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Over the Center Buckle strap for the platform

ADKMtnTrapper said:
I finally bought two otc buckles and i am having trouble getting mine tight enough on the tree do you guys have any tips to help get it tighter?
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Are you using the black OCB? How big is the tree that you are using it on? The smaller trees are really tough to get it tight on if the buckle is approaching the diameter of the tree. When I set it up, I pull the strap as tight as I can with the buckle all the way open and positioning my steps where I want them. While pulling the strap as tight as I can so that no slack gets into it, I swing it around to close it. Sometimes if I can't get it really tight right away, I will pull the lever back and forth while I am pulling the tag end, this pulls some more slack out before I cinch it down the final time.
 
redsquirrel said:
DaveT1963 said:
Red I am liking this buckle on the boat strap. What strap are you using? I totally gave up on the over center buckle as it is way to hard to tighten and loosen on the tree (pull the strap through). For now, unless I can find a good strap for this new buckle, I am going back to the ratchet strap as if you use your hand you can almost totally eliminate the sound. This little buckle has promise though if I can find a good strap and if there was one just a tad bigger/stronger.
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So far I am liking this buckle a lot. It is way smaller, lighter and more compact than the other one. I am using the strap off of one of the plastic ameristeps, I used it with the other buckle as well. I took the buckle off of the strap that it came with and threaded it on to mine. This little buckle is impressive. I have to leave the strap a little loose otherwise I won't be able to get the buckle around to lock it in. As long as I do that though I don't have any trouble tightening or loosening on the tree.
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Have you spent much time in tree using this buckle yet? I am just wondering about how it will hold up. Man, if someone would just beef this design up and make it a little stouter this is the way to go over a ratchet strap on cam over buckle for sure.

I will be using this new buckle this year. I weigh in at 206 pounds so I am not a little dude. so far I am totally impressed with this little buckle and how tight it gets. It is easy to adjust and doesn't slip. My only question is will it hold up to long days of use? I like it so much I ordered 5 more as I know how murphy's law goes - as soon as you find something that works they stop making it. Great find Red!
 
ADKMtnTrapper said:
Thanks for the help RED, this is the buckle i bought to try:

http://customtiedowns.com/product2.php? ... =1&store=1

I will try tonight with the way you do it, i tried several ways and its to loose to step on and it seems like it loosens up over time.... The tree i practice on is about a 12" diameter tree so its plenty big enought IMO.
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Ok, that buckle looks similar to one of the first buckles I tried. I could never get it to work well due to its design. Let me know if you figure something out. I was using a big OCB for a 2 inch strap on my 1 inch strap last year and it was working well but I have been looking for something more compact. I've been using this buckle so far this year and it is working pretty good. I took it completely off the straps it came with and just put it on mine. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00144 ... ge_o04_s00
 
RS - In the pictures it looks like you have S hooks and multiple straps coming off the buckle you recommend. Is it possible to use this buckle with a single endless loop style strap?
 
What I did was order a flat hook 1 inch nylon strap from strap works - this really is a good buckle. I did not think it would be very sturdy or would not slip - so far I am more impressed with it then the larder 2 inch over cam buckle by far. Not sure if it will be tighter then a ratchet strap but so far it is working far better then I ever imagined and it is quiet, way small and easy to pack - all the right ingredients.
 
g2outdoors said:
RS - In the pictures it looks like you have S hooks and multiple straps coming off the buckle you recommend. Is it possible to use this buckle with a single endless loop style strap?
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I cut everything that came with the buckle off. So in the end it becomes just like a ratchet strap or cam buckle strap that you hook the j hook onto. I keep the buckle threaded all the time and just adjust for tree diameter, hook j hook to the buckle, adjust my steps and tighten. This little buckle is amazing. It gets tighter than the big one that I was using. I have to keep my strap a little loose or I can't cinch the buckle around, but when it comes around it is nice and tight. I've hunted with this for my platform 5 of the past 7 nights and only had isssues 1 night, when I didn't tighten it enough and was on a tree with gaps in the bark.
 
DaveT1963 said:
so far I am more impressed with it then the larder 2 inch over cam buckle by far. Not sure if it will be tighter then a ratchet strap but so far it is working far better then I ever imagined and it is quiet, way small and easy to pack - all the right ingredients.
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This
 
I picked up the recommended buckle from Amazon. I'll be testing it out this week. Thanks for the heads up.
 
redsquirrel said:
ADKMtnTrapper said:
Thanks for the help RED, this is the buckle i bought to try:

http://customtiedowns.com/product2.php? ... =1&store=1

I will try tonight with the way you do it, i tried several ways and its to loose to step on and it seems like it loosens up over time.... The tree i practice on is about a 12" diameter tree so its plenty big enought IMO.
Click to expand...

