Friction Hitches

[Brocky]

No need to limit it to one hitch, which they are, not knots. A Prusik is one type of these hitches, gets confusing when it is used to refer to all the slide and grip hitches. Prussics seems to be a corruption of Prusik, so still confusing, rant over.

Oval VT on the left, with the stopper helping the overhand knot to push up the wraps.
The Sticht, on the right, uses a twist in back instead of a knot, adding a bushing, or small piece of pipe, makes the one handed tending easier. The spliced hitch cord is the 24” one that Wild Line Ropes sells, very nicely done.

These are compact and self contained once tied. I also like the Synergy X a lot, if tied tightly enough the tending seems to have nearly zero drag.

 

[Still Kicking]

No need to limit it to one hitch, which they are, not knots. A Prusik is one type of these hitches, gets confusing when it is used to refer to all the slide and grip hitches. Prussics seems to be a corruption of Prusik, so still confusing, rant over.
View attachment 69475
Oval VT on the left, with the stopper helping the overhand knot to push up the wraps.
The Sticht, on the right, uses a twist in back instead of a knot, adding a bushing, or small piece of pipe, makes the one handed tending easier. The spliced hitch cord is the 24” one that Wild Line Ropes sells, very nicely done.

These are compact and self contained once tied. I also like the Synergy X a lot, if tied tightly enough the tending seems to have nearly zero drag.

Really like your hitch illustrations and have tried most of them. I tend to keep going back to the Schwabisch for my bridge and line mans. Keep them coming as I like trying new ones.

 

[MNFarmHunter]

I think I like this one the best yet.

Part of the reason I went to mechanicals is that I have a bad habit of reaching up near my hitch so it’s always been a trade-off between something that won’t break free under tension yet still slide easily when tension is removed.

My sewn eye cord is 22” and just slightly too short for the way you show it but holds well this way

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MNFarmHunter]

Edit: Forgot to take a pic but this won't work. The ring is an SMC rigging ring, 1.1" I.D. with canyon C-IV and 6mm cord. I gave a little bounce on the system and the rope sucked right through the ring. It still caught me but the C-IV is too small for even this ring.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brocky]

Maybe drop a wrap so that there is enough cord to make the twist behind the ring, which should keep it from being pulled through.

This is Probe on C-IV, the single braid usually grabs better than a cord with cover.

 

[MNFarmHunter]

The cord I was using is also Probe, sold by EWO. I wonder if using a mini plate like this would offer the same control without concern of pull through.

NFPA Mini Rigging Plate

The strongest, lightest and most versatile mini-rigging plate on the market! Manufactured on CNC machines using high quality aluminum for strength, durability and corrosion resistance to provide years of reliable service. The SMC Mini-Rigging Plate is designed for use as the collection point for...

smcgear.com

 

[phatkaw]

I have probably 6 or 8 eye-to-eye's made from 6mm PROBE.
They grab awesome but are pretty tough to get moving again with certain mainline...

 

[John RB]

Always appreciate @Brocky and his input, and drawings. Regarding terminologies, technically, the term "knot" has multiple meanings and encompasses all "complications of cordage". Thus "Ashley's Book of Knots" is a appropriately named, and includes all types of knots, including Hitches, Bends, etc. A "hitch" is a type of knot that secures a piece of cordage to a host, which in the case of a "friction hitch", is another rope.

I have been studying friction hitches for a long time and created a few dozen of them. I have only published the JRB Ascender Hitch though, only because its the only one that has features above and beyond anything else. It was submitted and recognized as unique by the International Guild of Knot Tyers. I am not aware of a friction hitch in its league. It's a lot to tie, but I can:

• Break it under the load of my full body weight with one hand
• Execute a controlled rappel on it if I needed to
• Set it to automatically tend upward by pulling on the rope end, with no other device required
• Tie it so that it can't jam ('just published the Non-Jamming JRB Ascender Variant)
• Can tie it into SRT, MRS or JRB systems. An Arborist Hitch Climber Pulley setup was one of many tests I ran and it performed amazingly.

 

[Sziggy2.0]

Blocky i appreciate your knowledge and posts with the hitches. I just have to find the time to try them all. Keep them coming Thanks for posting.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Always appreciate @Brocky and his input, and drawings. Regarding terminologies, technically, the term "knot" has multiple meanings and encompasses all "complications of cordage". Thus "Ashley's Book of Knots" is a appropriately named, and includes all types of knots, including Hitches, Bends, etc. A "hitch" is a type of knot that secures a piece of cordage to a host, which in the case of a "friction hitch", is another rope.

I have been studying friction hitches for a long time and created a few dozen of them. I have only published the JRB Ascender Hitch though, only because its the only one that has features above and beyond anything else. It was submitted and recognized as unique by the International Guild of Knot Tyers. I am not aware of a friction hitch in its league. It's a lot to tie, but I can:

• Break it under the load of my full body weight with one hand
• Execute a controlled rappel on it if I needed to
• Set it to automatically tend upward by pulling on the rope end, with no other device required
• Tie it so that it can't jam ('just published the Non-Jamming JRB Ascender Variant)
• Can tie it into SRT, MRS or JRB systems. An Arborist Hitch Climber Pulley setup was one of many tests I ran and it performed amazingly.

