Author Topic: Tree Pruner's Knot  (Read 2587 times)

n5pwg

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Tree Pruner's Knot
« on: August 26, 2011, 05:52:37 PM »
Dear Sirs:
Tree pruners in Pasadena, TX are generally about 20 yrs old, weighing about 145 lbs. They throw their rope (multibraided plastic) over an upper limb first. Then they pull themselves up to the level desired, carrying their short chain saw. They use some kind of strange knot to secure themselves at that level, so that both hands are free to cut limbs. The knot does not at all resemble the Prussik knot. They seem able to lock or unlock the knot, allowing them to pull up to a higher level, or lower themselves.

One pruner told me the knot, which seems to be larger than a fist, was a "monkey knot." But I have found out that the monkey knot is used only to permit the user to throw a line, as from a boat to the dock. One pruner said he learned the knot in the military. The pruner uses no mechanical gadgets, metal devices.

Any clue as to what this knot is?
Thanks a mega

Jay

Dan_Lehman

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Re: Tree Pruner's Knot
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2011, 06:22:02 PM »
Greetings, n5pwg!

There are many "friction" hitches used by treeclimbers,
so your question can't be answered with any surety without
further information (unless there is some strong indication
by the military reference --I'd guess "Blake's hitch" or
"tautline" (and a different "t--" than Boy Scouts use, this!)).

For a good read about the "Genealogy of Climbing Knots",
read that like-titled paper by Mark Adams (and the years-later
"Climbing Hitches -- Addenda & Corrigenda"), which appear
as, resp., the 18th- & 13th-listed items via the site linked to
below:

www.treebuzz.com/articles.php


Btw, when you say "plastic rope", I imagine either of the
monofilament, usually bright-colored poly-propylene/-ethylene
ropes; but what arborists use is multifilament polyester or nylon.

--dl*
====

roo

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Re: Tree Pruner's Knot
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2011, 06:36:42 PM »
The pruner uses no mechanical gadgets, metal devices.
Can you provide more details?  Is there not even a carabiner or some equivalent structure on a climbing harness being used?  Are they moving up a stationary rope, or does the rope terminate at the climber?  Anything you can remember would help determine if a Munter's Mule or a related structure like a Halter Hitch on the Bight is being used.
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Atomic

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Re: Tree Pruner's Knot
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2011, 08:34:17 PM »
A guy that works for a right of way clearance company showed me one once that would hold when not messed with but slip while holding it. I came on the tail end of the discussion so I didn't get to see him tying it. Looked a lot like a rolling hitch. It was tied in a short rope and the other long rope that went over a limb was allowed to slip up or down to position him.

n5pwg

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Re: Tree Pruner's Knot
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2011, 12:54:38 AM »
Dear Dan Lehr, roo,ATOMIC:
Thanks for help about Tree Pruners' Knot.
Answers to your questions as follows:
Dan Lehr-  Thanks for lead to Mark Adams' articles, very interesting.Yes, I think their ropes are polyester, not simply"plastic."
roo-  reasonably sure the climber was connected to his harness.From the harness the rope extends upwards traveling over a limb, then downward to the ground, hanging free; the climber pulls his weight upwards or lowers himself with both hands on this downward hanging rope.I don't recall seeing the connection from the knot to the harness (the next time I get the trees pruned I will be more observant.
ATOMIC- your description agrees with what I saw.
Jay, n5pwg

Atomic

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Re: Tree Pruner's Knot
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2011, 02:36:55 AM »
I work on powerlines and occasionally we run across the right of way crews. I've seen most of them climb to height with hooks and the rope used as a positioning strap. On the way up they trim off the limbs then rappel down or swing to another tree. Once though I saw a guy throw a monkey fist over a limb then drag his rappelling line over it and secure it to a rope on his D ring. Then he did some sort of hunch move and climbed it without hooks. A braver man than I am, especially considering the rotten looking limb he chose to trust with his life.

If I ever get back to my normal working area and run into the crew that showed me the knot I'll get him to teach it to me. We were shipped off to another area for 6 weeks at the end of Feb. We still have about 3 months of the 6 weeks left.

 

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