Love and Marriage

[Don Silsbe]

I really love tinkering with boat hardware, ropes, and fancy knots.  I especially love soft shackles and lashing-style blocks.  Why not marry the two?  I had some Ronstan Orbit 20’s that are part of my new snotter system.  I also had some 1/8” Amsteel.  I hear wedding bells!  The mini soft shackles came out great.  I do not do a bury in this tiny stuff— that would be torture.  Have a look.  Maybe I can win you over these strong yet quiet blocks.  Best of all, you don’t need to unscrew anything to remove them!

[Chick Ludwig]

I was gonna make some wise-cracking comment on the name this post, but I think I'd just get in trouble...

 

[Gira Gira]

Mate, that’s excellent

[gray duck]

any more pics for those ignorant of how these work? thanks

[Reacher]

Soft shackles are great. Silsbe, what knot did you use to complete the loop? The diamond knots are tricky, but the line you are using is tough to properly cinch. Thanks.

[Don Silsbe]

I use a diamond knot.  Yeah, they’re hard to tie— the first one at least.  The way I tighten them up is by putting a small washer in a bench vise.  I pass the shackle through the hole, and seat the diamond knot against the washer.  I slip a screwdriver through the shackle hole, and pull hard.  
Then, I flip it around the other way, passing the two tails through the washer.  I grab the two tails individually with a pair of vise grips, and pull hard on each of them.  When I’m done, the diamond knot is like a rock.