Instead of joining your ropes with a double fisherman s you could also use a bigger knot such as the re threaded figure 8 just make sure the knot is big enough so that it can t be pulled through the chain or carabiner at your main anchor point.
Joining two ropes for abseil.
The figure eight overhand double fishersman s are just three methods.
For normal abseiling if the ropes are dry then i use a well tied neat single overhand knot with ample tails.
When descending a single strand fixed rope where a knot has been tied to isolate a damaged section passing a knot joining two ropes during an emergency retreat as always first try to utilize the terrain to make passing the knot easier.
Although a series of alternative knots are discussed the edk is presented as the normal knot for joining abseil ropes.
Times when you might need to abseil past a knot.
I know of two climbers one british and one french who actually came to blows at the top of an ice climb once neither trusting the others tried and trusted techniques of joining two ropes.
The problem is we all know what happens if you get this wrong and abseiling is terrifying enough and if you aren.
Which knots do i personally use.
This like the belay chapter is a long one due the many different approaches that can be adopted.
So keeping it simple makes sense.
In this test on rock and ice all three knots tested were weaker with different diameter ropes.
You can also abseil in the same way using two ropes.
Rethreaded figure eight there is more than one way of joining two ropes using a figure eight knot.
How many times have you had arguments with your mate when it comes to abseil knots.