Soft shackle that does not accidentally open

[FabioC]

I have one more (last) question for the splicing/marlinspike experts in this forum.
I need a soft shackle with two distinguishing characteristics:
- It should not easily open on its own (the "classic" soft shackles that I know how to do sometimes may release by themselves when they are not in tension).
Adding velcro improves things, but it is not ideal. Is there a stop knot that is best to avoid this potential issue (but it should still be possible to open the shackle, when desired, with reasonable ease).
- In the application I have in mind for this shackle, the load would be on a 90 degree direction with respect to the attachment of the shackle (in other words, this soft shackle is supposed to replace a "twisted" shackle).
Of course, since it is a soft shackle, it can twist. However, is there a soft shackle variation that is explicitly designed to work "twisted"?

Thank you!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by FabioC

I have one more (last) question for the splicing/marlinspike experts in this forum.
I need a soft shackle with two distinguishing characteristics:
- It should not easily open on its own (the "classic" soft shackles that I know how to do sometimes may release by themselves when they are not in tension).
Adding velcro improves things, but it is not ideal. Is there a stop knot that is best to avoid this potential issue (but it should still be possible to open the shackle, when desired, with reasonable ease).
- In the application I have in mind for this shackle, the load would be on a 90 degree direction with respect to the attachment of the shackle (in other words, this soft shackle is supposed to replace a "twisted" shackle).
Of course, since it is a soft shackle, it can twist. However, is there a soft shackle variation that is explicitly designed to work "twisted"?

Thank you!

Soft shackles should never open by their own. If they do, the eye is too big.

I tried as hard as I could and failed to open one. I also sailed for at least 10 years with one on my jib sheets that never came off.

The regular soft shackle works great for a 90 degree twist.

[Breaking Waves]

i have not seen a soft shackle fall open, but there are ways to make it more securely closed. Let me just mention two:

(1) When these first came out and people were concerned they might open, it was common to slide a rubber/silicon o-ring onto the loop - sized to be snug around the two legs. When you close the soft shackle you slide it up close under the knot and it holds the loop closed will never accidentally open. and to open you slide the o-ring back.

This is not the preferred way today but you can in fact hold the loop solely with o-rings and not use the 'slide thru' splice at all - like this:

(2) you can insert a cord into the hollow center of the shackle in several ways to make it more secure. The obvious way is to put the cord into the center in a way which bumps up the thickness of the leg just behind the slide thru area for the loop. This creates a 'bump stop' to opening the loop - requires a little extra pressure to open.

The right angle question - idk - probably you could design one that was more perfect with less twist in a right angle but I don't think anyone has because the regular ones work pretty well already at right angle.

[StuM]

Me too!
I've never seen a soft shackle open accidentally.
(I'd guess the OPs SSs may have a very large eye )

[kirklkjb]

If you're worried about it opening you can always stitch it closed.

[philcun50]

I have a trouble opening the shackle so I put a loop of vb cord through the eye. I make my own using a button knot and I make the eye around one thickness of the cord I’m using, first step in the process. Last step is to bury the legs and thus the throat that the eye goes around is 4 thicknesses. This doesn’t come undone in my experience and is supposed to have breaking strength of 230% of the line breaking strength.
The old diamond knot where the legs came out of the top of the knot and weren’t buried had a breaking strength of 130% of the cord being used as the throat was only 2 thicknesses rather than 4 thicknesses when using the button knot.

[Mike Banks]

I would NEVER use a soft shackle where a metal one is required. Soft shackles are useful--I used them a great deal, but they do not handle friction and abrasion well in the circumstances where a metal shackle is obviously the set-and-forget option. Such as all chain anchor rodes.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

I would NEVER use a soft shackle where a metal one is required.

Well duh!

There are no end of variations of such a self evident statement:

I would never use [something] where [something else] is required.