Dan Curtis
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Everything posted by Dan Curtis
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Mostly just a bowline, got some experimenting yet to do with anchors, I've had a look at your setups. I don't know if it's one you've tried but I was thinking of trying something along the lines of a hitch tied to a bridge ring, similar to how the ce lanyard works in srt. Thats how I use my grillon when I want more length or I'm above my main anchor. I'd normally clip into it with a krab but got to work something else out for main line. I don't like the idea of leaving them alone, you never know what they're rubbbing on! I did have a dodgy top to piece down today, didn't like the look of it to attach to. I ended up tying off 4ft below the dodgy bit, then a sling redirect above as my top tip, with another sling between the two to put a better line angle on the top attachment, and load the timber straight through the compression. Worked like a treat, and though it meant a double loaded anchor point, it was loaded in compression, rather than ddrt pulling it over, lever style. IMO the safest way to do the job, and an impossible configuration to have tried with a doubled rope!
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I made a breakthrough today. I'm using the rw in conjunction with my lockjack, with a short link/cut away strop as the tether. I've found that when you're returning from a limb, you can almost use the system prussik style, one hand placed between the rw and lj, the other on the wrench to tend it. It means the wrench stays engaged the whole time and slack self tends through the lj ie; no sitback, no minor descent to engage the wrench. I find this much less demanding than trying to pull myself up from above the wrench then holding myself while one hand tends slack. I don't know how well this would work with a hitch as I doubt there would be enough distance between the hitch and tether to get hold of the rope, unless you use a rather long tether. I'm also tending to go for a top anchor after the last few days of woodland grown trees not going well with a base anchor. I've repeatedly found that if you take all the weight off your line near the top of the tree, the weight of rope between the TIP and anchor tends to cause a bit of creep in the rope, meaning lots of sitback when you put your weight back on the system
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I take it you'd use a hitch as well, not just the hitch climber and dog bone wrench?
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Troll hunter is quality! Saw it on the big screen when it came out, does it still work on small screen?
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Been using the wrench at work for a while now, and whilst I appreciate it's merits, I don't think it's applicable to every job. I'm normally a lockjack man, and I love the self tending and minute position altering ability of the lj, but it doesn't seem possible to replicate this with the wrench. Don't get me wrong,i am loving the wrench, but I can't see it becoming my only climbing system
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Sucks compared to the book, I read it once and was moved, read it twice and thought chris mccandless was a tool! The film isn't entirely accurate to the book, but how many are?
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Is this the event listed as arb fest leeds in july? If so, anyone know where I can get any more info, google didn't turn anything up
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Quality!
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If they do, alot of people are set in their ways. Most of the guys I know are of an if it ain't broke don't fix it kind of mindset. Most of them are happy to body thrust big distances, happy in the knowledge they don't want to be climbing past 30 or so. Me however, I plan on doing it as long as possible and tools like the wrench seem invaluable for increasing the longevity of my climbing career. I had a conversation with an older arb at the cirencester show last year about srt, and it's benefits. He was adamant there is no need to have gone beyond a prussik, it works, so why change it. Maybe srt should be taught as part of training now, mainly for it's ergonomic value over other access methods. Work smart, not hard!
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Zk 2 is the removable pins I believe
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Interesting, don't want to derail your thread, but keep us posted on the new model. They look more compact than the wrench, so perhaps less effort involved in their application?
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They look interesting, do they work?
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Does your wrench have an extra bolt in it? Seems in the photo like there's an extra one half way along it
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I occasionally use a tape sling as a foot loop, that way it can double as a redirect, two birds, one stone. I've got 3" of inner tube with the sling through it to choke it to my foot.
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I use a petzl handled ascender, but only because I had that from my micro frog set up. I do find however, the wrench with just a pantin does the job. Extra gear just means more to carry around. I use just my hands on the rope and let my leg do all the work.
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I've got two, both just leathery flip ones. I haven't come across any hard ones like othersmart phones have. I too tend to just leave it in the truck. Keeps sawdust out of the holes!
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So pleased, I've been trying to use srt positioning at work for over a year now, since before I'd come across the wrench!
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Hi Ian, bit of an odd question. I'm in the process of writing a method statement for using the wrench and I seemed to recall you saying something about using up to date methods that are industry recognised st the climb in loddon. I was wondering if that was quoted from somewhere or you just put it very eloquently?! If you even know what I'm on about!
Cheers, Dan
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Nah my boss has been good and done a lot of leg work for me with it. We were both just trying to make sure we had our backs covered in the event of an accident, both hse and insurance wise. However, I've spent most of this evening reading wah regs etc with him and we've decided I can use it at work as of tomorrow. I'll send you a copy of the MS, just needs a bit of tweaking, it's mostly about single line anchoring and rescue than actually using the wrench
Dan
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Hussar! I am now allowed to use the wrench at work! Thought you'd all like to know:thumbup:
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I was indeed, you must have a good memory! You gave me your email address but I lost it. Im getting there with the srt at work, I've had to write a method statement for using the wrench, just got to have it read and approved by the boss and make sure he's happy the insurance will still cover me. I've found a few things in afag/wah regs that seem to point towards using srt, so it's taking a while but making progress!
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Give me a heads up if you do!
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CAVAT is one of them
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Safe eyes are good. I think they were about £12 when I bought them
