I used a bit of old rope to pull a limb and it worked way better than I thought

I was clearing a storm damaged willow in a tight backyard and my usual nylon slings were in the truck. I had a short piece of old three strand manila rope, maybe 15 feet long, in my kit. On a whim, I used it to pull a tricky top section away from a fence. The rope had way more grip and stretch than the slick slings, so it didn't slip once and cushioned the pull. I learned that sometimes the old simple gear in your bag can be the perfect tool for a specific job. Has anyone else found a surprising use for a piece of basic gear like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisa6712mo ago

Honestly, that bit about old simple gear being the perfect tool hits home. I once tried to open a paint can with a fancy multi-tool and just mangled the lid. My buddy's grandpa walked over, pulled a flathead screwdriver from his overalls, and popped it open in two seconds. Felt like a total goof. Sometimes the basic stuff just works because it's not trying to do ten other jobs at the same time.

avery_roberts671mo ago

My uncle still uses a hand crank pencil sharpener from the 50s. That thing gives a perfect point every single time, while my electric one just eats pencils and makes that sad grinding noise. Makes you wonder why we even bothered improving some things.

emma_hayes802mo ago

Modern life's full of solutions looking for problems.