"Slatt's Rescue Belt" by TIAT (Video + O-Ring Connection Instructions Added!)

[JD~TIAT]

Over the course of the past few months, I've received four requests
for a video showing how to tie the Slatt's Rescue Belt (see images below).
After a couple of day of practice I believe I have the crocheting technique
sufficiently down to answer those requests.

Reference: http://www.orionn49.com/slatts_rescue_belt_knot1.htm

The images below are the result of my second attempt at the belt; I've
tied five belts to date.



Image 1 - Slatts Rescue Belt in Hand



Image 2 - Slatt's Rescue Belt Detail

Completed with 50 feet of 1/4 inch solid braid nylon, the belt is durable,
flexible and attractive (three major pluses in my book!).

I'll update this post with a link as soon as the video is completed.

Thanks,

JD ~ TIAT

[JD~TIAT]

The brainchild of Philip Slattery, "Slatt's Rescue Belt" is a clever
application of a standard crochet. More popularly seen expanded
and used as the means to create a rope doormat or scarf, the
rescue belt is a slick way to create a shoulder strap, which can
easily be undone to allow use of the rope that created it.

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDIm5bcQRM

My method of starting the belt is different from Stattery's (i.e. I
don't include a buckle), but the systematic crocheting is the same.

Let me know your thoughts regarding the video.

Thanks,

JD of Tying It All Together (TIAT)

[aknotter]

WELL DONE!

[skyout]

Way cool, JD! 

I linked your thread to this one:
http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=1426.0

[hortstu]

Thanks JD,

I really appreciate you tackling this and putting up such an excellent tutorial so quickly.  I'm working on a practice belt now with a piece of used 550# paracord.  It's coming out pretty good considering this is the first try and the line is slightly kinky.

If anyone esle experimenting with this comes up with any interesting attachments for buckles, I'm currently exploring D rings since they're the most adjustable without harming the rope, and calculations/ formulas for belt length vs line length, and number of loops in each section I'd be interested.

Thanks again.

[JD~TIAT]

Hi hortstu

First and foremost, welcome. (smile) This is the place I've chosen to work out the ideas for my videos
and answer questions regarding specific needs, like yours. Further it is a repository of many of the best
tyers in the world. So if I'm not capable of answering a question, someone else here is, for sure.

I wasn't satisfied with the original method for connecting a buckle, or ring, to Slattery's belt, so I came
up with one of my own (see images below). Before performing the procedures outlined below, watch
"How to Make the Slatt's Rescue Belt" (video link above).

First O-Ring Connection:




Second O-Ring Connection:




Note: Simple overhand knots can be used to assure there are no slips off the running ends.

My method of connecting o-rings is based on the principle of alternating friction. That is the more
weight that's bore on the strap, the stronger the belt's hold on the buckle, or ring, will be. In
addition, my method (we can call it the TIAT Method) is contiguous with the elegance of the
original belt design (I'm not of fan of using wire or bulky knots to fix a piece in place).

Take care and keep tying,

JD of TIAT

[SS369]

JD, this is marvelous way to affix the buckle/ring! Just what a knot tyer should do in fact. Yes it is elegant.

I want to thank you again for what you are doing with your video tutorials. It is exactly the thing that should be happening in the Guild!
It inspires me to try doing it.
Youtube or another venue like it is certainly a great place for this as so many people go to these kinds of places. Now if the videos can be tagged so that more and more people, young and old, find them.

Words are a very poor communication method sometimes, but your videos leave no words necessary except > Thank you.

SS

[JD~TIAT]

Wow... SS

Thank you so much.

Much respect,

JD ~

[hortstu]

Thanks for the tips on incorporating the buckle.  The buckles I have right now are not round so I'm having some issues getting the to sit straight.  I'm working on the first belt I plan to finish now.  It is 5 loops wide and the line is about 90' long.  Maybe a little less.  I'll take pictures of the finished product, could be a while, and let everyone know how long the belt ends up being.  The pics might not come out that well since the paracord is black.

Another thing I discovered with the practice runs is that since the paracord is kind of flat i need to twist it to get everything to sit pretty as I go.  I need to hang the belt end every 2 or 3 passes to allow it to dangle and spin so that the cord sets flat again.

Also I'm placing both loop at one end of the belt so that it will be easy to adjust it to the proper length around the waist...

I have to tell you JD I looked at so many "tutorials" on this and just couldnt figure out what was going on.  After watching yours I can't believe I couldn't figure it out.  You make it look so simple. 

Thanks again for the video by request!

[flex59]

After watching your you tube video (not the first I've used, they are all very good by the way!) I gave it ago myself using white 550 para cord ...... it takes time to untwist but that is the nature of the cord.

I then thought that I could add another colour to it. (I am aware that the point of this is that it is 1 whole length, this is just for fun!!) so I added some Blue 550 para cord to the mix, alternating between the white and blue, when passing through the loops of the prior row. This worked quite well..

So I then thought about a 3rd colour.. Pink 550 para cord, yet again alternating between the 3.

Pics to follow
(not too sure how to add them... so here is a link to them on facebook,
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4504170&id=539007151 if this does not work please let me know??!!)

[wood]

Saw Slatt's rescue belt on Stormdrane's blog (sidebar) about a month ago and tried.  After making one I couldn't leave well enough alone. I found that if you started the cord in the middle and alternated working ends, the belt would come out squared instead of on a diagonal. It still pulls out to a cord but the cord pulls must be alternated like it was made. Also by starting in the middle, after two rows, I was able to pull out the bar I used to start it. After removing the bar I pulled everything tight and continued the belt. This left the working ends to loop back through when attaching a buckle.




Yes, I do crochet, it helped me figure this out.

[Kaysler]

@ wood So you hitched your starting the center of the rope with something like a cow hitch? and then each row would get one working end looped through and the next row the alternate working end.... am I understanding correctly? Also your buckle did you attach that on the finished end NOT the start end correct?

@JD - Yourself and Dan are pretty much the single reason i got myself into ropes, I always have had interest but never found sources that illistrated the tying well enough I could easily pick it up...now I am into decorative knotting along with "recreational" knots. TY TY TY TY it can't be stressed enough you two are my knotting mentors when the area i grew up and live in had no sort of scene to turn to for help.

[wood]

That's exactly right! I used the working ends at the end of the belt to weave back through in order to hold the buckle on. The instructions would be the same for Slatt's except for starting in the middle of the rope and the alternating ends. When you pull the cord through the loops, the loop that is formed is the first loop to run the other end through.

[Kaysler]

perfect. I was wanting to use this strap to ornate some other knots I had done and hated them handing off the corner of the strap.

Great knot alteration!

[SpitfireTriple]

@wood: great bit of innovation!