Can be tied by taking a bight of rope and tying a figureofeight knot, or can be tied directly aroundthrough objects by weaving back through the first figure eight knot figureofeight follow through, which is the standard method for attaching a rope to a climbing harness. This knot can be made with a rope having 2 sewn eyes also known as a spliced eye, split tail friction cord or handtied loops procedure shown below at its ends. The split tail system also has the ability to be split apart without needing to untie the friction hitch and termination knots as you approach limbs you need to maneuver around. The figureofeight loop is considered strong and secure.
Eye to eye split tail how to make your own arborist climbing. Addenda and corrigenda by mark adams name, two different knots. Contact our team of arborist experts to ensure you have the right gear for your needs. Seems to me split tail takes longer to tie in, plus more gear hanging around to get in the way. Published on may 24, 2017 arborist climbing knots the blakes hitch the blakes hitch tied with the tail of your climbing line it just doesnt get any simpler than that.
After the fourth wrap bring the wrapping tail down to make an additional wrap at the bottom of the other wraps, ensuring it is going in the same direction. This results in both tails exiting the knot together. Expertly spliced, 12 16 strand climb lines for easy inspection and great abrasion resistance. Sub woofer lullaby c418 the cave resides deep in the forest. Professional arborists use a variety of hitches, knots, and slings. Its best role has been seen when used as an end knot in split tail climbing system. A spliced split tail cuts down on bulky termination knots. American arborist supplies, 882 south matlack street, unit a west chester, pa 19382 call 18004418381, fax. Arborists are one of the few professions left today that still rely on knots to complete their daily work. It works well if the diameter of the static climbing cord is 12 mm. How to use splittail system intro to tree climbing w. With the book of climbing knots, forgetting how to tie the essential climbing knots is unlikely. Weve got all the biggest brands in the industry including teufelberger, rope logic, singing tree, and more. I understand how to use the split tail system in conjunction with the lanyard to bypass branches, but do not understand how to choker it around the tree to ask as a 2nd lanyard.
This tail is then used to tie the climbing hitch on the fall, or standing part, of the climbing line figure 5. Eye to eye tails are used to create what tree climbing instructors call a closed system, resulting in a finished friction hitch with both ends attached to the connector instead of one hanging loose, as with the traditional hitch or singleeye split tail. The climbing hitch is tied using a short, separate piece of rope called a split. Included in this handy guidebook are detailed line drawings and stepbystep instructions that will teach you to tie stopper knots, bends, loops, shortenings, hitches, and other outdoor knots. How to tie termination knots intro to tree climbing w. The book offers easy instructions for tying 19 fundamental climbing knots and 16 extra variations and how to use these knots safely and effectively. In the open, or split tail, system, the climbing line is attached to the connector using an appropriate endline knot or an eyesplice. Useful knots for scouting and climbing martin stone v 2. One end of the rope is clipped to the climbing harness.
I have seen many setups, but all seem to have more steps to tie in than fixed tail. This was the first time i ever tried it, didnt care for it. Tree climbers, in particular, have rediscovered the friction. Anyone involved in rock climbing or mountaineering needs to understand these knots. Toss the climbing line up as high as possible, or use a pole saw to place the line on an overhead limb. Split tail and fixed tail climbing methods wesspur. Ropes and friction hitches used in tree climbing operations. Put the lanyard back on, untie the climbing hitch, and repeat. I had a posion ivy rope before this, and the blakes hitch with a mm tail did not work on it. Spliced split tails offer the climber a great alternative to a closed climbing system. A question about 11mm ropes and split tails used tree. Prusik knot this knot got its name from the inventor dr.
I use a blakes hitch tied to the running end of your climbing rope, then put a figure 8 on the end of your split tail as a stopper knot for safety. Dress and tighten the knot by pulling all four strands tight individually. Twoeye tails, or eyeandeye tails, can be made from singleend tenex, ice tail, bail out, or prusik cord. Make four wraps around main static rope with a hand tied or sewn prusik or spliced eye split tail friction cord. Today we focus on 4 different techniques using the split tail system. Among others, one of the reasons to use a split tail in the first place is to wear it out eventually instead of the end of your climbing rope. You can check the knot by counting five sets of parallel lines.
