Blackbird Amsteel knot failure

[Eron]

A stopper knot (or back up knot) is always a good idea with slippery rope and a great idea with any rope when one's life and limb is on the line.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stopper_(knot)

http://www.netknots.com/html/backup_knot.html

I like to splice my amsteel rather than knot.

[Mustardman]

i was tying a double fisherman's for a long time, but switched to the triple fisherman's for extra security.

Were any of the early ones an overhand on a bight? I seem to remember that being somewhere on my early BB, but it might have been the ridgeline. I've screwed with the suspension so many times since then, I honestly can't remember.

[warbonnetguy]

overhand used for RL knot

if you flip the knot over you can count the coils on the back of it. the double will have 4, the triple will have 6.

main thing is to just make sure the knot has tail (should have a 1/2" or so).