FIG. 1.—THUMB KNOT. CORRECT
FIG. 2.—INCORRECT
FIG. 3.—FIGURE OF 8 KNOT. CORRECT
FIG. 4.—FIGURE OF 8 TIE. CORRECT
Axe Sling.
When climbing rocks the axe has often to be slung on the arm. A good sling for rocks only is made of lamp wick joined to form a circle of 25 inches. This is carried in the pocket, and is easily put on and off. The fixed hemp sling, so often seen, gets wet and cut if any steps have to be cut.
The best combined sling, invented by Mr. V. Fynn, and supplied by Fritsch & Co., Zurich, consists of a leather loop attached to a brass ring running on the axe handle between the head and a stop. This sling serves for rock work like an ordinary sling, and, in addition, is looped round the wrist when step-cutting, thus preventing the loss of the axe, which to a party of climbers engaged in difficult work might be a source of danger. I always use it.
Rope.
The greatest attention must be paid to ropes, as fatalities due to the breakage of these have been very numerous.
I was, in consequence, induced to institute some very careful inquiries into the question of the most suitable ropes for alpine work, and some very exhaustive tests were thereupon made of various ropes by Mr. O. Eckenstein, which have been confirmed by subsequent tests made by Swiss climbers. The result was the evolution of a flax rope, which, in point of ultimate tensile strength and extension (i.e. elasticity), surpasses considerably any other rope, weight for weight.
The following table gives the ascertained results of the two best ropes tested:
| Make. | Circumference, in inches. | Weight per 100 feet, in pounds. | Ultimate tensile strength in pounds | Extension, measured on test length of 5 feet, per cent. | Work required to break test length of 5 feet, in foot-pounds. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute. | Relative, for rope of standard weight. | Absolute. | Relative, for rope of standard weight. | ||||
| No. 1.—English, Flax | 1·4 | 4·375 | 1904 | 2176 | 16·3 | 451 | 515 |
| No. 2.—English, Manila | 1·4 | 4·65 | 1792 | 1927 | 12·3 | 331·5 | 356 |
| No. 3.—No. 1, worn | 1·4 | 4·69 | 1456 | 1552 | 13·2 | 288 | 307 |
The No. 1 rope is manufactured by Frost Brothers Ltd., 342 Commercial Road, London, E., and is known as Frost’s left-hand alpine rope, 1¼ inch.