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architect
Nov 19, 2003, 12:41 AM
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the scariest thing happened to me this last weekend.
I took my 5 yr. old to the Maine Rock Gym for some good ol plastic pull down and next thing you know I've lost $50.00 and there is new gear in my bag.
Anyways upon further inspection some of this new found wonder is a #7 and a #8 BD hexentrics heads sans wires. These items appealed to the inter child in me.
"Whoa! you get to build your own gear..." says the little boy inside my head.
"yea" says I aloud (oops). quizical look from said 5yr. old
Anyways, being as I am have never managed these before I figured I'd put out a post to get any relevant info on slinging these up and peoples usage stories.
I'm using 5-mm cord with triple fisherman's knots but the knot seems rather bulky anyone have a better (but just as safe) knot to use or are using?
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esoteric1
Nov 19, 2003, 2:26 AM
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good thing your workin your way out of the gym, here you go
get some of that mammut chord, it comes in spools of 21` i believe,
its heinous to cut, but is stronger than you could believe, tie a tripple fishermans and stuff the knot inside the hex, that way you wont be bobbeling around with it, or trying to move it if it ends up at the bottom.
peace and have fun out there
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bubba
Nov 19, 2003, 2:37 AM
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To paraphrase Esoteric1: be sure to buy the Kevlar core cord, not the regular 5mm stuff. Mammut makes some and so does Maxim (New England) called "Tech Cord."
Enjoy your new toys.
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studs
Nov 19, 2003, 2:57 AM
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Throw em awayand buy some cams.
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wallwombat
Nov 19, 2003, 3:12 AM
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In reply to: Throw em awayand buy some cams.
Get both. Hexes can be bomber and if you do any multipitch climbing and ever have to bail, you'll prefer to leave that hex than your pricey little cams.
That said, I do love my cams.
Also, a double fishermans knot is fine.
The Wombat
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wallwombat
Nov 19, 2003, 3:18 AM
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Sorry, I meant to say that a double fishermans is fine with ordinary cord but use a triple for Spectra, etc .
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architect
Nov 19, 2003, 3:51 AM
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Thanks all for the info.
just curious but has anyone also figured what the Kn of this might be using various cordage. I'm going to figure it out using 3' of spectra if no one else has.
Damn, I'm still chasing some sort of number.
"when I grow up I want to be a speed climber! I want to be a rock star" -Quote 5yr old offsping of mine this weekend after running up a route clean.
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coldclimb
Nov 19, 2003, 7:15 AM
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coldclimb moved this thread from General to Gear Heads.
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tucsonalex
Nov 19, 2003, 4:12 PM
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5mm spectra is good for about 5000 lbs. Use a triple fisherman's knot with spectra as it is more prone to slipping under a load.
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serinatran
Nov 25, 2003, 6:01 AM
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Does anyone use Maxim's 5 mm Tech cord to sling their hexes? What is your opinion of them? Thanks.
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tradguy
Nov 29, 2003, 3:56 AM
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New BD hexes are intended to be slung with 5.5 mm Kevlar-based cord (Spectra is one example). Regular 5 mm cord should not be used, as it will wear very quickly at the points where the cord runs across the edge of the hex (ie, the 90 degree corners on the top of the hex), and could become unsafe if not replaced frequently. Original hexes (ie the ones they made before Kevlar cord was available) were drilled out for 7mm cord, which seemed to work ok with that thick, burley cord.
Double fishermans is fine with Spectra, by the way. I've had mine tied that way for 7 years and never seen any slippage in the knots. Just be sure to leave a little bit of tail, and weight them hard to snug down the knot once you have it tied the way you like it.
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bubba
Nov 29, 2003, 11:55 PM
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Serinatran,
I am using the TechCord right now on my hexes. The first few uses you should check the knots for slippage, but other than that no probs. I'm quite satisfied.
Oh, except for cutting the cord and threading it thru the holes. Very finnicky.
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josher
Dec 3, 2003, 1:35 AM
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im using sterlings version of the tech cord. Not quite the same strength, but a little more supple maybe, and that was all the store I ordered them from had.
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ryanhos
Dec 3, 2003, 1:44 AM
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In reply to: I'm using 5-mm cord with triple fisherman's knots but the knot seems rather bulky anyone have a better (but just as safe) knot to use or are using?
Yeah, I use the "Dyneema" knot. It's known for not being very bulky, and not being made out of 5mm cord.
The first set of hexes I ever placed was a set of old nameless hexes slung w/ 6mm cord in fisherman's knots. After those fisherman's knots got in the way all day long that first day, i said "Never will i buy cord slung hexes." I picked up a set of WC Dyneema slung Rockcentrics and have never been happier.
But yay for you on your new gear purchase. The fisherman's knot is the least bulky knot I know if. And second that on the "tying inside the larger hexes" thing.
