# New Rope and Prusik Cord



## Slvrmple72 (May 30, 2007)

Hey All! I was wondering if anyone out there has used 8mm Bee-Line Prusik cord on Ivy and what knot they would recommend. Schwabish or Distel is what I am thinking of using. I have been experimenting/ trying to get out of my Blake and AM rut I have been in. I have also thought about XTC instead of Ivy but not sure if I want to go to that small of a rope. Big meaty claws and all:greenchainsaw: I have been in the back yard playing er' I mean training with different friction hitches on my AM. My 2-yr old son has been getting a kick out of it almost as much as my wife. I will have to get him a harness in a few years he tries to climb EVERYTHING. Absentminded neighbor left ext ladder against house. We caught up with Michael 15' up! Honestly, I have no idea where he gets it from:monkey:


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## beowulf343 (May 30, 2007)

Wait a minute-i thought poison ivy was 11mm while xtc was 1/2". I may have to look that up. 

I do have some 8mm beeline and it works ok. But like you have the big hands and just seems like there is nothing to grab-seems to make the friction hitch tiny. Use the 8mm for my lanyard. Been using the 10mm beeline with a martin on xtc for the last few months and i really like it. If you're using arbormaster, going to seem really tiny to you-am always seemed to be a big 1/2" to me.


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## Slvrmple72 (May 30, 2007)

OOPS! I meant BLAZE which is 11mm dia. and IVY is 11.7mm. Both are smaller than AM which is approx 12.7mm ( 1"= 25.4mm ) I do not think either rope will feel that different from AM in my hand but I am interested to see how the rope "handles" in general compared to AM. I have not ordered yet so anyone with some input let me know.


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## soutz (May 31, 2007)

xtc with 10mm beeline good combo for all day work,found beeline takes a while to break in,needs to get a bit fluffy. a trip through the washing machine is the go.:chainsawguy:


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## Climb020 (May 31, 2007)

I found that the 8mm with PI takes too good of a bite on the rope. I triwed it for a few days but ended up switching it out with HRC. I think the 8mm beeline is a little too soft and ends up flattening on the rope. The 10 mm beeline worked very well for me but I ended up burning the cord out in a week and again went back to HRC.


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## Slvrmple72 (May 31, 2007)

Which friction hitch or hitches did you guys use with the beeline or the hrc?


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## rahtreelimbs (May 31, 2007)

In my experience the Schwabish and Distel are best left for lanyards. They bite down to hard on the climbing line. The Knut or VT is a better choice!!!


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## Adkpk (May 31, 2007)

While you are on the subject, I just bought a 10mm bee line and some trublue. I am going to try out climbing on a minder pulley looped over a crotch from my arborplex. The bee line is for the decent with the figure 8. I am new to the game and wonder is this method advisable? I got the idea from a local arborist the other day. What hitch do I use for bee line on the decent?


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## beowulf343 (May 31, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> While you are on the subject, I just bought a 10mm bee line and some trublue. I am going to try out climbing on a minder pulley looped over a crotch from my arborplex. The bee line is for the decent with the figure 8. I am new to the game and wonder is this method advisable? I got the idea from a local arborist the other day. What hitch do I use for bee line on the decent?



I assume you are descending on the 8 and the beeline is to back it up? Prusik works good.

Descending on a minder pulley. I know they are rated high but have never felt comfortable enough to descend on one.


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## Adkpk (Jun 1, 2007)

Wow, Sherrill got through the mail fast. Got the true blue today. The bee line is too short for what I was thinking to use it for. 
I haven't ascended on the figure 8 yet so it should be fun. Yes the bee line was to back it up but the way I was showed was with a much longer prusik cord. Can I use a split tail and a blakes to back it up? Not sure what I am in for with this idea. 
Ascending on a minder pulley? Why would that be something not to be comfortable with, beowulf? This guy was telling me that is how he shows his beginners, who are of some years like myself, because it's less friction, there fore easier to pull yourself up. And if someone gets stuck they can be lowered from the ground. I would control the descent from the 8, right? 
He told me that way I can use my cambium saver in the tree, to reach higher plateaus.


