Friction saver

emr

emr

Cheesehead Treehouser
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
2,193
Location
Neenah, Wisconsin
I recently spliced up an adjustable friction saver out of Sta-set. This was my first double braid splice that I will be using for life support. Today I actually climbed on it, but I backed it up by girth hitching a sling above the friction saver and placing a revolver on the sling and on my climbing line. Anyway, I was wondering if the splice was done wrong, would it have failed already or can it slowing happen over time. I followed Samsons instructions to the T and I did several dbl braid splices for practice and one that we have been using as a rigging sling. I guess what I am getting at, is how long should I worry about the splice coming apart on me? It will not always be practical for me to back up the friction saver and sooner or later I have to just trust it.
 
I know the feeling. I have a friction saver that I made earlier this year and haven't used it yet.
 
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  • #3
I have had it sitting in my truck for a couple of days, but I have been thinking about it for some time now. I have been climbing on a 3 strand FS that I spliced up last year and that was the first 3 strand splice that I used for life support. Funny thing is that I always test my splicing on rigging gear first and then once I have seen it tested, I will do some life support splicing.
 
Double braid splices are very secure when done properly. I usually throw a couple lock stitches in the throat of the splice when whipping it, which will prevent it from shifting due to loading/unloading cycles. Depending on how you do it, you can incorporate the lock stitches in the whipping. Here's a few I did a couple years ago using zing-it as whipping twine. I was looking for some other pictures but couldn't find them.
 
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  • #6
Skwerl said:
Double braid splices are very secure when done properly. I usually throw a couple lock stitches in the throat of the splice when whipping it, which will prevent it from shifting due to loading/unloading cycles.
Click to expand...

I lock stitched my FS. When you say they are secure, do you think that since it held me so far that I should not worry about it and consider it safe?
 
When I first started splicing double braid, and was just figuring out how do it and make the buries the right length and make 'em look pretty, I practiced on inexpensive 3/8" nylon. I did several unscientific break test using the chip truck and a big ol' mulberry tree. I attached the splice to a shackle on the truck and tied a bowline on the other end. I attached the knot end to a rigging sling and shackle on the tree. I then broke the knot and figured the splice was stronger than the knot so it was prolly good enough.

As I worked up to larger ropes (3/4" stable braid) I trusted that the unscientific test I'd performed with the smaller 3/8 and 1/2" would translate into success with the bigger stuff. I figured as long as I spliced per specs I was good. Never had splice broke tested at a lab, but never had one fail in the field either.
 
Properly trusting your own splicing is a leap of faith.

My suggestion is to splice up something like a lanyard, where you can keep a close eye on the splice every time you use it, and check it regularly for signs of creeping and flat spots. Your splices are most likely absolutely fine, and in 6 months you'll be trusting them 100% without a second thought.
 
CurSedVoyce said:
I wonder how long it took Nick to climb on his own splices... Or Chip....
Click to expand...

I'm neither of those people, but I weigh as much as they do; my first splice (excluding hollow braids like tennex) was my lanyard for a couple years.

If you followed the instructions, they are safe, stop worrying. Splicing is a science, there is no faith involved.
 
Skwerl said:
Double braid splices are very secure when done properly. I usually throw a couple lock stitches in the throat of the splice when whipping it, which will prevent it from shifting due to loading/unloading cycles. Depending on how you do it, you can incorporate the lock stitches in the whipping. Here's a few I did a couple years ago using zing-it as whipping twine. I was looking for some other pictures but couldn't find them.
Click to expand...

Brian, what are the white ropes in the upper left? Split tails?
 
I do simple splices...3 strand friction savers and lanyards, and 12 strand such as Tenex loopies and eye slings.

Try a 3 strand for a FS, that way you can SEE the splice and maybe you'll be able to trust it more.
 
treesmith said:
Brian, what are the white ropes in the upper left? Split tails?
Click to expand...

Those are 5/8" rigging slings that I use for catching limbs. Then I transfer the limb to the material handler on my boom and crane it out to the landing area.

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  • #14
Here is a pic from the 3 strand that I made last year. I do like how easy they are to inspect.
031.jpg

I did hook one of my dbl braid splices up to our pickup trucks. The splice held and started to drag one of the trucks on dry concrete.
 
I agree with Carl, as long as it was done right, you should have no problems trusting it. I still climb on my first 16 strand FS I ever made, and I had no problems trusting it the first time I climbed off it. Same goes for my first 16 strand lanyard, and first Double Braid lanyard and climbline. As long as you know that you followed the instructions correctly, you should have no problems trusting it.

BTW, if I may ask, why did you use a Double Braid to create a FS. Not to criticize or anything, but with the bury's on double braids, there is only so small you can go when you splice them, and they tend to wear more than say a 3 strand or 16 strand FS.
 
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  • #16
rangerdanger said:
BTW, if I may ask, why did you use a Double Braid to create a FS. Not to criticize or anything, but with the bury's on double braids, there is only so small you can go when you splice them, and they tend to wear more than say a 3 strand or 16 strand FS.
Click to expand...

So what, now you are the splicing police... WTF!?

Ha! just kidding RD. I just learned to splice dbl braid and I thought I would give it a try on a FS. Nothing more than that. Just having fun with splicing and trying not to kill myself in the process.


I know you are too young for beers, but :occasion5:
 
CurSedVoyce said:
I wonder how long it took Nick to climb on his own splices... Or Chip....
Click to expand...

When I was first learning how to splice I would practice the moves down until I could complete a splice in the way the directions intended. For me, I found the directions sometimes confusing and would lead me in totally the wrong direction and I could tell it by the end-result of the splice. Many ended horrendously!

My first real splice I worked on was making a eye-eye hitch cord out of 3/8" hollowbraid. After a few tries I got the buried tails just the way I wanted them and I climbed on it all day at work the very next day. I did the same when learning the 16 strand splice...and double braid.

I'm very fortunate that now a days when learning a new splice I can get it right on the first try.

If it was done right, that's all there is to it. It's good to go. Climb on it.

If you're not sure and you're not sure how to tell, then throw it out. It is of no use to you.

love
nick
 
EMR if it will help your head, splice something up and send it to me and I will perform a break test on it for you and post a video which will show at what force it broke.
 
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  • #20
PCTREE, Thanks for the offer. I think I may just take you up on that. I will pm you right now for the details.
 
Only if you make some major errors when splicing it. The most common place for the rope to break is where the splice ends, at the very end of the taper.
 
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  • #24
Well, if a splice could come apart, I think I could make it happen. Its really a piece of mind thing. I have been using this quite a bit lately and in some bigger trees. I have been inspecting it often and I have been using my safety lanyard a lot. It makes for slow going, but I dont care, it makes me feel better. Here are some pics:

1006101231b.jpg 1006101233a.jpg 1006101232a.jpg 1006101231a.jpg
 
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