Blake's Hitch Master Class

[@HornerHunts]

Aways exciting to see new JRB videos. I’ve used quite a few of your creations over the last year and intend to implement more this year as I practice in the off season.

[@jrbtc]

Excellent. Appreciate your comment. I have a lot in the works!

[@j-jlevy]

Yes yes yes. Loved it. Every variants especially the very last one. The adjustable one on the carbs-bean. Inside joke for my boys and I when we were out on assignments.

[@jrbtc]

That one deserves its own video and I will get to it soon.

[@j-jlevy]

Look forward to it

[@mikedranginis8677]

I've used the blake's now for a simple bow sling. Took a piece of paracord and scaffold knot to one end of the riser and tied a blake's hitch onto the sling itself after feeding through the other end of the riser. Easy to adjust, light, out of the way, and just so dang simple. Looking forward to the mechanical implementations. I see a deer hoist in the making out of something like that final device you showed. Looking forward to it.

[@jrbtc]

Your one step ahead brother. Cheers

[@chrisc8474]

JRB I think I see where this is going and I refer to your screen shot from the other day with the LAH DRST , with the double shove one handed. Brilliant idea .. can’t wait to see it . Stay safe and keep up the great work that you do.

[@jrbtc]

Well, you may have thought of something i haven't lol! Actually, i do have some Blake's hitch applications and wanted to have a foundational video to refer. If I was better organized, i would have done this video before the Non-mechanical Adjustable Bridge video, which used the slipped Blake's. I self filmed that one in the woods which is tough to do. If you have an idea, feel free to send it along by any means you wish. You can leave a comment on the website if you prefer. jrbtreeclimbing.com/content/feedback/

[@chrisc8474]

I will play around with my thoughts on that and let you know how it works out.., thanks for everything 👍👍

[@jrbtc]

@@chrisc8474 excellent. We are one team.

[@bradleyrobinson8316]

You are a wealth of information. Thank you!

[@jrbtc]

I appreciate your comment. I'm doing what I can.

[@j-jlevy]

I also like the fact that you gave credit where credit was due. And yes historically several people will come up with, either the same, or similar ideas or inventions. But ego monetarily based emotions always get in the way. Worse than kids in a sandbox.

[@jrbtc]

As i introduced each my own knots, I knew there is a good chance that someone has published them before and so that's why I ask and volunteer to take down my videos and replace em with one that gives credit. So far, none were known to have been published though. I am trying. And it's not about ego. It's about growing.

[@j-jlevy]

Agreed,, totally

[@frictionhitch]

A great and I think indispensable use of the Blake's is as a spider line. I have used a 5/2 Blake's many times to bring a limb out of a tree at the same orientation that it is at before I make my cut. You tip tie a limb and then grab another rope. You butt tie the second rope and then tie the running end with a Blake's to the main line. This gives you an adjustment point on the top side that you can use(with an experienced ground crew) to determine the right angle for the Butt tie off(I use a simple clove backed up by a bowline). Now you have a cradle that will give extreme control of the limb that you are removing. You can also use a Blake's to provide the climber with butt control however I don't think I can describe that in the comments section. I could try but I won't

[@jrbtc]

Thx. I am assuming you KNOW your stuff with a name like yours. Hope u like the Longhorn Agile

[@1LongTallTexan]

Just starting to learn about rope climbing to do some tree trimming. WOW!! There is a lot to learn, really know and develop into what you are about to do....before you climb. Fasinating and demanding all at once for me. Thanks for this detailed video on the Blakes Hitch.

[@jrbtc]

Blakes is a good place to start. But you will find it difficult. Overcoming the friction requires some technique with body thrust and timing. It's good to learn these techniques. But I no longer Ascend on a moving rope system

[@shermanhofacker4428]

I started using the hitch in early 70s as an improvement to the taunt line hitch when I started tree trimming. I make it with a three over two hitch. I almost immediately started tying a second with the tail to make it self tending!

[@jrbtc]

Cool. I am glad to know the history. I have a buddy who has never moved off the Tautline. You call it "3 over 2". In my circles, they call that a 5/2.

[@Kaizen747]

You started using it before the creator in the 80s? 😮

[@shermanhofacker4428]

@Kaizen747 he wasn't the creator of the hitch, just the one to popularize it! I'm sure others independently developed the hitch before I did! I taught it to at least a dozen young climbers, both around here and when i worked on the west coast, before it was popular as the Blake's hitch. I still use it often when climbing but never use a stopper and have never had a problem.

[@jrbtc]

@shermanhofacker4428 it's excellent to have this information. I am sure you could tell me some stories. Thank you for your comment and for making the world a bit smaller as we share.

