two-Shot Capewells

[joesky 0]

the cutaway I remember with my one shots was when I had to cut away from my hot 5tu and due to the 'slippery' gloves I was wearing I only released one side as my hand slipped off the other cover. So I transitioned to a more exciting instant streamer.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Roger,

If you used OneShots then you were a rarity as they only came on the CrossBow rig.

Security would sell the OneShot capewells ( I bought a set from them ) but few knew this. And of course Capewell developed the 1 1/2 shots soon after and that became the most installed/used device.

You post is correct. However, when Security brought out the CrossBow with OneShots they said to activate them as lekstrom says; a 2-step process; although there was no mention of activating one side before the other.

JerryBaumchen

[RogerRamjet 0]

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Hi Roger,

If you used OneShots then you were a rarity as they only came on the CrossBow rig.

Security would sell the OneShot capewells ( I bought a set from them ) but few knew this. And of course Capewell developed the 1 1/2 shots soon after and that became the most installed/used device.

You post is correct. However, when Security brought out the CrossBow with OneShots they said to activate them as lekstrom says; a 2-step process; although there was no mention of activating one side before the other.

JerryBaumchen

I bought mine from Mid Ohio Parachute where I bought all my supplies for rig building. There were only a couple of us at Z-Hills using them. Some thought they were dangerous and would release with just a knock, but they would stop half way open and you had to pull them near 180 degrees to actually release. I was jumping a lot of the early squares and liked the idea of a quick cutaway in case of a bag lock or other high speed mal. In 7 years, 1000 jumps and 3 cutaways (2 intentional), I never had a problem with them and would not hesitate to jump with them again though there is no reason these days with the 3-Ring.

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[steve1 5]

A couple guys in our club had one shots. It was my understanding that if you jerked the covers down, it would cut you away. The thought of that scared me. Yep, I'm a "Wuss". I was happy and safe with my shot and a halfs.

I used to put my arms out, and try to sit up, to soften opening shock. My para-commander often had slammer openings. One day I had a really fast, hard opening. My arm tore the cover open on my shot and a half, on the right side. I kept thinking....man I'm glad I didn't have one shots! That would have cut one side away.

I looked up to people who jumped pig rigs with one shots. They were brave soles in my book.

[Beatnik 2]

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If you used OneShots then you were a rarity as they only came on the CrossBow rig.

They also came on Security's other rig the Short Bow, which was the conventional version of the Crossbow piggyback rig.

I have a few rigs with One-Shots. They seem to work great.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Beatnik,

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They also came on Security's other rig the Short Bow

They also came on Security's ThunderBow rig.

I only listed the CrossBow because that was the original rig to have them.

Do I have to list each and every rig in the future?

Me thinks that some days it is just better to stay in bed.

JerryBaumchen

[Krip 2]

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Hi Beatnik,

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They also came on Security's other rig the Short Bow

They also came on Security's ThunderBow rig.

I only listed the CrossBow because that was the original rig to have them.

Do I have to list each and every rig in the future?

Me thinks that some days it is just better to stay in bed. /reply]

Hi Jerry

This is called the "Skydiving history and trivia forum" for a reason

The subject is one shots,and your not going to live/remember for ever so SIUCC

R.

[Beatnik 2]

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Do I have to list each and every rig in the future?

No you don't have to list every rig. The reason for the original reply is because you said this:

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If you used OneShots then you were a rarity as they only came on the CrossBow rig.

I just wanted to let people know that it wasn't only the Crossbow rig that had them. If that wasn't in there I wouldn't have responded and cite another example of a rig that had them. I will have to work on the clarity of my responses as they are apparently being taken in a way not intended.

[jawbreaker 0]

My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

[airtwardo 6]

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My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

Plenty of exposed metal on those too, saw my 1st fatality about '76 with a belly-wart pilot-chute hung up in an activated shot & a half's...I went to R3's the next day.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[steve1 5]

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My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

Plenty of exposed metal on those too, saw my 1st fatality about '76 with a belly-wart pilot-chute hung up in an activated shot & a half's...I went to R3's the next day.

