Ridge Lines and prussik knot slippage problems

**cmoulder** · 09-29-2020, 12:27

Sounds like Bachmann maybe.

**nanok** · 09-29-2020, 14:51

Originally Posted by Macca

Wow, that's great information.

I've just tied it as you described above and it does now indeed lock up in both directions.

I think this knot is going into the rotation now, I always went with prusiks before (I don't have issues with them slipping), but this will be great when I don't have a loop handy.

Cheers

Macca

exactly, that's the interesting thing about the blake's, and partly what i meant that it's good to have it in the toolbox, depending on what you have handy: sometimes you have just a tail, and then the friction hitches like the blake's, the farrimond etc are the natural choice, somethimes you have to work with a loop, and then, ahem, well, that's why i carry a knife, don't it? :P.

as a side note, i've been working on a soft shackle style ending for a blake's, so that you can sort of have your cake and eat it (so you can use the blake but if you want you can also have a closeable loop to mimic what a prussick would give you, this way you get the best of both worlds). been testing it for the past few days, and i think it's nearly ready for criticism, so i'll probably post it soon, just need to lineup the lights

**nanok** · 09-29-2020, 14:57

Originally Posted by cougarmeat

One of the tricks when using full sized prusiks with rock climbing gear was to wrap it around a carabiner (parallel to the rope) and line together. This was the prusik style where the loop is wrapped around several times then brought down with the pull end going through the loop. In other words, not that one where the pull line comes down from the center of the wraps.

The point is, that carabiner, bound to the line with the constricting loops, acted as a handle to slide the knot along the rope. So, with the smaller ≤ 2.5mm line, I’m thinking a person could use a mini-biner (sold by many vendors with their logo on it), in the same way - as a handle to slide the knot where you want it. That may alleviate some of the binding problem where the knot won’t let go.

that's a different knot, i think indeed the bachman you might be referring to. you just made me realize some people might think of all friction hitches as "some prussik", but i'm not sure how to be clear which one i mean, aside from calling it the symmetric prussik (any ideas how to be non-ambiguous about it?)