Tite-Tie Tie-Down Tool Probably at Home Depot
The "Tite-Tie" is a little metal widget that lets you create a simulacrum of the famous "Trucker's Knot" tie-down without actually knowing how to tie a knot. It was originally only available in Australia, but is now supposedly available in America at Home Depot.
Chris Howard, the Tite-Tie's inventor, wrote this description on Toolmonger earlier this year:
The Tite-Tie is made from heat treated steel (not plastic) and is rated for 1985lbs. The reason why I invented this product is because there are 9 different way to tie a trucker’s knot and more and more people are becoming confused or not bothering to learn but still try to secure cargo with ropes. The Tite-Tie gives a super strong tie down with no knot tying, and the one size fits small to large ropes, you can even use webbing straps.Toolmonger wasn't able to confirm if they're actually available yet in Home Depot, so if you spot one bop over there and let the 'mongers know. It should cost around $10 or so.
Tite-Tie Now Available In The US — Or So We Hear [Toolmonger]
the latest
latest episodes
Looks very similar to this Figure 9 Tensioner
http://www.animatedknots.com/truckers/index.php
Try this, by the time you learn how to use the plastic thingy, you can tie this simple knot.
Yeah, it really isn't that hard to learn a trucker's hitch, and this thing doesn't replace that fancy wagoneers lashing that window installers use to tie panes of glass to their trucks so, as much as I love useless gadgets, I think I'll pass...
This *is* a knot, just with a metal piece as part of it (like a cleat). You still have to learn to tie it correctly. If you learn the trucker's hitch, you can tie as many as you like, in any size of rope, and save yourself $10.00 a pop.
I've never seen one, so I could be wrong, but I suspect that narrow hook at the bottom introduces more friction than a regular knot does, therefore giving less mechanical advantage.
Hi everyone, let me clear a few things up about the TiteTie.
The TiteTie is made from hardened steel with a breaking strength of 1900lbs. It is selling as a test in 10 Home Depot stores for $6.97 a set with plans to go national early next year.
To tie the TiteTie is very easy and takes most people about 2 goes to master it. The good thing about the TiteTie is that all you have to do is pull the rope tight - there's no tying off required.
The TiteTie works the same way as a trucker's knot with equal mechanical advantage and will work with any type of rope and will also work with webbing straps.
The TiteTie is designed to be a better trucker's knot. You can also use the TiteTie to create a second hitch and increase tension, but what's better is that now you can take the second hitch out because the first hitch is held by the TiteTie. This allows you to re-hitch again and pull the rope for a second time and so on, creating much greater tension. It also gives you more rope to lash over the load and secure futher.
I have been to many trade shows and heard from many who can tie trucker's knots and after showing them the advantages over the trucker's knot, they love it and often buy two sets. Please take a minute to watch my demonstration vidoes:
http://www.youtube.com/titetie
If you need to know more please only ask and I'll reply.
Merry Christmas
Chris Howard - TiteTie inventor.
I watched the video, which makes the design a lot clearer. The picture above doesn't really show that the device is in two parts. The way the rope leads around the bottom hook answers my objection about possible friction.
I'd still just as soon tie a knot, but that's just my Boy Scout indoctrination talking.