# Blakes hitch help



## tuckerward (Jun 19, 2011)

OK i am new to the whole climbing/trimming deal and i am trying to figure out the best settup for me as far as my climbing rope i have bought a climbing kit off wesspur.com and also bought the blakes hitch settup Prusik Loops & Footlock Runners and i just want to get advice on weather or not i should use a blakes hitch to secure the running end?... of my rope or idk what else i could do so im asking yall what yall use does the blakes hitch work well enough to trust you life to it? will it slip if i fall? is there other knots like the blakes hitch that you can use to repel out of the tree when your done trimming or other equipment i can use to do so i have read the tree climbers companion im just trying to get advice from real climbers thanks


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## tree md (Jun 19, 2011)

Yes, the Blakes hitch is a very acceptable knot for life support if tied properly. Climbers have been using it for decades.

Personally though, I wouldn't want to be trusting my life on anything I tied on my own unless I had an experienced climber there to check my knots... Kind of like learning to skydive on your own...


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## mic687 (Jun 20, 2011)

Dressed properly a Blakes is an excellent knot I use it all the time. You can learn to tie it well rather quickly, but use it a on some low easy climbing until you get comfortable with it. Never put your weight on it after tieing without tending your slack! they can slip until you get them dressed right. Good hitch rarely ever jams and slides easy, I trust my life to it each time I climb.


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## Workboot (Jun 20, 2011)

Tree md is right, you should have qualified instruction when climbing on any new system, you can have a nasty injury falling from just a few feet off the ground. Tree climbers companion is a great book but wont tell you if your doing something wrong.


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## freeweight (Jun 21, 2011)

because everybody on here that tries a new hitch has a instructor by there side right?


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## zopi (Jun 21, 2011)

freeweight said:


> because everybody on here that tries a new hitch has a instructor by there side right?


 
:msp_tongue: yeah...buncha community colleges out here to teach climbing and tree work, right?

Blakes is good, I personally use a schwabish or distel hitch, as I refer the closed hitch..but if I am doing a quick climb and just scampering up the tree on a foot lock I will sometimes use a blakes. 

Climbing is not hard....the rigs are simple, the trick is to always know the status of your rig...are the 'biners closed right? Is the hitch properly dressed, tested and redressed if needed..is the saddle adjusted correctly..it can be dangerous to lose circulation in the legs while up on the rig..Is the friction saver good to go? 

Try to find someone to teach you...failing that try getting into arbormaster classes....failing that..practice alot on short climbs before you try to climb with a saw/rigging equipment, and definitely be VERY comfortable with climbing before you start dropping chunks out of trees..always tie in twice before cutting..the first time you touch a lanyard with the saw that lesson will be forever ingrained...

But yeh..quality instruction? good fricking luck. I have had to learn alot just by research and trying..fortunately the navy taught me to climb..if you get stuck and or the mob on here gives you too much flak, drop me a pm and I will try to help, best I can.


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## Workboot (Jun 21, 2011)

Never mind, happy climbing, blakes is good.


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## tree md (Jun 21, 2011)

Ideally one would have somebody on hand who is experienced at climbing and tying a functional climbing hitch. Especially if that one were 18 years old, has no experience at tying climbing hitches and has never left the ground. 

I do try new hitches on my own from time to time. I have had a
hitch fail on me twice in the past couple of years and I have been climbing for 20 years.

When I started climbing the guy who taught me made me learn and demonstrate 4 knots before I was ever allowed to strap on the gear and leave the ground. I think it just makes good sense to learn from someone experienced before you go trying it on your own... And what if you do get it right and get off the ground. Do you have any experience running a saw off the ground? Do you know how to make safe cuts? Do you know the ANZI safety standards that are in place to keep you from killing yourself? Do you know proper pruning techniques? Getting into the tree is just a fraction of the equation. There is much more to be learned besides tying a blakes hitch. That's where apprenticeship comes in. Try hiring on with a reputable outfit and learn the trade from the pros who know.


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## freeweight (Jun 21, 2011)

get the hitch down ,all u need is a blakes ,go up 10-30 feet practice leaning back into saddle ,learn how the hitch catches /releases

see if u are more comfy with a 4/2 or 5/2-3 blakes ,me i prefer a 5/2-3 blakes (5 wraps up,down under 2-3) 

then start practice'n limb walking ,carry saw up but do not start it so u get used to feeling of saw hanging ...etc 

just like anything it will come to u with practice


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## tuckerward (Jun 21, 2011)

zopi said:


> :msp_tongue: yeah...buncha community colleges out here to teach climbing and tree work, right?
> 
> Blakes is good, I personally use a schwabish or distel hitch, as I refer the closed hitch..but if I am doing a quick climb and just scampering up the tree on a foot lock I will sometimes use a blakes.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks a lot you have easily been the best help so far i think im just stuck doing it like you learning by experience but ill deffinatly take it "low and slow" as they all say before i try anything stupid but i also have ordered both series of learning climber dvds so that should help some but thanks again it means a whole lot to me ppl like you taking their time to help amatures like me i will definatly pass the help down if i ever get confident enough to know what im talking about


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## tuckerward (Jun 21, 2011)

tree md said:


> Ideally one would have somebody on hand who is experienced at climbing and tying a functional climbing hitch. Especially if that one were 18 years old, has no experience at tying climbing hitches and has never left the ground.
> 
> I do try new hitches on my own from time to time. I have had a
> hitch fail on me twice in the past couple of years and I have been climbing for 20 years.
> ...