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## MonkeyDo (Jun 1, 2007)

*??*



> Wow, Sherrill got through the mail fast. Got the true blue today. The bee line is too short for what I was thinking to use it for.
> I haven't ascended on the figure 8 yet so it should be fun. Yes the bee line was to back it up but the way I was showed was with a much longer prusik cord. Can I use a split tail and a blakes to back it up? Not sure what I am in for with this idea.
> Ascending on a minder pulley? Why would that be something not to be comfortable with, beowulf? This guy was telling me that is how he shows his beginners, who are of some years like myself, because it's less friction, there fore easier to pull yourself up. And if someone gets stuck they can be lowered from the ground. I would control the descent from the 8, right?
> He told me that way I can use my cambium saver in the tree, to reach higher plateaus.



Ascending on an 8??? Am I missing something or is this some new technique that I ain't heard of? Only thing I've ever used an 8 for is belay or descend. I am assuming you meant descending on the 8. If not please enlighten me. It doesn't sound like a fun thing to try no matter what kind of rig I could imagine that could actually make it possible.


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## Adkpk (Jun 1, 2007)

*Sorry*

Yes, that is a descend on an 8. Got upside down for a minute there.


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## moray (Jun 1, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> Can I use a split tail and a blakes to back it up? Not sure what I am in for with this idea.



Sure. It sounds like you are talking about climbing and descending using standard Drt, only the rope goes over a pulley instead of a limb. I used a figure 8 to descend, as you describe, for a few months, but after awhile it just seemed like more trouble than it was worth. You don't hook up the 8 until you are ready to descend, and you don't change anything in your regular setup when you do hook it up--it is strictly an addition. Your Blakes or whatever stays in place. The 8 goes on the rope underneath your friction knot, hooked directly to your bridge or center Dee with a biner. You have to disengage the knot with one hand while you control the tail of the rope with the other. You get a very smooth and controllable descent with no wear on your split tail. You can also come down a lot faster than on the knot alone.


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## beowulf343 (Jun 1, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> Ascending on a minder pulley? Why would that be something not to be comfortable with, beowulf? This guy was telling me that is how he shows his beginners, who are of some years like myself, because it's less friction, there fore easier to pull yourself up. And if someone gets stuck they can be lowered from the ground. I would control the descent from the 8, right?
> He told me that way I can use my cambium saver in the tree, to reach higher plateaus.



Ok, when you say you are using a minder pulley, you are talking about the micros used to slack tender, right? Have you seen how small those things are? It's just a comfort thing with me, i like a pulley a bit bigger if i am going to do any descending on it. You should be fine though, i'm just strange that way. 

My being uncomfortable has nothing to do with being on a pulley, just has to do with the strength of a micro pulley. Good luck.


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## Adkpk (Jun 2, 2007)

moray said:


> Sure. It sounds like you are talking about climbing and descending using standard Drt, only the rope goes over a pulley instead of a limb. I used a figure 8 to descend, as you describe, for a few months, but after awhile it just seemed like more trouble than it was worth. You don't hook up the 8 until you are ready to descend, and you don't change anything in your regular setup when you do hook it up--it is strictly an addition. Your Blakes or whatever stays in place. The 8 goes on the rope underneath your friction knot, hooked directly to your bridge or center Dee with a biner. You have to disengage the knot with one hand while you control the tail of the rope with the other. You get a very smooth and controllable descent with no wear on your split tail. You can also come down a lot faster than on the knot alone.



Exactly. But check this out. I am not sure of the rigging but you put the 8 on the anchor rope and if you get stuck your groundie(tomorrow that will be my gf) can lower you from the ground. Oila!! Thanks buddy tomorrow should be a good day, I will try a few of these things out.




beowulf343 said:


> Ok, when you say you are using a minder pulley, you are talking about the micros used to slack tender, right? Have you seen how small those things are? It's just a comfort thing with me, i like a pulley a bit bigger if i am going to do any descending on it. You should be fine though, i'm just strange that way.
> 
> My being uncomfortable has nothing to do with being on a pulley, just has to do with the strength of a micro pulley. Good luck.



This is not a micro. I got the Sherrill catalog with my order today and have a few things in perspective now. Apparently the "minder pulley" is for rigging as in lowering smaller branches. It has pivoting side plates. It's kinda large actually. I am not thinking you're strange, not descending on a micro.