And to think that most of us, felt relatively safe, jumping that junk! "Ignorance is Bliss".

[airtwardo 6]

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Quote

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My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

Plenty of exposed metal on those too, saw my 1st fatality about '76 with a belly-wart pilot-chute hung up in an activated shot & a half's...I went to R3's the next day.

And to think that most of us, felt relatively safe, jumping that junk! "Ignorance is Bliss".

Steve the n00bs today will be saying the same thing in 25 years!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[jackwallace 3]

I was taught. Throw ripcord away. Assume the cut away position. Cut away. Left arm across the capewells, look, pull reserve with your right hand.

U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler.
scr 316

[airtwardo 6]

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I was taught. Throw ripcord away. Assume the cut away position. Cut away. Left arm across the capewells, look, pull reserve with your right hand.

I think most of us were taught that way, but if a student had a Stevens lanyard...good luck!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Krip 2]

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My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

Plenty of exposed metal on those too, saw my 1st fatality about '76 with a belly-wart pilot-chute hung up in an activated shot & a half's...I went to R3's the next day.

And to think that most of us, felt relatively safe, jumping that junk! "Ignorance is Bliss".

Steve the n00bs today will be saying the same thing in 25 years!

Hi Mr T

I think the only jumping that will be around in 25yr's might be Tandems If the industry continues to head in the direction it's going.

Fun jumping might continue in a tunnel or there will be a app for that.

Times change, shit happens, the latest and greatest etc.

The latest and greated will save fuel and time,reduces the NOISE level, for the NIMBYS, reduces the carbon foot print, slow down global warming wll help save the planet, less injuries, no more airport issues, listening to McNasty whineing etc.

The new age "jumpers" won't know any better.

Anyone else want to take a guess about the future of the industry and the sport in 25 yr's. We'll hook up in 25 yr's and laugh about who got the closest and how far off we were.

R.

[airtwardo 6]

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My first cutaway was on two shot capewells(1973). Lots of exposed metal for the reserve to go by. I quickly switched them over to shot and 1/2's.

Plenty of exposed metal on those too, saw my 1st fatality about '76 with a belly-wart pilot-chute hung up in an activated shot & a half's...I went to R3's the next day.

And to think that most of us, felt relatively safe, jumping that junk! "Ignorance is Bliss".

Steve the n00bs today will be saying the same thing in 25 years!

Hi Mr T

I think the only jumping that will be around in 25yr's might be Tandems If the industry continues to head in the direction it's going.

Fun jumping might continue in a tunnel or there will be a app for that.

Times change, shit happens, the latest and greatest etc.

The latest and greated will save fuel and time,reduces the NOISE level, for the NIMBYS, reduces the carbon foot print, slow down global warming wll help save the planet, less injuries, no more airport issues, listening to McNasty whineing etc.

The new age "jumpers" won't know any better.

Anyone else want to take a guess about the future of the industry and the sport in 25 yr's. We'll hook up in 25 yr's and laugh about who got the closest and how far off we were.

R.

Couple of my past rants~

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3276169#3276169

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3745669#3745669

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[jackwallace 3]

In 30-40 years I see jumping gone full circle. Dawn somewhere on the great plains, a couple guys climb in a 170. Climb to altitude, push the door open and jump out. No cameras, no notam, no DZ, no go light, no nothin, but a skydive.

U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler.
scr 316

[dpreguy 14]

I don't know who exactly I am replying to, but: This tread has gone far afield from the question about how a Capewell/One Shot works.

To the original guy who queried how 'One Shot'Capewells work: Please follow along with the progression. . The tang which ultimately holds the first two Capewells closed, is located at the bottom of the trapezoid fitting which is sewn to the risers. This tang is a hardened steel projection, which is held in place by the sliding portion of the female (attatched to the harness) fitting. For the two shot and the shot and a half, It does the real work of taking the strain of opening shock and the weight of the parachutist.

