patD

Soapy water works like a charm too. Let it dry for 24 hours and it is a bomber.

Do you have some good links? This would be nice!

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). 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.

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.

Congratulations! I finished my level one last week (not IRATA but FISAT, the german rope access organisation). I hope i could finish my level two in a few month.

Here is the modern version - just use a t-shirt. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uei0fNhmDVw]YouTube - 101 Uses for a T-Shirt #3 Tree Climbing[/ame]

O.K. You are right. But personal i don't like to rappel down on a standing rope with just a friction hitch.

The discussion was about rope climing in (some kind of) a safe manner.

I had a (theoretical) discussion about the minimum equipment to climb 10 meters (33 ft) up a tree. Someone how climb only SRT set up this list: - throw weight - throwline - rope - 120 cm (4 ft) webbing (to build an harness) - a carabiner - short prussik cord - 4m (13 ft) prussik cord In my opinion it was an interesting discussion. So i tried, what is possible and i shortened the list: - rope - cambium saver I think that i do not have to mention that this is just a proof of concept! Don't try this at work. Here is the video on youtube: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dAyogsoirk]minimum equipment[/ame]

Distel on my climbing line, a Schwabish on my Lanyard and a Blake's Hitch on the other end of the rope for a second system.

Here you can find the instructions. Nothing more than a friction saver with magnets. Simple but nice improvement.