TomAiello 26 #1 January 29, 2003 I've noticed that the line attachments are larksheaded onto the attachment points on my canopies, for the suspension lines, but the control lines are looped (not larksheaded) directly around the tail attachment points.I've seen this configuration on several canopies. They are mostly BASE canopies, but one was a skydiving canopy. We've been discussing it in this thread. Note that the manufacturer of one of the BASE canopies in question has posted, saying that this is an industry standard configuration, used by other major manufacturers (such as PD).Can anyone explain why the line attachments are different (looped rather than larksheaded) on the control lines? It appears that the larkshead is stronger, so there must be some other reason not to use it on the control lines.Help?-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #2 January 29, 2003 Ease of manufacturing. Build the line kit first. The brake line assembly is now one piece. Take a 4 line attached brake line for Example. If you take a look at your stilleto. Look at just the outer 2 brake lines and this may make sense. The 2 outer brake lines are actually one line folded in half. it is finger trapped back into itself like a closing loop and then exits back out around 2 inches up. Then it's bartacked. That leaves 2 lines connected at one end, leaving a loop to pass the Lower control line through. It is now easier to just pass the raw end through the attachment point on the tail, and finger trap it back into itself. To create a larks head at this point would entail some creative threading. Not difficult but time consuming. Heres an example to the difficulty you would run into. Tie a rubber band to each end of a pull up cord. Now there are 2 loops on the end of a line. Now try to larks head those 2 rubber bands onto 2 different Rubber band keepers. You'd have to cut one pass it through the keeper and super glue it back together. Make sense? TimMy grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #3 January 29, 2003 OK. I'm seeing it.Take a look at the fifth control line on an Ace/BJ, though. It's not a doubled back single line (like the other four). Since there's only one line, it might actually be easier just to larkshead this one on. Is it looped for consistency? Why not just use five individual lines? Perhaps too much line in the cascade joint?And, to follow up on something from that earlier thread: Is it possible for high performance lines on skydiving canopy to saw through the tapes if they aren't larksheaded?-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #4 January 29, 2003 Quote And, to follow up on something from that earlier thread: Is it possible for high performance lines on skydiving canopy to saw through the tapes if they aren't larksheaded? Being that a single loops concentrates the force to just the edges of the tape, and it's not in a fixed state like a Larks Head,It's possible. The larks head Gathers the tape and squishes it into place. It distributes the force along more of the tape. I just looked at my ACE. All the brake lines are Larks headed on. Which means whoever attached them had to Thread the larks head knot then Finger trap it prior to bartacking it. The Black Jack is packed so I won't look at it till it's opened. My Stiletto was relined the same way. All Larks head. No single loops.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #5 January 29, 2003 QuoteI just looked at my ACE. All the brake lines are Larks headed on. Which means whoever attached them had to Thread the larks head knot then Finger trap it prior to bartacking it.The Black Jack is packed so I won't look at it till it's opened.My Stiletto was relined the same way. All Larks head. No single loops.I wonder if PD has changed their practice? Your Ace was manufactured by PD wasn't it? I know my BJ was made on-site by CR.If PD has changed despite the ease of manufacturing argument, I bet there's a pretty good reason for it.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #6 January 29, 2003 I was just thinking about that. I wasn't looking at the big picture. The suspension lines are also cascaded, which means they have to be threaded, so that blows the ease of manufacturing right out of the water. I just looked at a Dash-M reserve. and a Pd-reserve, The Dash-m is Single loop brake lines, Larks head every thing else. ThePD Reserve, all lines are larks headed. Consistancy is the name of the game on the PD lines. Looks Like I'll have to go skydive this weekend and look at a bunch of parachutesMy grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
