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  1. #1
    Senior Member Baka Dasai's Avatar
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    Bridge suspension: amsteel "noose" instead of dogbones?

    I'm considering making a bridge hammock, and had an idea for the suspension. Instead of using a couple of dogbones at each end, I'd like to use a single piece of amsteel with a spliced "noose" similar to the noose in Tacblades' improved softshackles. Threaded through that noose could be the adjustable end of a whoopie, or a continuous loop, or (my preference) a soft shackle.

    At each end of the amsteel would be an eye-splice, which I'd larks-head to the hammock. I'd insert the spreader-bar tips into that larkshead, which should tighten down around it.

    Here's a very professional diagram:

    bridge-ends.jpg

    Thoughts?

    (I'm new to bridge hammocks, and missed all the history of their development, so the pros and cons of this might be well-known. But not to me )

  2. #2
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Baka Dasai, it might work great.
    Are you going to make a prototype?
    I've never tried a bridge hammock.
    I'm seeing more bridge hammocks all the time.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    I have thought about doing this also but could not figure out how you would larkshead both ends. How would you do that?

  4. #4
    Senior Member FJRpilot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grubbster View Post
    I have thought about doing this also but could not figure out how you would larkshead both ends. How would you do that?
    Details, details...


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  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by FJRpilot View Post
    Details, details...


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Details? My knowledge of how to larkshead involves passing one end of the line through the fixed loop. After you larkshead one end to the hammock there is not a free end. How would you attach the second end?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by grubbster View Post
    Details? My knowledge of how to larkshead involves passing one end of the line through the fixed loop. After you larkshead one end to the hammock there is not a free end. How would you attach the second end?
    Put your thumb and index finger through the loop from underneath. Spread them wide making the loop into a triangle. Rotate your hand over the loop. Pinch. Slide Lark's head from thumb/finger to spreader bar tip.
    20171108_081718_1510147155955_resized.jpg20171108_081737_1510147153624_resized.jpg20171108_081756_1510147151765_resized.jpg20171108_081808_1510147150180_resized.jpg20171108_081824_1510147148522_resized.jpg
    Last edited by GreatBigDave; 11-08-2017 at 08:23.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by GreatBigDave View Post
    Put your thumb and index finger through the loop from underneath. Spread them wide making the loop into a triangle. Rotate your hand over the loop. Pinch. Slide Lark's head from thumb/finger to spreader bar tip.
    20171108_081718_1510147155955_resized.jpg20171108_081737_1510147153624_resized.jpg20171108_081756_1510147151765_resized.jpg20171108_081808_1510147150180_resized.jpg20171108_081824_1510147148522_resized.jpg
    Yes, but how would you get that attached to the hammock? Perhaps I am not being clear. On a bridge hammock with hardware ends, such as Dutch sells or the Ridgerunner, how would you attach the larkshead through the hardware hole once the hammock is assembled?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by grubbster View Post
    Yes, but how would you get that attached to the hammock? Perhaps I am not being clear. On a bridge hammock with hardware ends, such as Dutch sells or the Ridgerunner, how would you attach the larkshead through the hardware hole once the hammock is assembled?
    Ahh, I misread the original post. I was under the impression that the intention was to put the lark's head on the spreader bar tip.

  9. #9
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    I would just skip the noose.

    I did that with a few micro bridge prototypes to save a little rope (about 16")... not a bad deal when going one at a time.
    If you skip the noose you also have a self leveling bridge (sorta)... so guess the noose can't hurt but you have to be pretty accurate with your splicing to get it all right.

    Anyway-
    Grubbster is quite correct- the challenge is the second larkshead.

    Great big Dave presented half a solution- the second half of his solution is that you have to sew the webbing loop closed around the larkshead.
    The advantage there is you can get all your splicing done and balanced out. Once you're good- you form the larkshead, feed the webbing through it, then sew the webbing loop closed.

    If you prefer to complete all the sewing first; you have to splice one end of the dogbone (and add the noose if you want it).
    Then you pull the unspliced end of the dogbone through the webbing and complete the fixed eye splice over the rope.

    I kept it simple ( I just spliced the loop onto itself) which technically isn't a true larkshead but seemed to work just fine.
    I don't really see the functional difference once you dress it but a knot nerd or two pointed out some minor technicality I can't recall.

    This idea does save a few grams but it complicated things to the point I abandoned it. If you don't get your splicing perfect the bridge is out of balance.
    Adding the noose... seems like a simple idea but you'd have to nail a perfect spot and it may create a premature wear point.
    In theory you could do a larger loop for your noose, but that shortens the dog bone length and may have other unintended consequences.


    Great Big Dave:
    The larks head is structurally through the webbing... so passing it over the pole tip only is no bueno.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Bill View Post
    Great Big Dave:
    The larks head is structurally through the webbing... so passing it over the pole tip only is no bueno.
    Thanks for the something new I learned today. I know almost nothing about bridge hammockery but I throw those girth hitches all the time.

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