# Is this knot right?



## roelex14 (Jan 27, 2012)

Hey guys,

I've been using the a 4-2 VT on my hitchclimber set-up, but it seems it can get tough to pull slack through it. But whatever, anyways, I am just gonna try a couple different knots, i.e. distel, schwab, and klemheist... Attached is my distel, just wanted to triple check that i got it right...

If you prefer a different hitch, let me know which one and why? (Specifically for drt ascending and canopy work)

Thanks!
-roelex


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## Tree Pig (Jan 27, 2012)

is that suppose to be a VT looks like a cross between VT and Distel... seems one legs has an extra wrap or something.


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## ForTheArborist (Jan 28, 2012)

I'm going to try me some tresse. Prussics bind up too tight for moving around with.


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## pdqdl (Jan 28, 2012)

You have an extra "half hitch" in one leg of the VT. Take it completely out, and then try it again.
Valdetain Tresse


What you have there is a distal hitch with five 1/2 wraps...sort of. Take one &1/2 out of the top, try to get rid of the crossover, and you might like that, too.
Distal hitch


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## ForTheArborist (Jan 28, 2012)

pdqdl said:


> You have an extra "half hitch" in one leg of the VT. Take it completely out, and then try it again.
> Valdetain Tresse
> 
> 
> ...



Which one do you like better, and why?


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## roelex14 (Jan 28, 2012)

I think I got it. I was going over the bridge instead of under it for the first coil.

Now to try another...

Distel attached...


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## roelex14 (Jan 28, 2012)

Schwabish.

Im guessing this would be how you would set it with a tending pulley, correct?


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## dts99 (Jan 28, 2012)

when i tie my vt i count in my head, or sometimes out loud 1,2,3,4 (thats wraps up) then i say out loud again over, under, over, ( thats the tail that came froom the top of the 1234, does that make any sence?:msp_confused:


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## roelex14 (Jan 28, 2012)

dts99 said:


> when i tie my vt i count in my head, or sometimes out loud 1,2,3,4 (thats wraps up) then i say out loud again over, under, over, ( thats the tail that came froom the top of the 1234, does that make any sence?:msp_confused:



Can't lie, that's the same way I do it! haha

Well I did a little research and have come to find that Bee-Line (cord I am using) has a relatively soft core compared to a cord such as New England's HRC which make it more susceptible to binding with really all prusik-like hitches. Today I worked on a distel and found to be more forgiving than the VT as far as binding up.


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## Tree Pig (Jan 28, 2012)

roelex14 said:


> Can't lie, that's the same way I do it! haha
> 
> Well I did a little research and have come to find that Bee-Line (cord I am using) has a relatively soft core compared to a cord such as New England's HRC which make it more susceptible to binding with really all prusik-like hitches. Today I worked on a distel and found to be more forgiving than the VT as far as binding up.



The problem is I think you were counting to 5 not 4... you had extra complete wrap on the leg of the VT. If anything the VT may be tied wrong and not grab I have not seen one lock up. You will find the distel is easier to tie correctly or should I say does not require as much tending. Good luck keep working on it you will get it to a finally tuned machine. Also you may find that once you get the distel tied you can leave it on your rope for a while. Keep an eye on it and dress it as needed but it stays pretty solid. I myself would not do this with VT.


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## roelex14 (Jan 29, 2012)

Stihl-O-Matic said:


> The problem is I think you were counting to 5 not 4... you had extra complete wrap on the leg of the VT. If anything the VT may be tied wrong and not grab I have not seen one lock up. You will find the distel is easier to tie correctly or should I say does not require as much tending. Good luck keep working on it you will get it to a finally tuned machine. Also you may find that once you get the distel tied you can leave it on your rope for a while. Keep an eye on it and dress it as needed but it stays pretty solid. I myself would not do this with VT.



I didn't post any pics of a VT. Apparently my distel was just all kinds of janky:msp_ohmy: haha (the first 2 pics are of the same knot).
And my VT's were always done with 4 wraps 3 braids, never done it any other way.


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## Tree Pig (Jan 29, 2012)

roelex14 said:


> I didn't post any pics of a VT. Apparently my distel was just all kinds of janky:msp_ohmy: haha (the first 2 pics are of the same knot).
> And my VT's were always done with 4 wraps 3 braids, never done it any other way.



ah okay my bad then... I just never heard of the VT binding. Failing to grab yes binding no.


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## tree md (Jan 29, 2012)

I'll take a pic of the VT when I go out in the shop later. I use 4 wraps and 2 braids. Be careful if you use this hitch, it can invert and not bite if you are not being very attentive with it.


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## tree md (Jan 29, 2012)

Here is how I tie my VT. I keep everything on one biner and use a boat swivel snap instead of a pulley to tend slack. It's simpler and lighter:

Front view:





Side view:


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## pdqdl (Jan 30, 2012)

ForTheAction said:


> Which one do you like better, and why?



I use the VT. It ascends so light and easy. Distel is preferred by some because it is more reliable, but I'm always checking my ropes anyway, so I don't mind that the VT is a bit loose sometimes.

A faster climber than myself might prefer the Distel, or any number of other friction hitches.


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## Iustinian (Jan 30, 2012)

I climb on smaller diameter ropes, so the vt seems to work better for me most of the time, especially when the friction cord is new. When I've used the distel with a brand new friction cord on smaller ropes, sometimes it doesnt grab right away or I have to tie the cord really tight and set the knot hard for it to work everytime; usually on the first ascend. VT has never done that for me so I start with it but after it develops "memory" I sometimes switch to the distel to get a little more life from my friction cord until I buy another. The knut is a really good reliable knot as well.


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