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## Slvrmple72 (Jun 2, 2007)

Adrpk have fun! I have used a pulley at the top before and you can really zing along with it. Only prob w/8 is the rope tends to twist and bunch sometimes. If I have enough rope I will even it up and run down on the 8 with both ends through it and a prusik loop above it. FUN FUN FUN:yoyo:


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## Adkpk (Jun 2, 2007)

Slvrmple72 said:


> Adrpk have fun! I have used a pulley at the top before and you can really zing along with it. Only prob w/8 is the rope tends to twist and bunch sometimes. If I have enough rope I will even it up and run down on the 8 with both ends through it and a prusik loop above it. FUN FUN FUN:yoyo:



Oh good, because I thought maybe I made a mistake so I need some advise. First, the humidity and heat are really bad here today so I did not get to far.
But I found that although it was incredibly easy to pull myself up it was incredibly hard to hold the rope down while I pushed up my blake's. Not so sure this method is going to work for me unless there is an easier way to hold that rope down. 
Also tried a split tail today for the first time. Seemed as though with the type of rope that the split tail is made out of caused it to slide faster on the repel. Need to work on that a little. I left the ropes in the tree thinking I would go up again in the evening hoping it would be cooler and then it poured as I was cutting the lawn. Charged up the hill to retrieve the ropes and gear and now am in the living room surrounded by rope. 
I am not going to get into a tree today for it is really raining now and I want to


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## beowulf343 (Jun 2, 2007)

Ah-had to check sherrill's website to find out what they consider a minder pulley. Pretty sweet-it will be perfect for what you have in mind. Sorry about raining on your parade with the micro pulley comments. 

Ok, how are you climbing? I assume Ddrt but how are you ascending the rope? Footlock, bodythrust, pantin, trunk walking, or some other method? If you are using a foot method, simply standing up with the rope locked in your feet will keep the rope "held down" while you slide your blakes up. And with bodythrusting, well you just have to have the arms to hold your postion while you slide your hitch up.


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## Adkpk (Jun 2, 2007)

beowulf343 said:


> Ah-had to check sherrill's website to find out what they consider a minder pulley. Pretty sweet-it will be perfect for what you have in mind. Sorry about raining on your parade with the micro pulley comments.
> 
> Ok, how are you climbing? I assume Ddrt but how are you ascending the rope? Footlock, bodythrust, pantin, trunk walking, or some other method? If you are using a foot method, simply standing up with the rope locked in your feet will keep the rope "held down" while you slide your blakes up. And with bodythrusting, well you just have to have the arms to hold your postion while you slide your hitch up.



This place we got is the mountains so all I got here is spar type trees. Want to plant a white oak, now, in the front yard but don't think I can wait for it to get big enough for me to climb in.  So trunk walking it is. I'm thinking footlocking may be what method would be best with this pulley setup.


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## moray (Jun 2, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> This place we got is the mountains so all I got here is spar type trees. Want to plant a white oak, now, in the front yard but don't think I can wait for it to get big enough for me to climb in.  So trunk walking it is. I'm thinking footlocking may be what method would be best with this pulley setup.



Adrpk, I am old and weak, but I have two tricks for ascending under a pulley if I need to go more than 10 feet or so. One is only half a trick, the other a full trick. 

The half trick is simply to use an ascender to grip the rope (I use the CMI Expedition ascender--it has blunt teeth that do little harm to the rope). Instead of grabbing the rope below the knot in preparation for a body thrust, you grab that nice comfortable handle on the ascender instead. You wouldn't think that would make much difference, but it does.

The full trick, which I use for a long ascent when I'm not rigged up for SRT, is to use the same exact setup, but attach a foot loop to the ascender. Like anything, it takes a little practice, but it is almost effortless. With this method you are no longer bodythrusting, but climbing much the same way you would SRT. You keep a vertical stance while climbing, and you use your free leg to standoff from the trunk.

I find that if I am doing some real work in a tree, I will use the full trick to get up, but for moving around I will dispense with the ascender, or maybe use it occasionally in half-trick mode. It's almost like having a transmission with 3 forward gears.


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