trimmer, its ones love of the work, willingness to learn & respect to others along with thanking God for the talent!!
LXT...........
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
lxt, you're right, if it works for ya, it ain't broke, why fix it?
However, change can be a good thing. I've climbed now for 33 years. Till 1989, when I joined the ISA and started reading and learning, I was fully old school....no pulleys, blocks or fancy rigging. Climbed on a taut line hitch, as did every one else at that time. Got the job done, even fairly tough removals, got around in a tree quite well. I gaffed pruning jobs also, as did almost everyone else in the Pacific Northwest...of course most still do, even if they now know better.
Progressed to the Blake's when it came out, then the Vt along about 1995-6.....have also used the Schwabish and distel, but prefer the Vt. Have briefly tried the Knut, but like the Vt better....haven't messed with the XT or michocan yet, but may.
Now I use an extendable bridge with auto knot advance for rapid ascents, since I'm a slow footlocker (Unless I break out one of my 2 different mechanical ascender rigs for longer climbs.)
And all kinds of rigging gear--scads of blocks, speed line stuff, high tech ropes, GRCS, Hobbs, chainsaw capstan winch........makes the tough jobs go like a breeze...or, of course, bring in a crane.
Toys are nice!
New school is nice!
However, change can be a good thing. I've climbed now for 33 years. Till 1989, when I joined the ISA and started reading and learning, I was fully old school....no pulleys, blocks or fancy rigging. Climbed on a taut line hitch, as did every one else at that time. Got the job done, even fairly tough removals, got around in a tree quite well. I gaffed pruning jobs also, as did almost everyone else in the Pacific Northwest...of course most still do, even if they now know better.
Progressed to the Blake's when it came out, then the Vt along about 1995-6.....have also used the Schwabish and distel, but prefer the Vt. Have briefly tried the Knut, but like the Vt better....haven't messed with the XT or michocan yet, but may.
Now I use an extendable bridge with auto knot advance for rapid ascents, since I'm a slow footlocker (Unless I break out one of my 2 different mechanical ascender rigs for longer climbs.)
And all kinds of rigging gear--scads of blocks, speed line stuff, high tech ropes, GRCS, Hobbs, chainsaw capstan winch........makes the tough jobs go like a breeze...or, of course, bring in a crane.
Toys are nice!
New school is nice!
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oldirty
Addicted to ArboristSite
anyone know how to tie this XT knot?
Dont feel bad, I'm still on a taughtline - and bucket truck!
If I did more pruning I'd probably be more concerned with pulleys and hitches...soon though (I've been saying this for too long, I know) I'm gonna change it up and go new school finally. Its just that with takedowns I really dont see all that much to be gained unless of course its a crane job, then an open system is the cats a$$ indeed.
However, I've been in my dinosaur saddle for so long now it just feels right, feels like it just belongs with me up there doing what we've always done..sort of hard to let go. At least I can footlock!! thats something right??
oldirty
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hey treemds. you are like a mullet with that climbing set up. just so old school it just seems right.
look at mr rbtree for an example. 33 years he been doing it and he is on the cutting edge of all that is new school.
cut your mullet and get a new set up!
you have been saying it for way too long. just do it and hang "ol brown" in the office above your desk where he should be.
cmon!
look at mr rbtree for an example. 33 years he been doing it and he is on the cutting edge of all that is new school.
cut your mullet and get a new set up!
you have been saying it for way too long. just do it and hang "ol brown" in the office above your desk where he should be.
cmon!
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No mullet here buddy - but good one! I knew you were gonna get after me for this one.
As I said before, I was thinking about the D fly, but I dont like those tiny little clevis thingys and the need for locktite on a saddle - that and the fact that there are only two sizes, not so sure if it would fit my skinny a$$.
Another thought was just getting a pinnacle but I dont like the lack of finer adjustment at the waist.
BTW: old brown's got alot of trees on him...please dont compare him to a mullet, ok man?? And old brown is a him! not a she!
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oldirty
Addicted to ArboristSite
ok i fixed it up for ya.
the pinnacle is good enough........you sure you dont want a bridge though?
i think a bridge is the way to go. your money though.
and you have been talking about making the move for quite some time now.
the pinnacle is good enough........you sure you dont want a bridge though?
i think a bridge is the way to go. your money though.
and you have been talking about making the move for quite some time now.
Thanks for fixing that oldirty.
I never even tried a floating D but I dont think its all that important to me and its sort of nice to have something to lean on when limbwalking, I think the bridge would be too strange. I'm just too used to having four D rings to want to change now me thinks.
I think I'm gonna move on it soon though man...I just gotta get the pump fixed in the dump first and do some other maintenance on things.. things are slow here still, it really sucks this year so far, hopefully that changes soon though. I'm still gonna get you back down here again before the years out though!
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