[@josephwong1697]

Thanks for your sharing.

[@jrbtc]

Appreciate that. Happy to do so.

[@severogarcia-k6f]

Thank you sir..,I have learned a lot❤️

[@DavidWilliams-wr4wb]

i’ve been climbing professionally for 44 years and i might have used a😮😮😮 blake’s hitch 2 times 😊, now prusik ive used a million times , i use a prusik every time i climb, i just recently started using the little 1/2” x24” and 12” sewn loops , im not gonna lie , i was scared to use them at first because their size scared me lol i guess im slow because i climbed for years before the blake’s was invented and im still here 😊

[@jrbtc]

@DavidWilliams-wr4wb I sincerely appreciate your experience and comment. You are likely climbing MRS/DRT, and that's not the most difficult test to pass, particularly with the large diameter ropes that arbs use. If you want a true test of a friction hitch, try a non mechanical SRT climb using 6mm cord on 8mm ropes. You won't break a Prusik. A Blake's is close to impossible too. But I can always break a Longhorn Agile Hitch.

[@lucastelesbm918]

Amazing content! Thanks!!

[@jrbtc]

@@lucastelesbm918 I appreciate that. You should check out the entire knot tying playlist. I have a lot of my original work in there

[@LuisRuiz-sv2mz]

Not surprised history is done the same way.

[@jasondavis1453]

great vid thanks I just started and found the blakes hitch to get real tight I'm about 260lbs

[@jrbtc]

I don't recommend climbing on a Blakes hitch except in an emergency situation. There are many better performing hitches.

[@johnogle4585]

Good evening sir I'm new to saddle hunting and im trying to find a safe to decend after hunting. I'm watching your videos and am probably missing something but I'm trying to find a safe way to decend using a knot, so I'll have the ability to stop and remove my steps on the way down. I will be climbing with a linemans belt and tether. Sorry if this is confusing

[@jrbtc]

I prefer to climb a rope up and down a tree, which requires no tether and no Linemans and no sticks. But if you only want to rappel, here's how I do it. There's separate videos on the friction hitch. This video used the JRB Ascender 523. But lately, I prefer the Longhorn Agile hitch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaatf6yNia2FrM0si=BuD17I_9jFnGUEaV

[@LuisRuiz-sv2mz]

All great thanks

[@jrbtc]

Thanks Luiz.

[@bradleyrobinson8316]

I have a question regarding using a Blake's hitch for srt climbing on oplux. Reason I want to use oplux is I have a bunch. I like it for my purposes. My question, is it practical to use the Blake's hitch as a mid line anchor, use a hand ascender above with a foot loop for ascending. And rappell down with a figure eight and Blake's as a back up. Or is there a better srt method for sterling 8mm oplux?

[@jrbtc]

Non mechanical SRT on an 8mm rope is fairly aggressive, simply due to the limited surface area. But it is doable and I have done it plenty. But I would NOT recommend Blakes Hitch for it. I recommend getting 6ft of Sterling TRC and tying a Longhorn Agile Hitch. And I prefer my Garda Hitch as the footloop. Lots of info on my website. jrbtreeclimbing.com/content/length-specs/

[@donaldpulliam9153]

Well, you can give the credit to Heinz Prohaska as he is the originator of the knot during recorded history, but the knot probably predates recorded history as it is not extremely complex, l understand why you give him the credit though, as he is considered the source of the knot as we know it, however, you could elaborate some, maybe say "he is the first person in recorded history to discover/create this knot", not the first but the first as far as we can tell

[@donaldpulliam9153]

Not trying to be a "Know-it-all" or anything but I wish there was a way to be sure that some Native American Indian, Egyptian, or other ancient culture didn't come up with this knot 1000-8000 yrs ago because I think credit should be given where it is due, "I can just imagine if it was my knot, my life's work, my masterpiece then I would be upset if I didn't get credit" but it's not a problem that you can fix, just one of those things, so Que Sera Sera

[@jrbtc]

@donaldpulliam9153 I also wish there was a way to be sure. If you watch the videos where I have introduced my own original knots, the first thing I do is ask if anyone is aware of it. So far, that hasn't happened but surely it will at some point. jrbtreeclimbing.com/content/innovations/

[@jasondavis1453]

also are some ropes better than others for a blakes hitch

[@jrbtc]

Yes that is explained in the video. I demonstrated how to pinch the rope and determine if its bendable enough to allow it to wrap around itself. If you're climbing on a Blakes, build an open system with a dedicated split tail which is bendable.