As for cord strengths and knot strengths, check out http://www.xmission.com/...gh_Strength_Cord.pdf It's meant for cords typically used for cordelletes, but I think it provides information on some 5 and 5.5 mm cords as well.
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architect
Dec 3, 2003, 2:04 AM
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In reply to: As for cord strengths and knot strengths, check out http://www.xmission.com/...gh_Strength_Cord.pdf It's meant for cords typically used for cordelletes, but I think it provides information on some 5 and 5.5 mm cords as well.
thanks for the info.
I appreciate the extra reading material as well.
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mforce
Jul 5, 2013, 10:49 PM
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The 5.5mm Titan cord made by BlueWater is the way to go for the BD hexentrics that come stock with wire. The #4-11 hexes all take this size cord and it is the only climbing spec cord made in this size. Do not use 5mm perlon; you will die.
Slinging the hexes makes them markedly more useful. They are easier to set in both cam positions and slinging long allows them to stay put and you can clip them without a quickdraw this way.
Despite what some people have said on this thread, you do need to use the triple fisherman on the 5.5mm Titan cord. The double fisherman is significantly weaker for this type of application.
If you have the older hexes with the large holes they'll be safer when slung with 8mm perlon. They were originally drilled for 9mm, but this is overkill and adds needless weight and bulk. Chouinard later advocated 8mm for these hexes and it is plenty strong at around 16kN. Double fisherman is pefect for perlon. Using 5.5mm Titan cord in hexes with the larger holes may compromise the integrity of the nut according to UIAA tests that showed the top portion of the nut may shear through at high loads under this scenario.
Always clean up and tighten all knots and make sure that an absolute minimum of 1" of tail is left on each side after full tightening. You can tie the knot inside the hex in the larger sizes
I have never heard of any hex failing in the field. A well placed hex will always be utlimately stronger than a cam and the art of nutcraft has many rewards.
(This post was edited by mforce on Jul 5, 2013, 11:30 PM)
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acorneau
Jul 6, 2013, 1:02 AM
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mforce wrote: The 5.5mm Titan cord made by BlueWater is the way to go for the BD hexentrics that come stock with wire. The #4-11 hexes all take this size cord and it is the only climbing spec cord made in this size. Do not use 5mm perlon; you will die. Slinging the hexes makes them markedly more useful. They are easier to set in both cam positions and slinging long allows them to stay put and you can clip them without a quickdraw this way. Despite what some people have said on this thread, you do need to use the triple fisherman on the 5.5mm Titan cord. The double fisherman is significantly weaker for this type of application. If you have the older hexes with the large holes they'll be safer when slung with 8mm perlon. They were originally drilled for 9mm, but this is overkill and adds needless weight and bulk. Chouinard later advocated 8mm for these hexes and it is plenty strong at around 16kN. Double fisherman is pefect for perlon. Using 5.5mm Titan cord in hexes with the larger holes may compromise the integrity of the nut according to UIAA tests that showed the top portion of the nut may shear through at high loads under this scenario. Always clean up and tighten all knots and make sure that an absolute minimum of 1" of tail is left on each side after full tightening. You can tie the knot inside the hex in the larger sizes I have never heard of any hex failing in the field. A well placed hex will always be utlimately stronger than a cam and the art of nutcraft has many rewards.
That's probably the best "first post" I've ever read here on RC.noob. Good job.
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avalon420
Jul 6, 2013, 6:28 PM
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acorneau wrote: mforce wrote: The 5.5mm Titan cord made by BlueWater is the way to go for the BD hexentrics that come stock with wire. The #4-11 hexes all take this size cord and it is the only climbing spec cord made in this size. Do not use 5mm perlon; you will die. Slinging the hexes makes them markedly more useful. They are easier to set in both cam positions and slinging long allows them to stay put and you can clip them without a quickdraw this way. Despite what some people have said on this thread, you do need to use the triple fisherman on the 5.5mm Titan cord. The double fisherman is significantly weaker for this type of application. If you have the older hexes with the large holes they'll be safer when slung with 8mm perlon. They were originally drilled for 9mm, but this is overkill and adds needless weight and bulk. Chouinard later advocated 8mm for these hexes and it is plenty strong at around 16kN. Double fisherman is pefect for perlon. Using 5.5mm Titan cord in hexes with the larger holes may compromise the integrity of the nut according to UIAA tests that showed the top portion of the nut may shear through at high loads under this scenario. Always clean up and tighten all knots and make sure that an absolute minimum of 1" of tail is left on each side after full tightening. You can tie the knot inside the hex in the larger sizes I have never heard of any hex failing in the field. A well placed hex will always be utlimately stronger than a cam and the art of nutcraft has many rewards. That's probably the best "first post" I've ever read here on RC.noob. Good job.
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