no hardware guyline tensioner (blake hitch variant)

[nanok]

this is an example of using the "uni-shackle" i was playing with as a line tensioner that can be easily removed from the tarp if desired. similar to the VT based one i showed a while ago, it is one hand operation, and requires no knot knowledge once installed on the tarp. it's basically a soft detachable linelock, but a lot more versatile in terms of line diameter accepted (and, i would argue, also less fidly, but that up for debate, testing in the field will show i guess)

this one has the advantages that it is a bit easier to install than the VT, it's single strand, and it's more compact (because of the blake hitch being more compact). the only disadvantage is that it is not as jam proof as the VT is, but it's still pretty good (light years better than the prusik)

the only addition to the "uni-shackle" to make this work is an additional butterfly loop, that serves as the tending pulley. using the capture loop of the shackle for this is not a solution (it will likely open the shackle).

in the picture, the steel quick link represents the tarp tieout, the left side of the green line would be the loose end (which you would pull to tighten the guyline), the right side would be the one going to the stake or whatever anchor you have. releasing tension is just a matter of grabbing the end of the blake opposite to the tarp, and pushing it towards the tarp. tensioning just by pulling on the loose end of the guyline.

IMG_20210419_204457.jpg-small-uni-spliced.jpg

[AmberG]

That looks cool! I was wondering how well a Blake hitch would work, I don’t remember ever seeing anyone mention it.

[Bartolo]

This is my first post... and I don´t speak English very well...
I don´t know if we could use the Michoacan Climbing Hitch. It is more compact and smaller...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qPcToOKxMA

[Caconym]

Maybe I'm a bit slow. I just put accessory cord prusik loops on my tarp tie-out points. What advantages does this system have over that?

[nanok]

That looks cool! I was wondering how well a Blake hitch would work, I don’t remember ever seeing anyone mention it.

hey Amber. i did mention it a few times, but only in passing, in context of other threads, and never "showed it". some people mentioned they do use the blake for guylines and like it (but this is a bit different with the tending loop and the soft shackle connection integrated)

This is my first post... and I don´t speak English very well...
I don´t know if we could use the Michoacan Climbing Hitch. It is more compact and smaller...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qPcToOKxMA

hey Bartolo, welcome to the forum, and thanks for bringing up the Michoacan, it is interesting indeed, and i've been meaning to play with it, but keep forgetting (too many knots, not enough hours ). please let us know how it works, if you try it

Maybe I'm a bit slow. I just put accessory cord prusik loops on my tarp tie-out points. What advantages does this system have over that?

the prusik at the tieout is the same basic concept, indeed. this is meant to improve on it in a few ways (in other words, if you like the prusik, you will likely enjoy this even more, i'd be particularly curious if you do, if you get to try it)

the ways in which this is "better" are:

- it integrates a tending loop, which means to tighten the guyline, you just need to pull on the tail of the guyline hanging at tieout, you don't need to grab the knot and pull at the same time, so you can do it one handed. it's a small thing, but sometimes it can be nice to have it easy
- the blake is much less jam prone than the prusik. under extreme load it might jam a little bit, but in my testing it never really jams tight, and it comes back to normal very easily. this also means that, in order to take some tension off the guyline, you just grab the knot and push towards the tarp (so, again, one handed)
- integrating the soft shackle might be nice for people who like to have the guylines separate from the tarp, or switch guyline sets between multiple tarps etc

in any case, i'd say try it if it intrigues you, it only takes a minute or two to tie one, and it would definitely be interesting to see feedback on how it works for somebody else (you know how it is when testing something you designed: you "know" how it works, so you're likely to miss little things which could be improved, as you work around them automatically)

[Caconym]

Oh, I "get it" now. When you pull the tail towards the stake end the tending loop acts like your fingers to push up against the back of the knot and run it down the line. Ingenious.
I've got some Glowire on the way to replace my reflective paracord tie-outs, so when that arrives I'll play around with your setup and see how I like it.

Edit. Just went to look up the Blake hitch on YouTube and see lots of climbers using hardware tenders, which I assume was your first version?
Edit edit. Dear god! The rabbit hole of friction hitches. I hold you responsible for this. I think my preference is for a neat knot, and the Blake hitch is kinda ugly, lol.

[cmoulder]

That looks cool! I was wondering how well a Blake hitch would work, I don’t remember ever seeing anyone mention it.

I've been using it for several years for my tarp guy lines, among other things. adjustable_loop_with_blake_s_hitch.jpg

With Glowire/Guywire it has never slipped so much as a micron.

[cmoulder]

and the Blake hitch is kinda ugly, lol.

C'mon, how many knots replicate interesting hand gestures?

blakes hitch.jpg

[nanok]

Oh, I "get it" now. When you pull the tail towards the stake end the tending loop acts like your fingers to push up against the back of the knot and run it down the line. Ingenious.

that's exactly the idea yeah, and as you said below, i considered using some pulley for tending like arborists do, but in practice it proved plenty suffiecient to have just a loop, for guylines. it also makes it cleaner looking and hardware free

I've got some Glowire on the way to replace my reflective paracord tie-outs, so when that arrives I'll play around with your setup and see how I like it.

looking forward to your thoughts on it, and your ideas for improvement.

Edit. Just went to look up the Blake hitch on YouTube and see lots of climbers using hardware tenders, which I assume was your first version?
Edit edit. Dear god! The rabbit hole of friction hitches. I hold you responsible for this. I think my preference is for a neat knot, and the Blake hitch is kinda ugly, lol.

my first version was something similar to this, but based on another fiction hitch, the valdotain tressee (braided valdotain, often refered to as VT). there's a thread on here about that version. below is a 20s video showing how it operates.

i like the VT version, as it is smoother and lower friction once released, it's also quite jam proof (even more so than the blake, in my experience). it's not as compact though, and it's a little bit more involved in terms of initial setup

as to estethics, it's a matter of taste, you might like the VT better? but yeah, friction hitches are a world in themselves, welcome to this branch of the universe :P (i do like the, ahem, statement the blake can make, when tied properly ; edit: cmoulder beat me to it. that's a ...talkative knot )

[nanok]

I've been using it for several years for my tarp guy lines, among other things. adjustable_loop_with_blake_s_hitch.jpg

With Glowire/Guywire it has never slipped so much as a micron.

ah yes, i recall now, when i said "some people here like and use the blake" i meant "namely cmoulder" (seems we're in a club of 2), i just wasn't sure who it was.

i'd be really curious how you like this way of using it that i propose, if you'll have a chance to try it. (the "uni-shackle" is described here, but it's basically just a butterfly loop, and a stopper knot, with one more butterfly loop added in this case to make the tending loop). this way you obtain a blake hitch based detachable lineloc 3, so you get ease of use, no hardware, and the full adjustability (down to nearly the tarp tieout, instead of just half the guyline length). what i particularly like about these solutions (and where it all started, in fact) is that you can tie one of these at camp, having just a piece of string and knowledge, and then hand it to somebody/install it on their tarp, and they can just use it from that point on without your intervention, basically until it breaks (so it has the advantages of knots, but doesn't force the user to learn knots). actually, maybe that's the disadvantage of it?