The FiddleStick is based on the Stone knot. The Stone (Stein) knot can be used to secure both sides of a doubled rope so both can be rappelled on. The concept is the same when FiddleSticking, but one end of the rope is just a short tail, while the other (long) end is used to rappel on. A pull cord removes the FiddleStick, and the Stone knot falls apart, leaving a short, clean end of the rope to be pulled out from around the anchor, and down the drop.

There are several versions of the Stone Knot, but the one we recommend for the FiddleStick is the Upward Overhand Stone, which has the most consistent disintegration once the Stick is pulled. Learn more about tying and uses of the Stone knot at: CUSA Tech Tip: The Stone Knot

By replacing the carabiner in the Stone knot with a stick and leaving one strand short, you create a very slick retrievable anchor. Upon removing the stick, the knot falls apart, and only the short end of the rope needs to pull from around the anchor.

The above description makes FiddleSticking seem pretty simple. Sometimes it is; sometimes it is not. Here is a rundown on some of the many subtleties:

What Can be Used as an Anchor

The FiddleStick allows a wide range of objects to be used as anchors that previously would have been overlooked or not utilized because the length of webbing needed to use them would have been too much.

Important Aspects of Anchor Construction:

Solid, really solid. Large trees, wedged logs, big wedged rocks, etc. Put a rope around it, pull real hard and make sure it doesn’t wiggle. I’ve seen large stout bushes move easily under load and big rocks budge unexpectedly—test your anchor.

Snag factor. The tail end of the rope needs to run freely around the anchor all the way to the drop. Also, the FiddleStick needs to fall cleanly. Look for branches, rocks, or other items that could snag either piece of hardware. Have the first person down test the pull to make sure it will work.

Pinch factor. V-shaped grooves can and will snag your rope, especially if they get a chance to jam in the pinch while weighted. If necessary, add a short piece of webbing around the anchor and run the rope through the webbing. Because you are only pulling the short end of the rope through the webbing, a rapide is not necessary. Leaving behind a short piece of webbing is better than getting your rope stuck.

Angle to knot. If the anchor is wide, such as a large log or rock, and the stone knot is close to it, the rope will converge on the stone knot at a wide angle. This is potentially dangerous. Use webbing around the anchor in this case, or tie the Stone knot further from the object.

Rig the FiddleStick in plain sight. While this is not a requirement, it is nice if the FiddleStick can be seen while getting on rappel, and even better if it can be seen from the bottom of the drop. This allows you to keep an eye on it at all times.

Rig the FiddleStick in “free space” (vs. against wall). Rig so the FiddleStick is in free space. This prevents the Stick getting stuck or knocked out by pushing against the wall. While often possible, sometimes the Stick must be placed against the ground or a wall—make sure that the ground or wall will not PUSH the FiddleStick either IN or OUT.

Setting up the rappel