If you've convinced yourself that you need the flexibility to untie your cordelette so that you can use it to put a bowline around a "fixed point," then nothing anyone can say is going to do much good.

My point was that you don't need this "flexibility" at all (generations of highly experienced climbers have climbed their entire careers without ever once having to do this) and so you might as well just knot your cordelette with a strong secure knot and cut it off if an emergency arises and you need your cordelette for rappel slings, for example.

But to give you the benefit of the doubt, perhaps you'd like to post a picture of a situation that requires you to untie the cordelette and then retie it with a bowline?

You're missing the concept of clipping the two ends to the same piece and then continuing the regular cordelette system as usual. That yields the same result as a looped cord but without actually having the two ends tied together.

Have you tried the figure 8 bend.
Comes apart fairly easily even after a good force has been applied.

I tie my cordalettes exclusively with single EDK's in 6 and 7 mil nylon cord. I use my cordalette this way during the 200 or some odd days I spend climbing outside. In the several years I've been using this configuration I have not had a problem. That does not mean it is without limitations.

I find it helpful to untie it on alpine climbs where I may be threading around boulders or rock pinches.

I find I untie it less often for setting up topropes or any single pitch stuff.

There are plenty of other knots for joining ropes, depending on their application and your needs some may be better. Make sure it's dressed and you have decently long tails.

Assuming you build bomber anchors then the capsizing of the knot is irrelevant because it is isolated from the rest of the anchor legs by the masterpoint knot. If you are not isolating the knot in your anchor you may consider a different knot.

Where is the hostility coming from?...i dont need you arrogant "benefit of the doubt".

Ok, sorry about that, carry on with what you want to do.

You've had several answers, and the best is to not have any knots in the cordelette at all. Here's a video that explains how to do it and gives the advantages of the approach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF4A85CPr8c

Where is the hostility coming from? First of all I am not sure why you believe that if I insist on not knotting my cordelette then "nothing anyone can say is going to do much good." I am asking about the stability and safety of a knot. If you do not have that knowledge then thanks anyways. Secondly, if you want an example, for instance I need to tie the cordelete around a large rock formation. If the cordelete is in a loop it would take more than double the amount of rope to tie it around as opposed to it being open. I know I might be the beginner but i dont need you arrogant "benefit of the doubt".

Are you referring to the Flemish figure eight?

My only concern is that I haven't really found it it any materials aside from youtube. Have you used it? Is this method commonly used?

The method isn't commonly used as far as I know, and I don't know of it making it into any books yet.

jberk, You just acted like an ass to one of the most experienced and knowledgable folks who still posts on this site. If you continue to climb and increase your knowledge base, you will someday understand how stupid you look right now.

From your post above and others in this thread it is obvious that you are inexperienced and not open to feedback. In the future when posting you should just tell folks what you are going to do, then ask only for responses that applaud your plans. It will save folks from wasting their time responding with ways in which you can improve your technique and increase your safety.

Cary on, and good luck.

It's what I do with my cordelette, but as you may have surmised from my "arrogant" remarks, I almost never even carry a cordelette.

The method isn't commonly used as far as I know, and I don't know of it making it into any books yet. But it makes more sense, doesn't it?

I tie my cordalettes exclusively with single EDK's in 6 and 7 mil nylon cord. I use my cordalette this way during the 200 or some odd days I spend climbing outside. In the several years I've been using this configuration I have not had a problem.

The EDK is basically a crappy knot whose weaknesses happen to not matter very much for joining rappel ropes, because rappel ropes don't need to withstand large loads. Additionally, the EDK has a unique low profile that makes it less likely to get stuck while pulling rappel ropes. But, if subjected to large loads, the EDK rolls repeatedly, and unless tied with long tails (recommended 18 inches long in climbing rope), the knot can roll off the ends of the rope, in which case, RIP. These characteristics make the EDK a good knot for joining rappel ropes, but not much else, save clipping your approach shoes to your harness.

A multipitch belay anchor should be able to withstand a factor-2 fall with a safety margin to spare. This is not the place for a knot whose behavior under high loads is to repeatedly roll. The double fisherman is the tried-and-true knot for tying a cord into a loop that must be able to withstand a high load, because it tightens under loading, an evidently desirable characteristic.

I tie my cordalettes exclusively with single EDK's in 6 and 7 mil nylon cord .... As has been pointed out it will roll at relatively low loads. So do clove hitches. Know the limits of your system. If the knot rolling would cause catastrophic failure then use a different knot.

Yeah, six inches is enough. If you're concerned then adding a backup isn't a bad idea. As has been pointed out it will roll at relatively low loads. So do clove hitches. Know the limits of your system. If the knot rolling would cause catastrophic failure then use a different knot.