How to make a 300% Shackle by Walt Spang

[Pilgrimtex]

After much inquiry, I decided to start another thread on how to make the 300% shackle.
To make a 300% shackle you must first master the button knot shackle by Bryan Toss. There is you tube and other media out there to learn it.
Next is to understand my standard shackle (250%) otherwise known as “Lil Brother” shackle.
How to make my standard shackle:
The difference between my standard shackle and the normal button knot shackle is in the loop end. What I do is bury a length of Dyneema starting from where the buried tails of the button knot would end.
To do this I cut the length of Dyneema I need to make the shackle. I then lay it out along a yard stick and measure where the point is to start the button knot and mark both strands. I then measure off normally 6” toward the loop end for the knot tail bury. Mark both strands. They must be equal to have a balanced shackle. I like at least 6” unless you want a small shackle because you want to be able to bury a long tail. For ¼” Dyneema I like about 3” of tapered tail. If the cover changes diameter quickly, that creates a weak point.
Next measure of a length of Dyneema. I use the next smaller diameter of Dyneema. For a ¼” shackle I use 3/16” for the bury. Etc. It performs better than burying ¼ in ¼. This is also a drawback on my 280% shackle and part of the lower breaking strength number. It also produces a less bulky look to the loop end of the shackle.
Next take the section to be buried and taper one of the tails with a long taper. Take the other end and mount to a “Selma Fid” of the correct size. I only use Selma Fids for making shackles. I would prefer to design my one better engineered to the task but the Selma Fids work good with their limitations. Bury the line into the shackle material starting at one of the marks you made for where the knot tail will end. Work it through the material and come out at the other knot tail mark. Make sure you had enough bury length to protrude out of both ends. Next milk the cover till the tapered end of the bury just enters the cover. Tightly hold that point and milk the cover till it is tight on the bury.
Next fold the shackle at the middle point. (Loop End). Line up the marks where you buried the line. We are then going to pierce the cover at the point where the cross over to form the loop will be but first offset the marks so that the side opposite the side you will pierce is about ¼” shorter than the side where the tapered end was inserted. Important the pierce side is also the side that has the tapered end. 1, Once you mark the un tapered end and bury it the marks should line up. 2, Measure the size of the desired loop. I usually use a previous made button knot shackle of the same size to measure where to place the piercing mark. 3, Make sure you mark the side that that has the tapered bury. 4, Pierce through at the mark going between the strands of the cover Dyneema using the smallest Selma fid. Be sure also to pierce through the center of the buried line and come out the other side of the cover between strands. Count to be sure you have 6 strands on each side of your fid. 5, Take the next fid size up and insert behind the first pushing it and the second through the hole. Keep going up in size until you’ve pushed the fid that is one size larger than the size of the shackle you are making. This is because the end that will be run through it is fatter. LEAVE THE FID IN PLACE TO LOCK THE BURY. 6, Now milk again the cover both sides of the pierce so everything is tight. Mark the spot where the un tapered end comes out of the cover and cut it just behind your mark. Make a long taper and then bury by milking the cover over it once again. 7, Take the end that you just buried and feed it into the fid and pull fid and tail through the hole. Line up the two marks and your loop is complete.
Next tape the two sides at the marks you made to identify the start of the knots. All marks should line up.
Build the knot and bury the tails back into the shackle with the bitter ends exiting at the marks you made to bury the loop end. Cut, and long taper the ends.
Next pull the shackle to tighten the knot as well as everything else. I made a jig that the shackle goes through and anchor the tail with a shackle or hook and I pull the knot using a boat winch. Do not be worried about over tightening. I found out the harder the knot the higher the test results.
You now have “Lil Brother” a 250% shackle.
Walt Spang

[Flyingriki]

Without photos this is not easy to follow unless you almost know how to make it already.....

[Pilgrimtex]

Okay.

[Pilgrimtex]

It's a good idea when tightening the knot after building to wet the shackle before pulling. The knot will tighten better and heat buildup from friction will be minimized. Take it slow while tightening, again to keep heat buildup down.
Walt

[Pilgrimtex]

How to make a 300% soft shackle is now a You Tube video.
Check it out at
https://youtu.be/LfaSls3LpZU

[alansmith]

Thanks Pilgrim, that is some fine work you presented. Blows my mind. Man do i have a lot to learn.