The "Steven's Lanyard" was an early RSL for FRONT mounted reserves developed by Perry Stevens in the late '60's. It was a long piece of tubular nylon that connected the right main riser directly to the reserve ripcord handle. It worked great, but quite a few people got hit in the face by that departing ripcord handle. This was especially bad if you had a Sentinel Pin-Puller handle that weighed about a pound.
The first piggyback RSL I know of, also from the "60's, was designed by Dan Abbot for the original Security piggyback. It was a short piece of tubular connected to the reserve ripcord housing. The housing was connected to the rig with snaps at both ends, and left with the departing main after a breakaway, pulling the reserve pin, but usually leaving the handle in place.
The "Steven's Lanyard" was an early RSL for FRONT mounted reserves developed by Perry Stevens in the late '60's. It was a long piece of tubular nylon that connected the right main riser directly to the reserve ripcord handle.
A funny story told to me by an old-timer:
He was jumping a belly-mounted reserve with a Stevens line. At pull time he confidently pulled the ripcord mounted outboard on the right lift web without bothering to look at it. After all, he had a hundred jumps and knew where it was! Something seemed odd, so he turned he head to the right to look at the ripcord he was holding in his right hand.
It wasn't the ripcord; It was the Stevens line.
He instantly dropped his head down to look at the belly-mounted reserve. As he did so he got the briefest glimpse of the reserve pilot chute disappearing between his legs. At this moment he stated he saw "his whole family life passing before his eyes".
Fortunately, the force of the inflating canopy hit him offset against one inner thigh, rather than centered in the crotch, and after an amazingly quick front-flip, he had a clean reserve opening.
The X-Bow did not have snaps at the ripcord end of the housing. It sat into a webbing loop attached to the chest strap; I think it was at the chest strap. But I do know about the webbing loop; later changed to an elastic loop.
BTW, I had Dan Abbott as an overnight guest here a couple of weeks ago; lots of stories.
You're right, I think it was elastic. I've still got my old Crossbow somewhere. I'll go look. What did the pioneer piggyback use? I could swear someone use snaps.
I have a cutaway on a Stevens Lanyard. I pulled my R3s to chop a sleeve-locked PC and the reserve ripcord went past my face a split-second later.
When I landed, the DZO remarked, "Oh, you still have your front teeth..." Apparently, getting smacked in the face wasn't uncommon with that setup.
I took it off the rig after that. I had had more than one jump with the thing where the lanyard had come unstowed in freefall and I had to grab a handful of it and re-stow it in the little keeper-- yuck.
Maybe next we can get Mr Booth to explain what a "Last Hope Rope" or "Jesus Cord" was.
A Jesus cord was a short piece of line that went from the reserve ripcord handle to the reserve top flap. It purpose was to pull open the reserve flap in case it didn't open after the ripcord extracted the pin, thus preventing a total. It was the early days of piggybacks, and some people didn't like having the reserve container on their back where they couldn't get their hands on it. In some cases this was almost a good idea as some early piggybacks needed all the help they could get. However, it was another snag point, and prevented you from being able to get rid of your reserve ripcord.
In those days of home rigging, I had a friend install his own Jesus rope. He put it on a separate toggle, so that it wouldn't be attached to the ripcord. Of course, that meant a piece of red 550 running from the top flap of the reserve container to a toggle that was rubber-banded to his harness.
I've said it before and I'll say it again... I'm sure glad y'all old timers went before us younger folks... jumped all that weird early day stuff and figured out what was a good idea and what wasn't so much...
I've said it before and I'll say it again... I'm sure glad y'all old timers went before us younger folks... jumped all that weird early day stuff and figured out what was a good idea and what wasn't so much...
When I proudly showed my teenage daughters a recent piece I did for the History Channel, the eldest remarked, "What are you so proud of dad?...it means "you're history".
I've said it before and I'll say it again... I'm sure glad y'all old timers went before us younger folks... jumped all that weird early day stuff and figured out what was a good idea and what wasn't so much...
When I proudly showed my teenage daughters a recent piece I did for the History Channel, the eldest remarked, "What are you so proud of dad?...it means "you're history".
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Any idea when that might be aired? I wouldn't want to miss it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again... I'm sure glad y'all old timers went before us younger folks... jumped all that weird early day stuff and figured out what was a good idea and what wasn't so much...
When I proudly showed my teenage daughters a recent piece I did for the History Channel, the eldest remarked, "What are you so proud of dad?...it means "you're history".
Apparently, getting smacked in the face wasn't uncommon with that setup. 
