tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post2064592745446092018..comments2024-03-28T13:37:53.397-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Some Details: Fast-Rope vs. RappelLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-78228108128186528502023-08-08T19:26:38.330-04:002023-08-08T19:26:38.330-04:00Amazing articleAmazing articleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-30983261267656094302020-11-22T18:46:15.949-05:002020-11-22T18:46:15.949-05:00Just wondering what kind of gloves you used to fas...Just wondering what kind of gloves you used to fast-rope down a long rope. A welders glove type comes to mind, since they are really tough and strong and fireproof.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13802983535446706740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-65469890414599837662015-04-09T23:14:41.661-04:002015-04-09T23:14:41.661-04:00Leigh, I'm afraid I'm no historian on the ...Leigh, I'm afraid I'm no historian on the Aussie, so I'm not sure how its development came about. On the other hand, weapons use and maintaining eyes on target were the primary reasons we tended to practice it -- Well, that and the fact that it amps up the ride a bit. lol Thanks for the low-down on those faulty snap links. I, for one, always inspected mine closely. VERY closely. lol<br /><br />David, this ol' Desert Rat does not envy you your stint at the NWS! BRRRR!!! But I'm glad you got the chance to rappel there, and that you liked the article.<br /><br />Hairy-Tick, you sound like somebody I ought to know, but can't place. I actually met my wife at Ft. Campbell when I worked for MI.<br /><br />When you were at Bragg did you spend much time in the Pub in Fayetteville -- that little place down in the basement of that shopping center across from where Barclay's Bank used to be? Depending on when you were there, it would have been run by a certain iron-willed ol' lady, or later by a certain fella named "Bear": both good folks who knew how to stock a well-run Auxiliary Facility. lolDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-47331127069469583292015-04-08T21:44:38.349-04:002015-04-08T21:44:38.349-04:00Brought back a lot of memories. I was stationed in...Brought back a lot of memories. I was stationed in Alaska, Ft. Bragg, Ft. Campbell, & Brecon Beacons, UK.<br />As an accomplished paratrooper, & "Roper", I can say this was a factual, no bullshit blog.<br />Thanks for posting it!<br />I enjoyed working with British Special Ops, training Afgahnistan insursgients how to make IEDs, back in the 1980's to defeat the Russians.The Hairy-tickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16173111433890422582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-258464670866802152014-09-29T10:03:07.927-04:002014-09-29T10:03:07.927-04:00I did a very little rappelling while at Northern W...I did a very little rappelling while at Northern Warfare School in Alaska. It was fun, but I didn't get enough practice to ever get good at it. I learned a lot from this article, Dix.David Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13005457506363262838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-6276200295161887422014-09-28T00:25:38.059-04:002014-09-28T00:25:38.059-04:00When I started reading your article, I was reminde...When I started reading your article, I was reminded about the attack upon the Osama bin Laden compound. If I recall correctly, one of the helicopters couldn’t catch enough air and crashed on one of the walls. (I used to take soaring lessons and air thermals can do strange things to machines in the air.)<br /><br />I’ve written about my goffin, Valentine, considered one of the ‘lesser cockatoos’, although he considers that an insulting term. ‘Lesser’ in this case means he’s about the size of a green amazon parrot but not as large as a ‘greater cockatoo’, which are about the size of macaws.<br /><br />Valentine is quite the jail breaker, so I typically keep 6-8 locks, snaphooks, and snaplinks to keep his cage closed. For several years, I found and used a particular type of snaphook that he found nearly impossible to manipulate with his claws. Then one day I found the snaphook in pieces. And then a snaplink carabiner. And another snaphook. I had been buying them at Loew’s Hardware and I sometimes used these on my little boat. I bought another 3-4 of these devices and within hours, they lay in pieces on the bottom of his cage.<br /><br />Initially, he broke them at the hinge pin, which was the obviously weakest point, but more often, he managed to break the shanks. I went back to Loews’s again and read the packaging– Made in Malaysia and Made in China.<br /><br />I long ago lost faith in Asian metallurgy when Chinese-made drill bits literally melted, but this shocked me. While too light to use for mountain climbing or rappelling, these were commonly used on sailboats and yachts. Lives could depend on them. And a bird turned them into useless scraps of pot metal. Loew’s, at least the local one, quit carrying those devices.<br /><br />I’m not going to be doing rappelling any time soon (or ever), but I’d want to inspect the ‘Made in …’ stamp.<br /><br />Anyway, that’s a terrific article, Dixon!Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-60772575166801887532014-09-27T23:58:21.281-04:002014-09-27T23:58:21.281-04:00What a fascinating article, Dixon!
From the photo...What a fascinating article, Dixon!<br /><br />From the photos and text, is the main advantage of the Australian rappel to allow a face-forward drop?Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13674374652268818442014-09-26T12:47:08.856-04:002014-09-26T12:47:08.856-04:00Glad I could help you enjoy your shows more, Ms. W...Glad I could help you enjoy your shows more, Ms. Winn! Nice to hear from you, and hope to see you here again, soon.<br /><br />Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-18188786251884376522014-09-26T12:45:47.917-04:002014-09-26T12:45:47.917-04:00I'm glad to hear people found this interesting...I'm glad to hear people found this interesting. Thanks for all the nice comments, everybody. And, yes, Bradley, I agree: getting the details on paper correctly adds verisimilitude to the story.Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-15815031653649730082014-09-26T12:41:48.991-04:002014-09-26T12:41:48.991-04:00I should have mentioned that, when rappelling whil...I should have mentioned that, when rappelling while wearing a rope-tied Swiss seat (as in the drawing on my post), a snap-link is attached to the rope in the front center. The main rappelling line is then run through this snap-link.<br /><br />For those unfamiliar with snap-links, here is a URL to pics of several types. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1093&bih=527&q=snapelink&oq=snapelink&gs_l=img.3...1889.3505.0.3863.9.7.0.2.2.0.127.730.3j4.7.0....0...1ac.1.54.img..2.7.726.8-opKAsq8Fw#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=snaplinkDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-26374253758409107922014-09-26T11:55:03.982-04:002014-09-26T11:55:03.982-04:00I love these articles and thank you Dixon for this...I love these articles and thank you Dixon for this one! What may work for movie scripts may not do so for books if the techniques, psychology or how a particular profession is not quite 'up to spec'.<br /><br />Much appreciation to all the writers for taking the time to reveal in great detail the 'real stuff'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-71266845881099563772014-09-26T10:57:33.854-04:002014-09-26T10:57:33.854-04:00Dixon, I need another cup of coffee. When I first...Dixon, I need another cup of coffee. When I first looked, I read "Fast Rape vs. Rappel." Interesting to see the facts behind some of the things we see on television, and I agree: great illustrations!<br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-52677798337140743082014-09-26T10:57:33.627-04:002014-09-26T10:57:33.627-04:00Dixon, I need another cup of coffee. When I first...Dixon, I need another cup of coffee. When I first looked, I read "Fast Rape vs. Rappel." Interesting to see the facts behind some of the things we see on television, and I agree: great illustrations!<br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-78608334744552277782014-09-26T10:39:05.889-04:002014-09-26T10:39:05.889-04:00Dix, great article. Very interesting and the photo...Dix, great article. Very interesting and the photos really depict the action.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-22867731554517918882014-09-26T10:18:51.723-04:002014-09-26T10:18:51.723-04:00I see this in so many shows I like, NCIS for one. ...I see this in so many shows I like, NCIS for one. Now I think I'll find these things more interesting and look a little closer. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com