Pulling Hitches for Heavy-Duty Wire

Alright, this is the juicy part... You've been pulling wire, the tugger is humming and the wire head has just popped out of the conduit, perfect! But... you need 15 feet more wire to route through the switchgear and hit the circuit breaker. You can't just crimp a pulling eye in the middle of the wire and your fancy woven sock isn't gonna work now either. Let's begin the real ropework... these are the pulling hitches wiremen can use to save the day.

How to tie a Half Hitch step-by-step

This is how you get taught first to pull wire... think apprentice, day one...and it does work. Lots of wireman never advance behind this simplistic hitching method. A lineman once told me that this knot's pulling power is based on how many hitches you make. He said "One will lift a man, two will hold a horse, and three will pull the world."

But in reality, Half Hitches suck for making a head! You have to tape the shit outta the tag end or these suckers pull out. A lot of people tie and anchor knot like a Clove Hitch or Cow Hitch but that's added complication and still needs tape to be secure. You cannot move the hitch if you need to reposition either. They also don't work if there's any lubricant on the wire. The tape needed to anchor it will slip every time there's lubricant involved. And for how simple they look, they still take a similar amount of time to tie and dress as a better hitch knot. For grabbing an additional bite of wire, this is the most painful way to proceed.

How to tie an Icicle Hitch step-by-step

This is a solid knot that won't slip even under extreme scenarios. Is your wire covered in pulling soap and a slick THHN jacket? No problem, this monster of hitch will grab and pull even under the heaviest of tensions. And it will not damage the wire or insulation... the rope is going to be your weakest link.

Unlike the Half Hitch series, this knot does not require tape to grip. And as a bonus feature, you can simply release the pulling tension and slide the knot up the line if you need to pull more wire.

That said... it is a bit complicated to tie! And it is also bulkier than the series of Half Hitches or Schwäbisch Hitch. In the opening scenario where your wire is already out of the conduit, that's not an issue. But don't expect this grip-n-slip hitch to fit in the conduit every time.

How to tie a Schwäbisch Hitch step-by-step

This is the ultimate pulling hitch! It can be tied quickly and once you get the method down, there's literally no way to mess it up. I've tied it with every rope from tiny plastic jet-line all the way up to 1"+ diameter pulling ropes. It doesn't damage the rope or the wire either.

The speed of this hitch is impressive as well, as it only takes seconds to slide up the wire and get another bite. I've even set up a length of mule tape and tied it to the tag end of this knot and then looped around a pull point near the conduit exit. Then when I need to slide the hitch, I just pull the mule tape and slide the knot right up the wire.

Use this hitch to pull wire directly, grab extra wire or lag off in the middle of runs, secure temp power cords, or even for pulling a mis-placed ground rod. This knot is versatile, has great grip, and will make you look like a pro in many scenarios.

Half Hitches (The most basic option!)

Icicle Hitch (A bit complicated but works well)

Schwäbisch Hitch, aka Pulling Hitch (The Best Option)