Covers: The covers (there are three) prevent an accidental release, and of course also help to hold the riser fitting in place. The first Capewell in common use was the "two shot" which requires the pulling down of the cover, and then the user presses the side buttons together. Not very reliable, as the pressure is sometimes great, and as Pat Works related-one side sometimes releases and the other one doesn't.

Shot and a half: See the pictures of Mr PC Chapman. The cover is pulled down/open and the cable loop with the two swaged balls pops out rather nicely. You put your thumbs in and pull down hard, and the cable pulls the two projections together, and when those projections release, the sliding block moves downward, which releases the tang. When the tang is released, the riser flies way, the same as the two shot.

One shot cover. It is also spring loaded and pops open when you pull it down. Same idea as the first two above.
The difference between the "One Shot" and the first two is this: There is a short internal cable which is attached to the hinged cover on one end, and to the sliding block on the female fitting. The sliding block slides down Just like the previous ones. If my memory serves me correctly, the 'one shot' trapezoid fitting attached to the riser lacks a tang. This is unimportant, as the sliding block still locks the 'long arm' of the riser fitting behind it. Once the sliding block moves downward, the trapezoid riser fitting is released-tang or not. The release of the bottom portion of the 'long arm' of the riser fitting is what allows the riser to fly away/release. So. The design difference of the 'One Shot' is that there are no upper projections to be pulled together. The spring loaded cover alone is the security. The operational advantage of the "One Shot" is that the downward motion of the block (which holds the bottom portion of the trapezoid riser fitting) is accomplished by the short piece of cable connecting the outer cover to the sliding block. (Additionally, the cover is hinged). If you pull it down far enough, it releases the riser with one motion and there is no necessity to regrip anything. Hence the name "One Shot"

It does require a full pulldown/stroke to accomplish the release. Very shortly after this third permutation of the Capewell release was invented, the three ring of Bill Booth came into play and so there weren't that many "one shots" used on sport rigs.

[patworks 5]

There are several-many USAF film, professional, full color, on deployment and use of the Capewell Mfg. '2-shot' canopy riser release. The storyboard and narration highlight that the release was so that a downed air crew could release one-side of the canopy prior to being drug to death. Texas A&M ROTC we ate 'em up.... lots of nice ejections, hard landings, and landing winds that gave pucker. Somewhere these films still exist. ?

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[Guru312 0]

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As a parachuting teen in the new 60s I was keen on having my gear function. Like everyone, I had two-shot capewell canopy releases.

Me too. I went through jump school in 1960 with the 82nd Airborne at Ft Bragg. I started sport jumping with the XVIII Airborne Corps club. The only release we had on both military and sport rigs were 2-shot Capewells.

I witnessed my first fatality when jumping with the Corps club on Sicily DZ. My free fall instructor went in because of the great difficulty with 2 shot Capewell when packing in the gritty sand of the DZ.

He was a bit heavy, the wind a bit strong and guys would often do the first step of cutting away before landing so disconnection of one side would be easier and we wouldn't get dragged.

About 250 feet from the ground he did the first step but something went wrong...probably a poor closure of the Capewell...and the riser came completely disconnect with the first step. He never had time for his reserve to inflate.

I vaguely remember that we filed off a tab on a part of the assembly which caused what I describe to happen. Too long ago to remember exactly what we did to the assembly, maybe someone else can remember the exact modification.

Don landed about 100 feet from me. It was scary and horrible. Needless to write, those who made that modification went back to original equipment after that.

Note: I just re-read this. Actually, sport rigs didn't exist back then. We jumped military canopies with gores removed. During the time period the Army team jumped seven gore TU modifications which were considered "too hot" and dangerous for "beginners" like myself,

Guru312

I am not DB Cooper