Know what HMS stands for?

[RobKeyzor]

Does anyone know what HMS stands for - as in HMS Carabiners (not HMS Ark Royal)?

Regards

[Taylor L. Hamel]

"Halbmastwurf Sicherung"

 

The Munter Hitch.

[morten]

"Halbmastwurf Sicherung"

 

... which is German for...

 

Half-Mast-Throw Securing

 

(not a clue what it means, though)

[patD]

... which is German for...

 

Half-Mast-Throw Securing

 

(not a clue what it means, though)

 

Short explanation:

The Clove hitch is called "Mastwurf" in German which means something like "a throw around the mast" (from the old usage of the hitch in shipping).

The Munter hitch is called "Halbmastwurf" which means "a half clove hitch" - i think if you look at the two hitches this point is clear.

 

So because you use the special form of these carabiners for belaying with the Halbmastwurf-Sicherung (munter hitch securing) they are called HMS Carabiners.

Edited May 11, 2010 by patD

[morten]

Short explanation:

The Clove hitch is called "Mastwurf" in German which means something like "a throw around the mast" (from the old usage of the hitch in shipping).

The Munter hitch is called "Halbmastwurf" which means "a half clove hitch" - i think if you look at the two hitches this point is clear.

 

So because you use the special form of these carabiners for belaying with the Halbmastwurf-Sicherung (munter hitch securing) they are called HMS Carabiners.

 

You really ought to put that explanation on the Wikipedia topic Munter hitch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Rupe]

I think your all missing something simple here.......

 

Munter hitch can be put on any karabiner, so its nothing to do with that.

 

HMS = HeMi Spherical. i.e. offset, or curved to one side, as apposed to being symetrical on both sides like the old style pear shaped ones were.

 

The term has been in use since the eighties at least, and back then a munter hitch was called an italian hitch anyway and so has nothing to do with the HMS name.

[High Scale]

Nice one Rupe.

[patD]

Munter hitch can be put on any karabiner, so its nothing to do with that.

Theoretically.

If you are belaying with the munter hitch and you switch the direction the whole hitch has to turn around in the carabiner. Using carabiners with a smaller diameter, this is a problem.

Especially in rock climbing or ice climbing where you often use double or twin ropes, so that two ropes are running through the carabiner.

 

And for this special case Werner Munter introduced the munter hitch as belay system in 1969/1970 (the hitch himself is mutch older).

 

HMS = HeMi Spherical. i.e. offset, or curved to one side, as apposed to being symetrical on both sides like the old style pear shaped ones were.

 

The term has been in use since the eighties at least, and back then a munter hitch was called an italian hitch anyway and so has nothing to do with the HMS name.

 

Munter himself introduced the hitch in Switzerland as "Halbmastwurf" and his belay method as "Halbmastwurfsicherung" at the beginning of the seventies, the other names were added later as you said.

 

If you look at this page:

"To climbers, this knot is also known as HMS, the abbreviation for the German term Halbmastwurfsicherung, meaning 'half hitch belay.' Therefore, carabiners used for this belaying technique are called HMS carabiners, however the technique can be used with any locking carabiner wide enough to take two turns of the rope."

 

But i think your explanation is more pleasing for English-speaking persons.

For German-speaking people the term "Halbmastwurfsicherung" is terribly enough.

[Rupe]

Ok, in this country then HMS means Hemi Spherical. It refers to the shape of the biner, not what it may or may not be used for.