Handling - Locking Off

By Lazarus Redmayne

Easy

How to “Lock off”

When you hear the instruction: “lock off” or “lock it off”, etc., it means that the tie itself is over and you just need to tie the end of the rope into the bondage so that things don’t come apart. (If you have rope left over, it also implies that you choose how you will use it up. See Using up Extra Rope for more on this.)

If the instructions do not specify a particular method to use to lock it off, it usually means that it doesn’t really matter and you can use whatever seems appropriate in your particular situation.

Here are a few common approaches:

Use a Half-Hitch to connect the tail to a strap or stem

Example 1 - From a waist harness

Run the tail under the thing you are anchoring to. Reverse tension on the tail, setting the tension on the incoming line.

Place your finger between the tail and the incoming line and under the standing line. Make this “4” shape

Hook the tail around your finger.

Pull the tail through.

Immediately pull the tail against the hitch to maintain tension.

With your other hand, grip the tail where it goes under the strap to hold it in place, while you...

Pull the tail up to lock it in place.

Add a second Half Hitch to fully lock.

This is "Two Half Hitches" and is a very common method for locking a rope to another object.

Example 2 - From a chest harness

Put your finger on top of the tail and then under the lines of the shoulder straps.

Hook the tail over your finger and draw it through to complete the hitch

Tighten.

Use up the rest of the rope. See "Using up extra rope" for several approaches.

Separate the strands, lock with a Square Knot

Separate the strands of the tail, run them around a strap or stem and tie them together using a Square Knot.

Example 1 - From a waist harness

Reverse tension.

Separate the strands, place one on each side of some other line.

Add the first twist of the Square Knot.

Pull tight.

Add the second twist.

Tighten to complete the Square Knot.

Tuck the ends under a strap that is under tension.

Alternatively, you can tuck them between the strands. This is especially good if you have knots in the end of your rope.

Done!

Example 2 - From a chest harness

Separate the strands,

Reach under the shoulder straps to grab one of the tails.

Pull it under so that one tail is on each side of the center line.

Tie a Square Knot. Pull tight.

Tuck the ends under a strap that is under tension.

Alternatively, you can tuck them between the strands. This is especially good if you have knots in the end of your rope.

Done!

Wrap & Tuck

Wrap the tail around some strap that is under tension, then tuck the ends through some of those lines or make the last wrap a Half Hitch. It is more secure to lock with a Half Hitch before using up the rest of the rope with a wrap, but sometime, a simple wrap is all that is needed.