 
I apreciate all the advice man but this isnt really something i wanna do as a job just as a hobby and to possibly same me and my family some money so i guess ill just have to take it low and slow and teach myself i mean unless their is a class u can take or something im not like stupid or anything i mean ive been running a chainsaw for like 4 years and never messed up by no means am i trying to sound cocky at all im just saying i have some exsperience with cuts and kickback and stuff like that i know its a whole different ball game when u take it off the ground but if u know of any other way i could learn please do tell


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## 046 (Jun 21, 2011)

treemd is right on the money! his advice is sound. you don't have to get a job with a tree crew. Just get around some pro's and see how's it's done. sure there will be a few jerks that will not help, but for the most part most folks are more than willing to help.... if you simply ask. 

asking for help costs you nothing... making a mistake could cost your life... 

running a chainsaw and climbing are two different skills... LOTS of experienced chainsaw operators never climb. but almost all climbers know how to run a saw. 



tuckerward said:


> I apreciate all the advice man but this isnt really something i wanna do as a job just as a hobby and to possibly same me and my family some money so i guess ill just have to take it low and slow and teach myself i mean unless their is a class u can take or something im not like stupid or anything i mean ive been running a chainsaw for like 4 years and never messed up by no means am i trying to sound cocky at all im just saying i have some exsperience with cuts and kickback and stuff like that i know its a whole different ball game when u take it off the ground but if u know of any other way i could learn please do tell


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## Saw Dust Smoken (Jun 22, 2011)

Blakes hitch will work good starting out. Or the old T hitch. Start low and slow. Your life rides on your hitch. Spend time tying it daily.


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## Florida23 (Jun 22, 2011)

When I first started (on the ground of course) and I wanted to learn how to climb, one of the first things I did was learn how to tie my knots.

I would carry a piece of rope with me and whenever I had a little bit of free time I'd TDS (Tie, Dress and Set) different knots that I'd been practicing.


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## RacerX (Jun 24, 2011)

tuckerward said:


> is there other knots like the blakes hitch that you can use to repel out of the tree when your done trimming or other equipment i can use to do so i have read the tree climbers companion im just trying to get advice from real climbers thanks


 

If you're making a long descent or rappel then you should not be hanging on the hitch, especially a Blake's. A rappelling device such as a figure 8 should be used with the hitch as a backup. A long descent on a hitch will likely ruin your rope. A figure 8 device is pretty cheap.


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## Zale (Jun 24, 2011)

If you are going to teach yourself how to climb, never climb alone. Always have someone with you.


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## arborist (Jun 25, 2011)

tuckerward said:


> I apreciate all the advice man but this isnt really something i wanna do as a job just as a hobby and to possibly same me and my family some money so i guess ill just have to take it low and slow and teach myself i mean unless their is a class u can take or something im not like stupid or anything i mean ive been running a chainsaw for like 4 years and never messed up by no means am i trying to sound cocky at all im just saying i have some exsperience with cuts and kickback and stuff like that i know its a whole different ball game when u take it off the ground but if u know of any other way i could learn please do tell


 
This is a very scarey question to be reading.
I think others said it best when they suggested to seek advice from a professional in person.
Tree climbing is very dangerous and should not be done without the supervision of a professional.
Those who don't agree,are not the professionals I suggest you seek.

Would you ask someone online how to properly hook onto a bungee cord because you thought it would be fun recreation?
Likely you would try bungee jumping under the proper supervision of a qualified expert first at the very least.Perhaps,and more than likely you would several times while asking many questions and doing a lot of research first.
Learning how to tie a friction knot I'm afriad is simply not enough information for you to have a safe and enjoyable new hobby of climbing trees,let alone the vast amount of information required to safely operate a chain saw aloft nor all the rigging techniques that are required for tree removal.

Please consider hiring an Aborist for a day to go over some recreational climbing tips with you.I'm sure he'd like the change of pace and enjoy showing you the "ropes".

You may think it to be cheaper to try and climb trees to remove them for your family,however its very easy to die up there and can happen before you ever knew what you did wrong.
Please use the money you would on tree climbing gear and save it toward the cost of your families tree removals if you would like to help them out.
After all,what would you have saved them if you died in one of their tree's?

Many of us Arborists began working on the ground watching seasoned climbers for years,and were shown many things before the saddle and rope were ever handed over.Then many of us didn't just start out with a chain saw,but used only a hand saw for a period of months before that was brought into the picture.

Please reconsider your plans.
Please seek the guidance of a qualified professional before entering a tree.
Your life depends on it.


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## Workboot (Jun 25, 2011)

Not gonna save any money if you damage someones property and get sued either.


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## BigUglySquirrel (Jun 26, 2011)

*Have the sense to read this...for your own good.*

The Blakes hitch has been around a long time. I started on a tautline hiitch (hated it after I tried Blakes). Went to a split tail Blakes hitch from there...added a hitch tender shortly after. I'm now on a VT with 8mm Oceans Poly and a hitch climber pulley with a spliced arbormaster 16 strand. I'd never go back. 

I challenge you to read this next part carefully, for your own benefit.

GRAVITY KILLS WAY BETTER TREE CLIMBERS THAN YOU... EVERY DAY.



Now I'm challenging you to consider that FACT and re-evaluate your entire approach and attitude toward tree climbing. 

Either way, best wishes and I hope your new hobby is rewarding for you.


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