Tie a knot?

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Actually, this may be a case where the solution to the problem isn’t in the answer to the question that was asked.

Your safety spool is a critical piece of equipment. As such, you shouldn't be “playing” with it all the time causing it to break in the first place. The safety spool should be deployed only in emergencies and for inspection, and great care should be taken when winding it (versus the hasty, lumpy job that's usually done underwater) to make sure it unwinds smoothly.

For practice get another spool and splice the heck out of that :)

Now is this what I do? No, because I never really gave it much thought until this topic came up (and I haven’t broken a line yet); time to change my ways and start using my gap spool for practice, or, better yet, use this as an excuse to get a scubaturek spool.

Thinking aloud (awrite?) I just might splice my gap and primary lines, since they’re not put under much load even in a silt out because you’re already on the line and you’re just following it. After all, the argument could be made that if it’s OK for main lines to be spliced (they’re splices all over the place in Mexico!) it should be OK for gap and primary lines to be spliced, too!

Roak
 
Originally posted by NetDoc
No noose is good noose...

(any other takers???)
(still taking that first sip of eye opening concentration juice [coffee])

Got Cave? Get Reel!

or

Watch Pete, Roakey, UP, and the other roommates go at it on DirTV's Reel World.

(and that's the bottom line folks!)
 
I was thinking of making a buddy-line (a four ft piece of rope with a brass clip (non suicide) on each end.) just to have a round in case it's ever needed. I have the rope and the two brass clips - but I have no idea which 'knot' to use - or what 'knot' not to use...(I was never a boy scout or a fisherman) Any suggestions?

I saw a picture of this awhile ago in a post - I think by Dee - I just can't find it right now.
 
Yup - that was it! Thanks Rick! Just looked like a good piece of equipment to have around...still have to figure out the right knot...
 
Martin,
From what I see of Rick's, the knot is very simple. It appears he is using braided polypropelyne (sp?), aka ski rope. To put it together like his, start by melting the end of the rope and carefully form the end into a point. You can also use the pointed end of a ink pen and shove the rope end into it, forming a needle of sorts. Next,4 to 6 inches or more down the rope depending on how big you want your loop to be, compress a small section of the rope. To do this, hold a short piece, say 2 or 3 inches, between your hands and push the rope together, the rope will compress and the braid will expand. Work open a space between the braids and then push the end of the rope (or the pen section) into the center of the rope, pushing it in several inches,4 to 6 is about right. If you are using a pen, open another section of braid, as before, near the end of the pen and remove the pen while keeping the rope inside the braid, the end of the rope stays unexposed inside the braid. Finally, hold the rope above and below the section you compressed and pull the rope tight. You now have a completed loop. This "knot" holds well and as pressure is placed on it, it gets tighter. I have used it on ski ropes for years.If you want to take it apart, simply reverse the process. A nice feature when you forget to thread it through the clip first.
 
Originally posted by martinjc
I was thinking of making a buddy-line (a four ft piece of rope with a brass clip (non suicide) on each end.) just to have a round in case it's ever needed. I have the rope and the two brass clips - but I have no idea which 'knot' to use - or what 'knot' not to use...(I was never a boy scout or a fisherman) Any suggestions?

I saw a picture of this awhile ago in a post - I think by Dee - I just can't find it right now.

I'd think that a figure of eight on a bight would be your best bet. and then use heat shrink tubing on the free ends so there is no flapping dead end. (Check a moutain rescue or knot book for how to tie the knot -don't worry it is very easy!) I'd suggest nylon rope as well because polypro rope floats and gets slippery when wet.
 
I would also like to add to the above directions:

1. Dont rely on the poly to stay spliced, whip it with a good waxed sail thread ( dacron sail twine waxed is best ). I perfer to splice and stich it nice and tight. I have splices i did in 92 that are still in great shape.

2. DIR, get a book on splicing, theres more to it than just feeding line back into itself. The book will show you pics on splicing 3 strand and braided line, even wire rope if your hardcore.

Andy
 
of an eye splice in braided nylon. Very effective in that situation, but you might want to add a zip tie in there if the braid is too loose. Hard pressure may not pull it out, but light continual pressure just might. As for knots, I would use a re-woven figure eight on each end to eliminate any slippage introduced by the nylon. You can find a guide to tying the "climber's knot" right here...

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/climb/belaywal.shtml

Beats the heck out of the bowline for stability and retaining line strength.
 

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