Fine tuning a Blake's hitch

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

So I'm trying something new, climbing in a closed system with a Blake's hitch, to expand my skillset, and because my new ropes are 11mm and no good in my mechanical. I tried using one for positioning the other day and it did not play nice at all. Absolutely terrible results with the Blake's hitch, no bite until I added two extra wraps, and even then I would never have climbed on it, still felt soft and unpredictable. Partly I'm sure it's the fact it's brand new very stiff rope, but I realized I didn't know the "right" way of adjusting it. Do you keep adding turns to the bottom half of the Blake's hitch until you get the friction you need? Do you add alternatingly to bottom and top? Is there a better approach? Or do some ropes just not work for this kind of thing? I don't want to try any other approach, I really just want to learn all about proper use of a Blake's if I can.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

What is the rope?

 

[Bango Skank]

What he said.
Can order a few feet of a better 11mm and make a tied split tail.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I just don't remember ever buying a new climbing line and considering it too stiff... especially 11 mill

 

[ZinTrees]

try the taughtline hitch, it works a wee bit different

 

[sean donato]

You may need to wait till your climbing line gets some fuzz to it, for predictable grab if using the same size line for the Blake hitch. Normally you would want to use a smaller diameter line for the Blake hitch, wile not required it does tend to give it a better bite into the larger rope. Nothing wrong with giving it an extra wrap imo, basically doing the same thing with a prusik on slick line. Just adding more "friction" area with the extra turns.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

It's a sterling htp line, I don't recall exactly name, but pretty sure it's a 16 stand but don't quote me on that. I'll dig a little more and let you know, but basically it doesn't love a tight bend radius

 

[sean donato]

Hmm I'll have to take a look at my climbing line and see what make it is, it sucked to climb with for a little till it broke in.

 

[Bango Skank]

HTP is a static kernmantle, you’re probably not getting it to hold a Blake’s or TLH.
It’s a good SRT rope, and could use it for MRS with a hitch cord or split tail.

I’ve always heard that split tails used for Blake’s and TLH need to be the same diameter as the rope it’s used on. Never tried it though.

I got a new short piece of Teufelberger Fly, you’re welcome to a piece so you can make a tied split tail, message me if interested. If you want spliced split tails, you’re better off with a double braid like Velocity or Blaze.

 

[sean donato]

There's nothing I've ever been told or seen that says you have to use the same sized rope for a Blakes hitch. The nice thing about it is you don't have to use a smaller sized rope or need a prusik loop to make an effective ascension knot.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Oh good to know. I didn't pick out this line, it was a freebie from treestuff when I got my harness, but I immediately realized it would be very helpful for positioning once I find the best way of using it since I got a 35m length of it. I guess for now I'll just use it with a prussic unless it holds a taught line knot well enough.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

So this rope has been a mixed bag. Absolutely can't use it with a friction hitch on itself, you need to use a second line. Had success with both a length of small diameter prussic cord as well as a 13mm line to tie a friction hitch to the 11mm. Usually it's small on big, but this seems to work real well. However I only really use it for positioning as my second line, not my main support, but I didn't see why it wouldn't work. Held up fine in a bounce test.

My big concern tho, is this rope doesn't like to hold any kind of knot. A baked up boline staterted shaking itself lose when it was in the end of a line I was using for non climbing work on the yard. It just shrugs off most knots, no matter how well dressed and pulled. It holds a fisherman's knot but I'm nervous about trusting it to keep a stopper on the end of it if I were to use it as a climbing line.

If you have a real stiff/slick line, what's your preferred stopper? Not going to trust this line until I sort that out

 

[ZinTrees]

what rope? maybe post pics?

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

It's a sterling htp 7/16 line

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

 

[ZinTrees]

looking at the specs, it seems like its made specifically for rescue, and skyline type stuff, would be a great line for speedline rigging since its a super low stretch line

see about having it spliced (I dont know if thats possible with HTP, if its not, get it sewn), it will be much more usable IMO

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Looks that way. It's not spliceable, I was just thinking about a second bridge for my saddle, and this line would be pretty good (stiff small diameter, super tight jacket) but the way it takes a knot makes it a hard nope unless I figure something out. I could just buy a bridge, but using this would let me experiment with different lengths for "free".
For that use getting it sewn is probably more expensive than just buying a bridge, but it might be nice to put an eye on the long one for climbing. Man this is an addictive hobby.

 

[ZinTrees]

Man this is an addictive hobby.

damn right it is

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

A double overhand knot seems to hold and stay tight, really just the bowline knot seems to be allergic to this rope, no matter how well dressed. A 8 on a bight is ok, since if it does shift a little it resets unlike a bowline which just gets looser and looser.
Probably need to get it dirty and use it more, then it'll hold!

 

[ZinTrees]

A double overhand knot seems to hold and stay tight, really just the bowline knot seems to be allergic to this rope, no matter how well dressed. A 8 on a bight is ok, since if it does shift a little it resets unlike a bowline which just gets looser and looser.
Probably need to get it dirty and use it more, then it'll hold!

rub it on some rough tree bark, make it a little fuzzy, itll break in