It allows smoother movements when tied by the split tail method. After fourth wrap bring wrapping tail down and make an additional wrap at bottom of other wraps in same direction while tying a half hitch by tucking tail under itself in the front of the knot. The valdotain tresse, vallard tresse or vt knot is mainly used by climbers to. A popular knot due to its functionality, the distel hitch can be used on a main climbing line, or work positioning strop within a closed, split tail. Knots at work a field guide for the modern arborist geokes. A small split tail diameter will support a lighter climber and still loosen easily but for a bigger climber it will tighten and seize more easily. Split tail climbing is a versatile climbing technique that saves wear on your rope. The vt, valdotain tresse knot is a friction knot used to ascend and descend on ropes. Some qs on climbing knots specifically, im worried that im seeing knots toosimply and. The split tail is clipped to the harness at one end and has a blakes hitch at the other. Option one would be as in this picture from the tree climbers companion, with a dog snap on the split tail biner.
Split tails for tree climbing arborist tree climber. Scroll to see animated valdotain tresse knot below the illustration and tying instructions. Rope logic split tail beeline gspliced single eye rope, black, 10mm x 5. Some qs on climbingknots specifically, im worried that. The less surface area between the split tail and the lifeline, the tighter the knot will have to get to make enough friction to hold your weight. The clove hitch allows you to secure a rope in place on a carabiner.
This knot can be easily advanced up the line by using a micro pulley, swivel snap, and additional carabiner as shown in the system pictured here. Large eye splices are made to be girth hitched around carabiners or snaps. Splittail climbing line as lanyard, chokered around the tree. Tie a half hitch by tucking the tail under itself in the front of the knot. To make it selfadvancing replace the stopper knot with another blakes hitch that is tied to the rope that is going up, at a greater height. It is not a traditional water knot used for climbing webbing. I wish that knot was called a double fishermans but its nowhere near. Termination knots termination knots are used to tie the working end of your rope off to an attachment point on your climbing harness. Shown below arearious popular hitches that are used for one and twoeye tails. Tighten the knot by pulling each strand tight individually.
Each knot is carefully illustrated with copious drawings and its primary and secondary uses are described. However, there are a few knots that are suspicious and do not match other books. Splittail climbing line as lanyard, chokered around the. In plain english, the climbing rope is looped over a high branch. A question about 11mm ropes and split tails used was created by rangerdude i have an 11mm fly rope and am not a big fan of the distel, and the other one i cant spell. The traditional technique of securing the doubled rope system with the tail end of the climbing line has been largely replaced by the split tail technique. Bring the ends of both ropes together and tie a simple overhand knot with both strands. I also wish there was a national standardized set of knots instead of all. Clip your split tail eye into your saddle with caribiner or just a girth hitch around the saddles ring. This was originally popularised in the uk by merrist wood college. It originally included a prusik loop of 12 mm 3ply nylon. Browse sherrilltrees collection of split tails and eye ropes featuring climbing ascenders and descenders.
Make sure the ropes run completely parallel throughout the knot. When and if i graduate to a split tail blakes system for ease of passing obstructions, id like to add a hitchtending pulley. Because that is all it is, joining a great many other books, documents, and websites available from throughout the world. Ascend a wet or icy climbing rope with the bachmann knot its. Make sure to leave at least 18 inches of tail, and tie a stopper knot in one of the tails. The other end has a short length of rope tied to it. The advent of the modern splittail system introduced the use of one and twoeye climbing tails. When i tie the split tail with a anchor hitch to the caribiner and a blakes hitch to the climbing line, there is just not enough rope to do this. Some sources classify a hitch as a class of knot but the general distinction remains.
This knot can be easily advanced up the line by using a micro pulley, swivel snap. Once you get your split tail dialed in, you can shorten those tails up. Wrap a split tail or prusik friction cord 4 times around the primary static rope. Expertly spliced, the 4a and 6a split tails are 12a. View our large video library of knot tying specifically selected for applications within arboriculture and tree climbing. Make 4 wraps around main static rope with a hand tied or sewn prusik or spliced eye split. This knot makes the climbing process much easier for climbers. Im still browsing through it and comparing to my other two knot books to see if there are any other obvious errors. Untying the knot and adding an additional piece of gear would slow a rapid descent. This knot is generally used by fishermen for joining two fishing lines. Published on sep 5, 2019 showing noah 3 different termination knots. The friction hitch usually either a tautline or a blakes hitch is then tied back onto the climbing line with another piece of rope called a split tail, which is also connected preferably indirectly with a carabiner to the saddle. Blakes hitch knot instructions, how to do it, using a blakes hitch setup, tips, variations.