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bow line 1-Dec-2006 At 11:22:23 PM PreferKnitting

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On 30/11/2006 bomber pro wrote:
>I remember reading Lyn Hill's book ,she tells the story of a day out sport
>climbing,when talking to
>another climber about shoes she got sidetracked while tying in to her
>figure 8 knot , easy enough to
>do (Mike Law did it too on boy racer)

Ah! Firstly this story just doesn't seem to add up.... For example, a sport climber using a figure 8 knot? And a climber who predominately climbs on french limestone (I believe she was climbing in Chaimonix - spelling???) whilst this incident occured. It just doesn't make sense ; )

I don't know which knot Mike Law tied in with, but I definitely know the knot Lynn Hill used was a bowline (she spelt it bolin). In an email she wrote to someone, she explains that she began tying in but instead of finishing the knot she began speaking to people and went to put on her shoes, where her shoes were positioned, she didnt think the rope would reach but it did, she then forgot to tie the rest of the knot and her jacket that she was wearing at the time also helped to hide this oversight. And the rest was history.

Anyway, I'm sure any knot would suffice, look at the pioneers, they used body belays and very litte tech gear. I jsut wanted to stir up the community and start up conversation. chockstone can sometimes be so stagnent!

Bomber Pro wrote:
>a rethreaded bowline was not tested, and would at a guess be twice the strength
>value given in these tests

M9 wrote:
>This initial bending is that which has been alluded to as reducing all knots by approximately 50% of >their strength.
As a consequence I doubt your rethread version would be
>twice the strength value

I think M9 is correct here. Any knot/ bend in a rope can't be stronger than a rope with no knot.

From ti link:

>* The mean break strength of a rope with no knot is 5,036.2 ibs
>* The mean breakt strength of a bowline is 3,179.0 ibs
If the rethreaded bowline were twice the this it would exceed the strength of teh rope without a knot!

It might be stonger, but without any research that claim is only heresay.

You're right about the figure 8 being easy to tie and identify. You can look at it and quickly see if it's correct. Great for when it's been a long day and you might be tying into your last climb!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with an old lady who's new to climbing!