How'd it go today?

Mick: Yes. I meant, "termination knot," as the Anchor hitch would be used on a doubled rope system.

Did you see my longwinded explanation of the event?

I don't blame you if you didn't want to read it.
 
I went back to non spliced eyes, with the single purpose of using a knot to retrieve my friction saver (yes @pantheraba , when blocking down a stem :lol:). The splice would sometimes interfere with that, being stiff, and it pissed me off to the point where i decided no more splice. Is there another non retrieval ball method I'm not aware of?
 
I don't use splices for anything. Is that bad? :^D

I get the efficiency of splices, but I don't know how to splice, and I don't have to be efficient. If stuff's a little lamer when I'm working with wood, I just deal with it, and it's all forgotten by the time I get to the next job, whenever that is.
 
I use knots and spliced rope as well, but I’m 56 and an owner/climber.

From what I’ve seen of Jed’s outfit they’re well equipped. Seems that some money spent on spliced rope wouldn’t break the bank. That kid would not have fallen if he had to use it.
 
Not so sure myself., Mick. If, as Jed said, he knew how to tie a proper termination knot, but because his mind was distracted through pressure or fear, he tied a half hitch instead, then it is very likely he could have made any number of costly missjudgments.

He wasn't ready.
 
Lots of sources of pressure, distraction, stress in a tree for sure. I have caught myself clipping into the wrong part of my setup before...maybe it would not have been a critical error but the error still happened. Disciplined deliberance (my word....google thinks it is a misspelling) can be lifesaving. I think of Reg when I think of this idea. He is methodical and deliberate in his work, his videos show a high level of discipline in consistency.
 
Not so sure myself., Mick. If, as Jed said, he knew how to tie a proper termination knot, but because his mind was distracted through pressure or fear, he tied a half hitch instead, then it is very likely he could have made any number of costly missjudgments.

He wasn't ready.
I can’t believe he purposefully tied a half hitch, he mis-tied whatever it was he normally used.
Now, maybe if he was a bit error strewn somewhere along the line another cockup may have occurred, but that’s not really a rationale for this avoidable one.
 
Yea, that's one thing I've got going for me. I know my knots. I don't have a large portfolio, but I've got something for just about any circumstance. I wouldn't climb on anything I don't have 100% confidence in. That's why I haven't used my beeline cord yet. Just sitting around playing with it, I don't like the way it grabs, or doesn't as the case may be. I should have used it on my lanyard last climb, but I didn't think to. That would have given me some real world use, without any consequences aside from possibly getting a little beat up.
 
I would think if you can't tie your life support knots drunk in the dark you have no business being off the ground.

He’s 19 years old!

All I can do is put myself in the shoes of the employer, if I sent a 19 year old up a tree, and he made an elementary error like that, I’d be looking very hard at my culpability. Did he have the right equipment, training, mindset?
 
Smoking age was 14 when I started buying my own tobacco. Not sure how that would have been enforced by statute, but it never was in practice. You could buy cigarettes at any age without question.
 
I generally put my weight on my hitch and even descend a touch before unclipping my lanyard. That comes with being scared though. Anchor hitch with a nice tail for termination on ddrt for me. A bit bulky but I can watch it cinch up when I sit on it and not worry about it again.

In my trade there is alot of dick swinging, macho b.s., send the green guy up and razz him the whole time. It's stupid but it happens and it's not surprising when something goes wrong.
 
@Mick!, yes he's 19, but if you are going to be climbing you need to be able to self rescue, and are responsible for your own life. If you can't tie knots you have no business being up there. Same as in the age of sail, boys half his age were sent up the rigging, but knew more knots than anyone here. Age has nothing to do with it.

Now as an employer you are responsible for thr guys safety. So why is a 19 year old that doesnt know basic knots in the tree? What happens when he has to start rigging limbs? You can't replace knowledge.
 
Both statements can be true. Legally and morally, the company should be looking out for their employees, and not putting them into positions they aren't ready for. The employee should be learning on his own to be better at his job, and reduce the chances of injury in a dangerous profession. In surveying, I've learned more on my own than I was ever explicitly taught, and that was in the bad old days before the internet where everything's available a couple clicks away.
 
To me it's the same train of thought, the same idea. If you don't know wtf you are doing, you don't need to be up there. As an employer you are responsible for his safety, and since he does know anything you can't send him up there. You are responsible for his training, and then verifying he can handle it.
 
I caught a stomach bug for the third time this year. FML It's been many years since I have been this sick this often. Ugh!
 
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