# Basic Knots



## Bark Buster (Dec 20, 2005)

New guy here so go easy ! I'm interested in getting started into some recreational tree climbing at the late stages in life. I own a bunch of chainsaws and like treework so I thought I'd start by learning how to tie some knots. What books are out there that have decent illustrations ?? Thanks in advance ! Kert


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## NickfromWI (Dec 20, 2005)

Best place to start is the Tree Climbers Companion,


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## daveyclimber (Dec 20, 2005)

http://wtsherrill.com


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## fmueller (Dec 20, 2005)

Heres a bunch of resources as well.
http://www.fs.fed.us/treeclimbing/resources/


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## Stumper (Dec 20, 2005)

You can't own too many tree books or too many knot books. There are plenty of sites offerring pictorials and animated knot tying sequences on the net-you can learn a few 'need to know' knots here and keep you life from unravelling-But if you like books and want to learn knots that aren't necessarily essential but just cool-I would highly recommend "The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Knots and Ropework" by Geoffrey Budworth (No it isn't complete but it is extensive) and "Knots" by Brion Toss-A Chapman's Nautical Guides book


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## NickfromWI (Dec 20, 2005)

And of course, On Rope.


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## moss (Dec 20, 2005)

Besides picking up the Jepson's book the next best thing you can do is find a competent climber to do a short demo and a climbing session with you. You'll learn quite a bit in a half hour watching a good climber, it will more than complement any book or web resources. Forget about chainsaws in the tree until you have a strong handle on climbing meaning a good number of hours in trees. Just my opinion  

Good luck with it!
-moss


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## GASoline71 (Dec 20, 2005)

Here is a link to some knot tying videos and rec tree climbing stuff. Hope it helps out.

http://www1.brcc.edu/murray/Arboriculture/tree_climbing/default.htm

Dig the bike in your Avatar. I have a 1988 406MX .

Gary


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## Redbull (Dec 20, 2005)

Bark Buster said:


> New guy here so go easy ! I'm interested in getting started into some recreational tree climbing at the late stages in life. I own a bunch of chainsaws and like treework so I thought I'd start by learning how to tie some knots. What books are out there that have decent illustrations ?? Thanks in advance ! Kert



Welcome to Arboristsite!! The list of resources above are a great place to start. Have fun and be safe.


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## Stumper (Dec 20, 2005)

Nick, confession time- I don't have On Rope-I bought it, paid for it, and never received it. My wife and I were just talking about spending a little gifted Christmas money this evening over dinner-We decided that I'll order another copy of On Rope and hopefully receive it this time!


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## TheTreeSpyder (Dec 28, 2005)

Free Knot Links Page has all kinds of free knots and re-sources. Rolling over the links and stalling a second or so, gives a screentip pop-up window; that lists the general knots on the pages. Also included are links to research, strengths; how a safety harness can kill you, free full length ebooks etc.

Also, the vision of the MTL websight includes it's own knot pictures, physics etc.; extending into rigging theory also. To include about a dozen Sliding Climber's/Friction Hitches.

Good L.U.C.K. (Labor Under Controlled Knowledge);
for "Safe Climbing is No Accident!",
-KC


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## PTS (Dec 28, 2005)

*The VT*

I have been searching and have seen lots of pictures of the VT but haven't found a diagram on how to tie. I can for the most part tell from the pictures but can't really tell how to finish it. Considering it is my butt if it is tied wrong, I would rather learn it correctly.


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## Stumper (Dec 28, 2005)

PTS, The VT is somewhat odd-it works with various finishes but is a hitch that requires 'tuning' to match the host rope and cord combo along with the climber's weight. Try wrapping your coils bottom to top then drop that tail down the backside of the coils and cross OVER it with the other tail .As you wrap the tails in opposing directions alternate which one is on top. A 3 coil wrap with 3 "braids" set up is common as are 3 and 2, 4 and 3, 4 and 2, etc.