Ok, that buckle looks similar to one of the first buckles I tried. I could never get it to work well due to its design. Let me know if you figure something out. I was using a big OCB for a 2 inch strap on my 1 inch strap last year and it was working well but I have been looking for something more compact. I've been using this buckle so far this year and it is working pretty good. I took it completely off the straps it came with and just put it on mine. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00144 ... ge_o04_s00
Click to expand...

So i did a little work and i think i figured it out, i have my home made plywood blocks for my platform which hold the webbing away from the bark which was the root of my issue. So i spread the steps apart between my buckle and did what you suggested about working it back and forth to tighten it up and it seems to have worked well and my platform is very snug. I actually found an old boat OTC Buckle that the webbing broke on i totally forgot about so i am going to give that a test run this weekend to see if it works better. That one is identical to the one you posted so we will see!
 
ADKMtnTrapper said:
redsquirrel said:
ADKMtnTrapper said:
Thanks for the help RED, this is the buckle i bought to try:

http://customtiedowns.com/product2.php? ... =1&store=1

I will try tonight with the way you do it, i tried several ways and its to loose to step on and it seems like it loosens up over time.... The tree i practice on is about a 12" diameter tree so its plenty big enought IMO.
Click to expand...

Ok, that buckle looks similar to one of the first buckles I tried. I could never get it to work well due to its design. Let me know if you figure something out. I was using a big OCB for a 2 inch strap on my 1 inch strap last year and it was working well but I have been looking for something more compact. I've been using this buckle so far this year and it is working pretty good. I took it completely off the straps it came with and just put it on mine. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00144 ... ge_o04_s00
Click to expand...

So i did a little work and i think i figured it out, i have my home made plywood blocks for my platform which hold the webbing away from the bark which was the root of my issue. So i spread the steps apart between my buckle and did what you suggested about working it back and forth to tighten it up and it seems to have worked well and my platform is very snug. I actually found an old boat OTC Buckle that the webbing broke on i totally forgot about so i am going to give that a test run this weekend to see if it works better. That one is identical to the one you posted so we will see!
Click to expand...

Nice. So to clarify your wood steps were slipping cause the belt wasnt making enough contact to the tree? Makes sense if you look at surface area of contact. Did you modify the steps or put it on a bigger diameter tree?
 
kenn1320 said:
Nice. So to clarify your wood steps were slipping cause the belt wasnt making enough contact to the tree? Makes sense if you look at surface area of contact. Did you modify the steps or put it on a bigger diameter tree?
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You are correct kenn, there just wasnt enough webbing contacting the tree to tightly bind down onto it. I didn't modify anything i just spread the steps out a little more between the OTC Buckle. For the tree i will be hunting tomorrow it is a 8-10" diameter tree and 3 steps are more then enough for me to manuver around the tree. The more i get used to this type of hunting the more i am realizing most the time less is more!
 
Nice deer! You're using the over center buckle with a different strap? I just set mine up today, I'm anxious to test it out
 
Re:

g2outdoors said:
Nice deer! You're using the over center buckle with a different strap? I just set mine up today, I'm anxious to test it out
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I use a three foot long 1" nylon strap with a flat hook that I ordered from strap works
 
Nice buck Dave!

I love this buckle too. No issues with getting it tight, and I still find that I have to keep the strap a little loose before I lock the buckle down otherwise I can't lock it.

g2- I am just using the strap from one of the ameristeps. I just removed the stiching that had the step stuck in one spot, put my steps on and put the buckle on the other end.
 
DaveT1963 said:
I'm sold on these straps just ordered two more. Took this nice nine point last night with me recurve.


http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx10 ... 5kgmxc.jpg
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Dave,

Nice buck what recurve are you shooting? The photo of the carbiners and stuff on the strap is that the one you are mentioning? I wish when I was shooting and hunting with recurves and longbows that I had a saddle I think they mesh perfectly. If you have another picture of the strap and buckle I'd like to see it.

Thanks,

Roger
 
I'm completely sold on the OCB. If you're still using a ratchet strap, stop now and buy the $10 OCB from Amazon. It is amazing.
 
Re:

g2outdoors said:
I'm completely sold on the OCB. If you're still using a ratchet strap, stop now and buy the $10 OCB from Amazon. It is amazing.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
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