Quick Question about Prussic Cordage

[Jed]

Hey Boys: Never really been on the "Gear Forum" before today. Inherited a rather Redneck/Old-School tradition of tree-removal from a bunch of geriatric, Taught-Line Hitch advocates. I've only recently begun to emerge from all of this stodgy silliness by purchasing the hitch-climber pulley that Willie had(Man! The good stuff don't come cheap, do it!?) and using some Velocity line, with fisherman knots to make-up a V.T. chord.

My company gave me the "Bee-Line" spliced-eye deal, but I don't like it as much because it seems too stiff and nasty, and furthermore, is--even the shortest available version--quite a bit too long for the weird way that I like to tie my V.T.

I recently got the new Wes-Spur catalog, and I see that we can now order bulk cordage line like "Bail Out" etc. I've never been too picky about diameter.

My question for you guys is what's that really soft and supple-looking white stuff--almost always fisherman's knotted--that I see all the young bad-asses climbing on. I want that stuff! The stuff displayed in the image from the thread "Pulley Saver Question" looks pretty sweet too. My Velocity works great, except that it's about to get worn-out, and I really don't ever need to descend really fast unless I run into Bald Faced Hornets.

Am I looking at good stuff? Any other favorites?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Nick could make you a nice one to the size you would like. I own a few of his. Beeline breaks in nice after a sort. I have some ultra tech and that tends well. Brian uses something else and he swears by it. Check with him and see what it is he uses. It sounds like what you describe.

 

[SkwerI]

I always used plain Jane double braid polyester. I started using it back when everybody was going nuts for the Ultra Tech with the high temp resistant core, but the core is never exposed to heat and the jacket is just polyester. So in real life practical use, it's identical to Ultra Tech but a quarter of the price.

The brand I used was New England Sta-Set. I bought it at Sailnet because they had the best prices.
http://shop.sailnet.com/england-ropes-staset-double-braid-polyester-38in-white-p-29405.html

 

[sotc]

Sean turned me on to technora, lasts a long time

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Trick with E2E Jed is trying out different lengths of cord for your VT with the climb line you will use it on and then order E2E when you get it dialed in what works for you.

 

[Jed]

Yeah... Thanks... I too have noticed that the length issue is super important, and it's for that reason that I've really appreciated the adjust-ability of the knotted eyes. Seems like in the Puget Sound area, we climb more on wet lines than on try ones. Then, finally everything will go bone dry for a day or two, and I'll find that my "E2E" is way to slippery (long). Instead of more wraps, I'll just shorten it up a TINY bit, and it makes all the difference. Just in time for the rain...:roll:

Really appreciate all the advice on the different materials. I get so geeked on this stuff that I'll probably have been through em all twice before I end up with a favorite.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Try washing the Beeline to help fuzz it up a tad and soften.

 

[Jed]

Thanks! Will do.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Jed, I hear you on the wet/ dry thing. Strangely, I haven't been able to get my icetail to reliably hold a VT, Distel, or Swabisch securely on Poison Hyvee. Going to have to try to shorten my E2E.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I have to ride my icetail diffy on the PI line. Different braid to wrap than my other cords. Means the difference of not grabbing and grabbing. I don't care for the beeline on PI either. Bites too hard for my tastes. Beeline on Arbormaster works peachy. For me.. let me qualify that. Everything plays into friction hitches, climb rope, diameter of climb rope, hitch cord, which hitch, climbers weight..... Style... bla bla bla.
Hard to recommend to anyone what will work for them.. Only guild them through things that work for ourselves only hoping something will for them when they dial it in. List of things to try... and try ... and...

 

[Burnham]

A couple of observations...dialing in total length with tied eyes does not necessarily give you useful info on how that same length of same cordage will function with spliced eyes, due to the different thickness and stiffness in the bury sections. One reason I prefer tied eyes is that consistent hand right down to the eye.

Wet and dry...I keep tresse cords for both conditions, rather than retying. Wet conditions cord for me is nearly 3 inches longer than dry, using Ultratech on PI.

 

[wiley_p]

I agree with what Burnham said. I will add that sewn eyes have the benefit of a splice without the bulk in the bury.

 

[Burnham]

Good point, Dave. I've never used the sewn splices, not really a fan of the concept, so often overlook their possibilities.

 

[pantheraba]

I have had good luck with Poison Ivy line and icetail in a knut...was using yellow tenex before that, it did pretty well with the knut, also.

 

[Jed]

Thanks a ton boys: our Company Safety Nazi is coming down really hard on the steel-core flipline thing (electrocution hazard) even though we don't do any line clearance,:roll: AND, they've outlawed ascenders, so we're having to experiment with all kinds of V.T. stuff, in order to get something that'll work well on the 1/2" rope flipline. :roll:

 

[MasterBlaster]

No ascenders? Say it ain't so!

 

[Jed]

Yeah... They're afraid the locking nuts'll come off or something. :roll:

 

[flushcut]

Has that ever happened in normal use?

 

[Jed]

Of course not man... but that's not gonna' stop those corporate types from trying to impress the Big boss to come-up lookin' like the good guy.

 

[flushcut]

That's progress. Right? It makes me happy I don't work in the corporate world I think I would go postal.

 

[Jed]

Oh... but Rajan... Think of all the lovely safety implements you could dream up once you had the leisure to be liberated from that ugly blue-collar work environment, and had completely lost touch with the way those recalcitrant red-necks in the field actually do things.

 

[flushcut]

You are right that would be bliss making the grunts hike up a tree with eighty pounds of gear that they are never going to need or use. Just so I can justify my over paid and lazy butt. I like your thinking sir.

 

[Greenhorn]

Ice tail is the only thing I can get to grab reliably on my well worn velocity with a 3/3 vt. Seems to me the rounder stuff doesnt like it too well.

 

[Burnham]

Try a distel hitch for lanyards...it's darned reliable. Grabs and releases great for lanyards, though too much grip for climb lines, in my experience.

Jed, you have to deal with pitch in your work...no friction hitch will survive and work regularly under those conditions. The bean counters are killing you there. Let's talk at the gtg...maybe I can help.

 

[Jed]

Will do B! Thanks!