Commando/Toggle Rope

[asemery]

The toggle rope is related to the soft shackle found in another thread I wish I knew more about this particular example I found at a yard sale. The seller only knew it belonged to her grandfather. It is a 8' long and the rope is 5/8" in diameter. I believe that it is manila. I knew that it was a commando rope from my scouting days in the 1950's.
If you google these terms you will find out a lot about this item. Boy Scouts call it the Buddy Rope and have found many uses for it. Tony
Toggle Rope
Commando Rope

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[Rick]

That's just too cool. Another learning day. I have never heard of these before but seems like an excellent idea. Thanks!!!!

[hunter63]

First I have heard as well.....Thanks for posting.

Ya know in a previous life I used to buy truck loads (40K pounds each) of Java, Manila, Poly, cotton. nylon....rope from small thread to about 1-1/2 dia.

Most was used for the inside of elevator wire ropes (cables)........and the core (center) of several more products.

If I would have known that they scrapped 100's or thousands pounds when the plant closed....I would have hauled a lot home.

Still have a part of a reel of about 1/4 in dia. java that I have been giving away as tent ropes.....was originally 3500 ft on it.

[Grizz123]

what is the intended use?

[Rick]

"The commando rope, or toggle rope as it is sometimes called, came into prominence in World War II with Commandos who often in the course of duty had to scale walls, climb cliffs, and cross ravines. Instead of carrying long, bulky ropes, each Commando had a 10-foot length of 1/2 inch rope with an eye-splice in one end and a toggle in the other, secured with an eye-splice. The open eye splice was just large enough to allow the toggle to fit through and be held firmly. The Commandos carried these ropes over their shoulder or around their waist. To make a long rope, several toggle ropes were simply interlocked."

http://trooponesixteen.org/Documents.../BuddyRope.pdf

[1stimestar]

Some mushers use toggles instead of snaps because you don't have to take off your mitts to hook your dogs up to the line with toggles.

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[asemery]

what is the intended use?

Too many links to mention. If you google Toggle Rope
or Commando Rope
You will find much information. Tony

[hunter63]

That makes sense, learned something today.

[1stimestar]

Some mushers use toggles instead of snaps because you don't have to take off your mitts to hook your dogs up to the line with toggles.

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Oh yea, they also don't get frozen shut with ice or dog poop like brass snaps do...

[Rick]

frozen shut with....dog poop.

I don't care who you are that is a statement you probably never counted on reading.

[hunter63]

That's is a stretch.....

[1stimestar]

Lol. As you can see in this picture approximately where the connection to the gangline would be, and if you know that sled dogs poop on the run, you can see how that happens, fairly frequently.

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[hunter63]

Lol. As you can see in this picture approximately where the connection to the gangline would be, and if you know that sled dogs poop on the run, you can see how that happens, fairly frequently.

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Pic shows up in a quote......

[1stimestar]

Oh thanks. Tried to rep you but have to share the lurve around.

[hunter63]

Thanks....BTW that's a meam-azz looking dowg......

[DSJohnson]

Made my first commando rope when I was working on my Second Class badge in Troop 79. Eye splice and a back splice. We used them for tent ropes on our G.I. pup tents, building Monkey bridges, swings, lashing tripods and towers. Really neat memories.

[Batch]

Thanks for educating me on the commando rope Tony.

Thanks for informing me about the sled dogs pooping on the run 1stimestar. I had no idea. It is good to be the lead dog.

[Zack]

Some mushers use toggles instead of snaps because you don't have to take off your mitts to hook your dogs up to the line with toggles.

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Great trick! I'll have to remember that one!

[finallyME]

When I was a boy scout, we made them. Carved the toggle myself. Then, somehow I ended up with the "extra" 1/2 manilla rope, about 100 ft. I made a zip line in my back yard by tying one end on a branch, and the other to the bottom of a fence post across the yard. Used a bicycle handlebar as the slider. It worked great until the knot in the tree came loose right as I jumped out. I fell 2 stories on my back and it knocked the air out of me. I woke up with my dad pumping my legs to get air back in my lungs. The next day I tied a better knot.

Getting back to the commando rope, I have forgotten how to back splice. I need to relearn to teach my scouts.

[Batch]

The next day I tied a better knot.

No chance you remember what knots you tied back then?

We used to tie rope swings and swings into trees all the time and I have no idea what knots we used. Probably just a stack of half hitches. But, this is a good knot to tie a rope into a tree for a swing. It won't loosen as the weighted swing swings. It's called a swing hitch and I learned it from one of my knot books.

http://www.knot4fun.com/Activities/swinghitch.html

I never tied a zip line that I recall. But, one of my neighbor's dad worked for Florida Power and Light. He put into to creosote wooden poles with a cable pulled between them the length of his back yard. He gave it too much angle and no padding on the down second pole. Some kids got scared to let go and did some very ungraceful collide with the pole dismounts.