Old school rope splicing versus modern synthetic slings for temporary support

We had to hold a 4-ton car frame in a 1970s building last month while we swapped the sheave. The old guy on site swore by his hand-spliced manila rope, said it was the only 'true' way. I brought out a set of rated synthetic roundslings. His rope took 45 minutes to rig and needed constant checking for stretch. The slings were up in 10 minutes, held the load dead steady, and the color coding made the lift points obvious for the whole crew. When do you think it's time to fully move on from the old methods?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_moore24d ago

You said his rope needed constant checking for stretch. That's a safety issue right there, not just about speed. Sometimes the old way is just the old way, not the better way.

keith90024d ago

Ever try a rope that just works?

diana51224d ago

My uncle still uses a manual lawn mower because he says it's better. But he spends more time fixing the blade than actually cutting grass. That's what this reminds me of. People get so attached to the way they learned something, they ignore clear problems. They call it "tradition" when it's really just being stuck. It happens with everything from climbing gear to kitchen tools.