Have you seen the WIld Line Ropes hitch? Apparently it does the same as yours but with no use of metal

 

[BTaylor]

Have you seen the WIld Line Ropes hitch? Apparently it does the same as yours but with no use of metal

Metal?

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Metal?

Yea some of JRB’s release hitches required the use of a carabiner in them. Not talking about strictly the JRB ascender hitch.

 

[gcr0003]

Yea some of JRB’s release hitches required the use of a carabiner in them. Not talking about strictly the JRB ascender hitch.

There are now like 13 JRBAH configurations. None of them require the use of a carabiner. I think that was just added for use as a handle.
John did just post a video on the latest “non-jamming” configuration. It is finished off with two overhand knots which he says can be used as handles. It looks like it tried to address the jamming of JRBAH. @MattMan81

Hitches all have pros and cons, and I think some of the cons can mitigated with different cord and rope combinations, some can not.

 

[gcr0003]

Is there a way to show how to tie the synergy X @Brocky and any estimation as to what length of cord is needed?

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

There are now like 13 JRBAH configurations. None of them require the use of a carabiner. I think that was just added for use as a handle.
John did just post a video on the latest “non-jamming” configuration. It is finished off with two overhand knots which he says can be used as handles. It looks like it tried to address the jamming of JRBAH. @MattMan81

Hitches all have pros and cons, and I think some of the cons can mitigated with different cord and rope combinations, some can not.

I’m not as up to date as you guys are. His system and hitches changed and it got too much for me to follow along lol…
I’m sticking to the tried and true Blake’s on my doubled ropes, and schwabisch with a tender on my single lines. They’ve never failed me and I’ve never experienced any issues adjusting or tying them. I like that so many of you guys are supporting John though. He’s trying to develop a bullet proof system and I commend him for that (even if I bust his b@lls a little here and there. I like what he’s trying to accomplish

 

[gcr0003]

I’m not as up to date as you guys are. His system and hitches changed and it got too much for me to follow along lol…
I’m sticking to the tried and true Blake’s on my doubled ropes, and schwabisch with a tender on my single lines. They’ve never failed me and I’ve never experienced any issues adjusting or tying them. I like that so many of you guys are supporting John though. He’s trying to develop a bullet proof system and I commend him for that (even if I bust his b@lbs a little here and there. I like what he’s trying to accomplish

Stupid simple and tried and true are things hunting guys like. That’s why I think John’s climbing methods and hitches don’t catch on as well as they could. There is just too much going on, the things are complicated to tie, and it’s ever changing so you can’t keep up with the latest and greatest. While I’m not a JRBAH fan, I have come to enjoy some of Johns tools such as the Garda foot loop, and the general JRB doubled over stationary rope climbing method with hitches that live on the rope. I used nothing but Michoacán’s and prussics exclusively for a long time but I’m running the Sticht hitch and the WLR through their paces for my JRB climbing set up.

 

[Horn]

I do like the JRBAH but just can't get used to it living on the rope, just don't like that part at all.

But the Garda foot loop is probably permanent kit for me. Light, small, handy. Anytime you need something to stand on it's there. Makes a decent aider too

 

[Brocky]

The cord I was using is also Probe, sold by EWO. I wonder if using a mini plate like this would offer the same control without concern of pull through.

NFPA Mini Rigging Plate

The strongest, lightest and most versatile mini-rigging plate on the market! Manufactured on CNC machines using high quality aluminum for strength, durability and corrosion resistance to provide years of reliable service. The SMC Mini-Rigging Plate is designed for use as the collection point for...

smcgear.com

It will work, but too small of a hole causes the twist to not make contact with the rope and creates pinch points that cause unwanted friction, in the picture with the Probe, switched to it because that was being used. The large hole of the rigging plate would be better, as long as it’s not too large. The original Sticht Hitch on the right, found using a ring puts a bend in the rope which causes the wraps to release easier.


Bridge and LB hitches only have to deal with half your weight, many more choices that work.

 

[Brocky]

Is there a way to show how to tie the synergy X @Brocky and any estimation as to what length of cord is needed?

Make four wraps, making the bottom wrap leg a little more than an inch longer than the top one. Form a c with the bottom wrap, then cross over and under the c with the top wrap leg. Next take the top leg around behind the rope and through the c, pull it all tight, repeat as needed. You should experiment with different numbers of wraps and hitches in the series below them to see the minimum amount of each needed. The picture shows three hitches in the series, progressively loosening to hopefully show what is going on.

48” is the bare minimum, the longer the cord the easier to tie the final knot, and you don’t have to be as careful keeping the ends even.

 

[John RB]

Have you seen the WIld Line Ropes hitch? Apparently it does the same as yours but with no use of metal

The JRB Ascender does not require any metal. The whole idea of having a handle (something rigid to hold onto) is that you can use if if you want to. But nowhere is it prescribed. For example, I had a 400lb guy in my saddle, He could not climb without the handles. He didn't have the strength. And the last few months, I have been working on the non-jamming variant. No metal in it either.