Books about north american rope technique.

[9gurikov]

Hello, cavers.

As I know? there two different rope techniques are exist - Single rope technique from Europe and another from America. so I want to learn more about American technique. Can you tell me about some books or another learning materials about this theme.

[UnderGroundEarth]

ON ROPE by Bruce Smith and Allen Padgett. You can purchase it from ON Rope 1 www.onrope1.com.

By Bruce Smith (President and CEO of On Rope 1, Inc.) and Allen Padgett. Revised, 2000.

This new edition has twice the information as the first edition; new illustrations, new chapters, deeper, more thorough analysis of systems, rigging and all facets of SRT. This book is widely recognized as the bible of Single Rope Techniques. It covers all of the basics, and many areas with incredible detail, including every facet of working with rope in a vertical or high angle environment. It covers everything you need to know about ropes, knots, harnesses, rappelling, ascending, and belaying with over 700 detailed drawings. It is highly recommended by the National Speleological Society as well as many other professional organizations. Many vertical workers and hobbyists keep their copy handy for quick reference, in their car or truck. Whether you are considering getting on rope for the first time, or are a seasoned veteran looking for an edge, this book will be useful.

[Cody JW]

I agree with Kelly. Every North American vertical caver should have "On Rope".

[knudeNoggin]

ON ROPE by Bruce Smith and Allen Padgett. You can purchase it from ON Rope 1 http://www.onrope1.com.
This new edition has twice the information as the first edition; new illustrations, ...

In the case of knots, I recall finding this largely a step backwards
--something to do with the 1st ed.'s illustrator's not giving (freely)
copyright/use of her images for the 2nd. (As the 2nd ed. was only
seen by me in plastic-sealed on-shelf copies, it took a while before
I got a peek inside.)

... about ropes, knots,
//
Every North American vertical caver should have On Rope.

Every owner of the 2nd ed. should make note that the
edition's presentation of the so-called "Three- / Four- /
<n>-coil Prusik" hitches put the copied images upside-down
--a mis-orientation of the *knot* that will often NOT grip!
(The associated wording was largely neutral to orientation but
for a couple of words, and unless it includes reference to "after Thrun"
--I forget if it does, as 1st ed. does--, which is false, then.
But it's unlikely that most readers have "Thrun" for reference.)-:

Digging ... : a 2005 review comment to arborist Mark Adams,
author of some illuminating accounts of friction hitches
(cf. http://www.treebuzz.com articles/publications)

Hi, Mark, just happened across the article on-line. I'm not
sure that your words convey the point about _On Rope_'s editorial
mistakeS --which was really both editorial AND layout-orial (i.e.,
the images were put upside-down; the editor must've revised text
to match the incorrect images thus).

| In one paragraph, Smith and Padgett state, "This variation provides
| gripping power in the top of the knot?" but, in the next paragraph,
| they say there should be more coils "on the [bottom] of the knot.
| The primary gripping takes place with the friction in these coils"
| (1996, p. 53). A reviewer of this article noted that the text in the
| first edition of On Rope was different from what I have quoted
| here from the second edition. This seems to be an editorial mistake.

The impression most likely taken is that the 1st edition's text
was an editorial mistake; there's nothing to enforce the truth
that the revision is in error. More to the point, your discussion
suggests that there might be some reasonable debate about
the orientation!! --but this is nonsense, for the orientation
shown in the revision, with supposed gripping/extra coils
towards the load ("below" the ends' entry to the knot) WILL
NOT HOLD AT ALL!

Beyond this, I don't have a feeling/recall of how much the
2nd ed.'s knots section matched the 1st's (in presentation,
in initial errors, etc.) or got things better/worse(!), besides
the lousier graphics. (Maybe it's time to make another visit
to the Amazon Marketplace!)

.:. Yes, On Rope --both editions-- is a treasure resource
of information; but it should be critiqued and amended
by insights garnered from myriad rope users et al., which is
facilitated by the Net and forums such as this. Until any 3rd
edition emerges to reflect such comments, owners can just
make their own foot/margin notes --value-added graffiti.

*knudeNoggin*

[Bob Thrun]

Pandra Williams specified that her drawings would be used only for the first edition of On Rope. I am not sure of the details. Ron Buffington did the drawings for the second edition. I recall a claim that his style was more artistic. I am attaching equivalent drawings from both editions so you can decide what you like.




Regarding the 3-coil Prusik:
In my book, Prusiking, I say "More coils in the top of the knot make it hold better against a downward pull and also make it move upward more easily."
"To tie a 3-coil prusik knot (Figure 5) you must have the end of the standing rope available or retie the prusik sling after tying the prusik knot"

On Rope 1st edition says "It is important that at least two of the turns end up on the "top" of the knot. The primary gripping takes place with the friction in these coils (fig. 3-c)."

On Rope 2nd edition says "It is important that at least two of the turns end up on the "Bottom" of the knot. The primary gripping takes place with the friction in these coils (Fig 3-29)."

Between the drawings and text in the two editions, it is as if the words top and bottom were reversed.