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## jmack (Jan 14, 2006)

*vt*



PTS said:


> I have been searching and have seen lots of pictures of the VT but haven't found a diagram on how to tie. I can for the most part tell from the pictures but can't really tell how to finish it. Considering it is my butt if it is tied wrong, I would rather learn it correctly.


tree climber guide by sharon lilly 50.00 tree climbers companion jeff jepson13.00 sherill catalog eye and eye prussik cord page free


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## PTS (Jan 14, 2006)

I think I have determined that it was a rope problem for the VT. I was using Blue Streak and didn't like it but bought the Hy Vee and really like that. I plan to play with it down in Kansas City at the Midwest Get Together.


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## OutOnaLimb (Jan 14, 2006)

Stumper said:


> Nick, confession time- I don't have On Rope-I bought it, paid for it, and never received it. My wife and I were just talking about spending a little gifted Christmas money this evening over dinner-We decided that I'll order another copy of On Rope and hopefully receive it this time!



And if that first book comes in late you can give it to your favorite sub-contract climber. 

Kenn


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## Stumper (Jan 14, 2006)

Rots a ruck-The bookseller completely ignored my email inquiries. The second round (different book store) worked. I now own THE BOOK.


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## Tree Machine (Jan 19, 2006)

PTS said:


> I have been searching and have seen lots of pictures of the VT but haven't found a diagram on how to tie. I can for the most part tell from the pictures but can't really tell how to finish it. Considering it is my butt if it is tied wrong, I would rather learn it correctly.


Click on this thread, PTS. This is Rocky's super easy VT sequence.

This link is a thread to a friction hitch, and the thread here is about knots. So, in Rocky's thread, note the ends of his tress cord; those are double fisherman's knots, a must-know for fishing and useful in arboriculture, too.


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## mpatch (Feb 11, 2006)

*knots??*

I have been climbing for a while now. There are really only 2 knots that I use on a regular basis, the running bowline and Blakes hitch. My old boss has been climbing for almost 40 years and the one thing that I learned is to keep it simple and less can go wrong. No need for 101 knots. I do like to play with rope and see what knots I can come up with but if my life or someone elses is I want to have faith in what I'm tying.


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## clearance (Feb 11, 2006)

I'm with Patch-keep it simple. I use a tautline or a blakes hitch to rappel. The other knots are figure 8 to back up the rappeling knots and other uses. Some of the the bowlines, bowline, running bowline, bowline on the bight, triple bowline. Bowlines are all really the same deal so all you really need is 3 knots to live with, simple, when you know more, get fancy. My old foreman was all over using as few knots as possible, less chance for disaster. Like when you are pullling over big trees with the boom truck by the powerlines and busy roads.


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## Tree Machine (Feb 11, 2006)

mpatch said:


> I have been climbing for a while now. There are really only 2 knots that I use on a regular basis, the running bowline and Blakes hitch.


If you use spliced eyes and locking biners, you can eliminate the bowline altogether. Your mainstay then becomes the girth hitch, and nothing gets simpler than that.


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## rughead (Feb 26, 2006)

*Variation on a theme*

Dear Friction Knot folks,
This is the knot I have been using for maybe a year now.
I found later when I checked, I had missed tied a Knut making the 
half hitch on the other leg shall we say- the one coming off the top of the coil.
In addition there is an added a cross under just before that bottom half hitch.
So with one leg held stationary on the left I start by crossing
over the main line making four wraps counter clockwise as seen from the top.
Then down around and under the left leg, continuing around to finish with 
a half hitch. (these wraps can vary in number)
The Spliced eye piece from Sherrill is my favorite as it is so limber. I believe
it is ultra tech as it is rated at 7,800 pounds. It was an english measure that
seems just a bit fatter than a 9-mm accessory cord I have just gotten.
There are such differences between the various accessory cords. I've 
tried from 6-mm up to 10mm.
The slicker and stiffer, the more one has to pay attention to setting and dressing.
especially pulling out the slack so the wraps contact the main rope.
With the Sherrill spliced piece on my safety blue, I've gotten pretty 
zippy and casual , and it seems to work fine. This knot seems to free
up more easily than the Knut and has less play than the usual VT for me.
I would appreciate any feed back on anyone trying it. It self tends pretty 
easily for me though occasionally I've used a quick link just under the bottom
to my tie in (oh no)bowline. This is doubled rope technique. I like doubled rope as my 
shoulders are getting a bit tweaked as of late.
photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/yanoos/


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