cavemancolumbus
New member
Which family of knots (fig of 8 or bowline) is best to use when rigging, and why?
knots for rigging
- Thread starter cavemancolumbus
- Start date
cavemancolumbus
New member
sorry, should have asked it differently.
I have been rigging for a couple of years now and just wondered what the advantages and disadvantages of each family are?
ie. why use a douple fig of 8 on the blight as opposed to a doubled bowline on the blight?
I have been rigging for a couple of years now and just wondered what the advantages and disadvantages of each family are?
ie. why use a douple fig of 8 on the blight as opposed to a doubled bowline on the blight?
cap n chris
Well-known member
bight, surely?.. or is it bite?
bubba
Administrator
Sorry, it sounded like a beginner's question 
I'm not sure - I always use fig 8's though used to use alpine butterflys as well.
I've always been under the impression that the choice between fig-8 and bowline was just down to personal preference but I'm not entirely sure about that.
I'm not sure - I always use fig 8's though used to use alpine butterflys as well.
I've always been under the impression that the choice between fig-8 and bowline was just down to personal preference but I'm not entirely sure about that.
It is all personal taste
I use fig 8, bowlines and butterflies, all in the 'single' (i.e. only 1 loop) versions.
Bowlines - easy to tie rope end straight onto things, and to get undone again. Need a stopper, but easy to adjust.
Fig 8 - easy to tie, hard to cock up, but sometimes a bit of a pig to untie after heavy loading, or to adjust.
Alpine butterfly - my fave. Easy to tie, untie and adjust. Have pretty well replaced 8's in my rigging as they seem to have no disadvantages if you know how to tie them.
IMHO (I know many disagree) don't bother with the faffy 'more than 1 loop' knots - they look pretty but guzzle rope and (I find) are tricky to adjust.
I use fig 8, bowlines and butterflies, all in the 'single' (i.e. only 1 loop) versions.
Bowlines - easy to tie rope end straight onto things, and to get undone again. Need a stopper, but easy to adjust.
Fig 8 - easy to tie, hard to cock up, but sometimes a bit of a pig to untie after heavy loading, or to adjust.
Alpine butterfly - my fave. Easy to tie, untie and adjust. Have pretty well replaced 8's in my rigging as they seem to have no disadvantages if you know how to tie them.
IMHO (I know many disagree) don't bother with the faffy 'more than 1 loop' knots - they look pretty but guzzle rope and (I find) are tricky to adjust.
I use alpine butterflies, fig 8s and bowlines on the bight. Alpine butterflies will do for almost anything, but if there is single point rebelay I would usually use a fig 8 as the rope hangs straight down from the knot, therefore it is easier to undo afterwards, and it looks prettier.
The best bet for info has already been mentioned, life on a line - lists all the strengths, applications and drawbacks of numerous knots that best suit rope rescue work.
The main differences are that the fig8 on the bight uses a lot more rope than the bowline on the bight but the fig8 does have a higher breaking strength.
I personally find the bowline on the bight quicker to tie, less bulky and easier to adjust, so more often than not use that when I need a y-hang.
The main differences are that the fig8 on the bight uses a lot more rope than the bowline on the bight but the fig8 does have a higher breaking strength.
I personally find the bowline on the bight quicker to tie, less bulky and easier to adjust, so more often than not use that when I need a y-hang.
H
Huw Groucutt
Guest
yes bowline on the bight for y-hangs. Fig-8 for most other things. Mainly because with a y hang you need to able to precisely alter the lengths, whilst for other uses where precise length is more important a figure of 8 is more secure, and looks nicer imho!
For a thread through an eyehole or something like that a standard bowline can be easier than a rethreaded figure of 8. Though bowlines supposidly come ondone easier, should be ok if you do it tight and do a couple of half hitches after.
Figure of 9 somtimes, saw somewhere than 9mm rope tied with figure of 9 is stronger than 10 mm rope tied with figure of 8. But the 9 does use more rope.
Butterfly good for things like mid traverse attachments, this is because the rope comes out at either side horizontally, rather than vertical as with sig 8 etc.
For a thread through an eyehole or something like that a standard bowline can be easier than a rethreaded figure of 8. Though bowlines supposidly come ondone easier, should be ok if you do it tight and do a couple of half hitches after.
Figure of 9 somtimes, saw somewhere than 9mm rope tied with figure of 9 is stronger than 10 mm rope tied with figure of 8. But the 9 does use more rope.
Butterfly good for things like mid traverse attachments, this is because the rope comes out at either side horizontally, rather than vertical as with sig 8 etc.
Does anybody else have problems with Bowlines on the Bight for Y hangs?
I have found on numerous occasions that they have slipped off to the side even after making quite sure that they are 'set' correctly and after one particularly embarrassing occurence I decided to give in completely and now use Figure of 8s on the bight all the time for shared anchors - at least they stay put, though are marginally slower to adjust and more difficult to untie after loading.
I have found on numerous occasions that they have slipped off to the side even after making quite sure that they are 'set' correctly and after one particularly embarrassing occurence I decided to give in completely and now use Figure of 8s on the bight all the time for shared anchors - at least they stay put, though are marginally slower to adjust and more difficult to untie after loading.
ian mckenzie
New member
One drawback of the bowline is that if you tug on the tail you can untie the knot (assuming its not been loaded). So if you've rigged with a bowline, and the first chap on grabs the handy tail before clipping in... oh dear. More of a theoretical problem as most cavers tie a keeper-knot in the tail, but note that its the only commonly used knot that has this risk.
I use a bowline for tying round my waist, or round a big boulder or pillar, but not for anything else where butterfly and 'eight reign supreme.
I use a bowline for tying round my waist, or round a big boulder or pillar, but not for anything else where butterfly and 'eight reign supreme.
