The Slatts Rescue Belt knot

Do you ever travel in the wilds, back pack, or have you ever needed a rescue, safety or escape rope?

 

 

 

History

Ever since I was at school and a boy drowned in a local river I have always wanted to make something that could have saved his life.

REMEMBER YOU USE THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
ROPE RULES APPLY !

 

Like Batman's Utility belt

So, one day I started to play with a bit of 5mm climbing rope and to cut a long story short made myself a belt that with one flip and a pull, turns into a safety/escape/rescue rope. I now know from the 'Ashley Book of Knots' (That's the "Knotters" Bible) that what I have done is an expansion of a 'Monkey Chain' Sinnett    From the drawing one can see that the width can be continued to infinity by adding loops. I personally have made one twelve loops wide.

I hope that those of you who may have need of a safety/escape/rescue rope will use this method to construct one and one day it may actually save a life.

Knot made into into a belt

 

 

How To Start

Get a plastic clip together belt buckle. They are often used in camping gear and usually on sale in those sort of shops in various sizes. The female end is the start end. I bind a small loop in the rope as shown in the drawing but attached to the female end of the buckle. (or a webbing attachment hoop see below) Then pull back through the buckle as many loops as required.

Now follow the instructions in the drawing. See below for larger pictures.

Go to a larger copy of this "How To" drawing

Hint:

It helps to add extra unused loops to the first row to add spacing and prevent it sliding to the side of the buckle.

 

 

Folk keep asking me, "How much rope does it take to make this belt?"

Well sorry but I don't know! It is very hard to give a definitive answer because of all the variables. i.e. how tight you tie it, how flexible the rope is, etc.
But I did come up with this attempt at a formula.

- Length x 3 + (length x number of extra loops over one x 2) -

On the other hand...... The best thing to do is buy one meter of the rope you want to use. Start making the belt. Measure how far you got when you ran out and multiply it by that.

Let me know if you have a formula that works.

How to end it

I bind a small loop the same as at the beginning. At the male end of the buckle, cut off the two vertical separators leaving the horizontal flats then find a bolt who's diameter is half that of the width of the flats and a length to go through it. The photograph shows this. Drill through one side small enough to make the thread for the bolt and through the other a clearance hole. I also shaped the bolt head to be smaller and fit the buckle better. Then the bolt is put in the buckle grabbing the last row of the rope plus the loop. See the photo.

 

 

Hint:

Get a bolt that has no threads where the rope touches it. This is so it does not fray. If you want the belt to be adjustable make an end at some sort of caribina then use a short length of webbing. I have made one with a webbing end but have not yet found a suitable caribina. See this photo on how I finish it. Shown are both the adjustable and non-adjustable types.

How to finish the belt

Half tied knot, click for enlargementFollowing some problems folk have had making this knot I have scanned this picture of a half-made one. Hope it helps.

I would appreciate feedback about what diameter rope people reckon is the best size to use for various purposes. I have generally used 4 or 5mm. This takes about an hour to tie but I once made one from 1,5mm, which took days. I'm really waiting for someone to produce a rope of 1 mm that can take a ton. I know there is a Kevlar one right now but it is not flexible and frays when knotted.

I also made a Tool to help tie this knot.

A piece of wood about 6" long. Carve a small handle to half it and to the other half a tapered oval needle about 5/16" dia with a notched hook end, you can push this through the loops to pull the next row through and then pick up each loop. If that makes any sense.

 

 

 

 

Philip Sinnet-Slattery