splicing three strand...quick question?

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Ghillie

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I attached a picture below of (half) a lobster-claw safety sling for a high ropes course. I want to find documentation on the bottom of the two splices. The tapered splice on the top eye I am happy with but to cover my butt I need to look at a manufaturers recommendation for that splice and I don't know the exact name of.

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I have seen and done similar to that, but I never learned a name for it. I presume that what I am seeing is a spliced eye/loop that is adjustable in length? I first learned to do that when I saw one in a lanyard used by a Mexican climber.

That one does not look like it was properly done. Unless I am mistaken, there are only two loops doing any holding? Notice the squeezed appearance on the left side of the splice, and the stretched appearance of the left loop? This leaves an unequal number of twists in the individual strands, and that translates to a weaker rope.

Usually, you make three little loops with each one of the strands, and pass the whole rope through. The interval between the individual ropes can be adjusted, but generally, they are pretty close together, working much like a prussic knot.

When you use the loops, made from each one of the three strands that form the whole rope, then each strand of the rope will do equal holding, and share an equal load. Using only two loops will load the rope strands unequally, and will lead to a premature failure.

Depending on the tightness of the rope twist, you need to be careful to adjust the size of the individual loops for the correct tension and holding power. Too small: you can't adjust the length very easily. Too big: it won't be reliable under a load.


To make this splice (properly), you untwist an entire section of rope. It will automatically form three loops as you force the rope to untwist. After that, you adjust the position and size of each of the three loops so that they are in line along the length of the rope, rather than all in the same spot. I generally put one full rotation of the strands between each individual loop. Then you just slide the rope through all three loops for form the "eye". Squeeze, wiggle, and adjust until it looks and holds correctly.

This can also be used to permanently join two ropes in an adjustable length splice. If overloaded, the "prussic style" splices will keep sliding until they meet...and subsequently the rope will break if overloaded. There are probably not many applications for this particular application of the splice.

You should also understand that this type of eye-splice does not provide very reliable friction. Unlike the adjustable loopies and slings made with braided rope, this particular splice does not significantly increase it's "grab" on the rope when it is pulled on, so it only provides a weak friction hitch, rather than an "increasing hold under an increasing load" type of hitch.
 
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I remember pdqdl posting some pictures of the splice.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=1769296&postcount=9

That picture helped a lot, thenks to both of you. I will reread everything again in the morning. In the mean time here is a picture of a commercially available unit I am tryin to "duplicate". At least without the shock lanyard.

The bottom splice in my original post is the middle of the whole assembly. The eye splice in the middle girth hitches to the soft connection on a rec harness. You have two clips so that you can pass trees on the course without ever being completely unhooked from the overhead cable. You are always safetied in.

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The bottom eye in my original post is not adjustable. All I did was open up the strands, threaded one end through and then opened up the strands on the the other working rope end and fed it back through...... Forgive me if this is wrong, it's been awhile since I spliced so I'm going to have to refresh my memory but it comes to mind of a brummel, I think I did something similar with icetail last august.
 
This is application specific. When on a high ropes course, it is simple and redundant for people who may only be on the course ONE time in their life and never enjoy being at height ever again.

What works in rec climbing, high angle rescue, and confined space rescue generally is cumbersome in tree climbing and rigging and sometimes just plain unsafe. It was a hard concept for me to grasp untill a manual locking biner came unlocked and unclipped itself from my harness and I watched in horror as it fell to the ground 30 feet below me.

We need a soft attachment point to the rec harness the participant use. We need a single attachment to simplify things. Some people will never grasp the concept of always being clipped into the cable running from tree to tree above their head. I shudder at the number of times I have seen someone standing on a platform 30' off the ground, both rope snaps in their hands, looking at me with a puzzled look asking "What do I do now?"
 
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