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Large Fishhook
(#1728)

Front View: Closed	Rear View: Closed
End View: Open for Rigging	Rear View: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my ISC Large Fishhook from Lisa Jones in 2011.

My Fishhook is 95 mm. long, 100 mm. wide, 52 mm. high, and weighs 305 g. The Fishhook closely resembles a Type 1 lever cam ascender. It has a milled and painted aluminum shell. The channel is 19.9 mm. wide with a rather flat U-shaped base. The inside of the shell has a milled depression that the cam forces the rope into, much like the one on the Rock Exotica Microcender. This spreads the load on the rope, and may increase the holding power of the Fishhook.

The cam is milled from aluminum alloy and painted. The cam face has six U-shaped lateral grooves forming seven teeth. A thin wire cable secures the cam to the shell, and also acts as a weak cam closing spring. The cam axle is a generic 9.9 mm. diameter pin with a spring-loaded ball and a hole drilled for a hitch pin. A 1.6 mm. stainless steel cable connects the axle pin, shell, and hitch pin.

One side of the Fishhook is stamped "ISC 11E."

Comments

The Fishhook is well made, but a bit bulky and heavy. As always, I dislike using painted devices on my ropes because the paint comes off, making a mess.

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RP206
(#3946)

Front View: Closed	Rear View: Closed

End View	Top View	Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my International Safety Components RP206 from Stephan C DeFilippi in 2024.

My RP206 is 99 mm. tall, 88 mm. wide, 52 mm. thick, and weighs 296 g. It has a milled and anodized aluminum shell. The channel is 20 mm. wide with a rather flat U-shaped base. The inside of the shell has a milled depression that the cam forces the rope into, much like the one on the Rock Exotica Microcender. This spreads the load on the rope, and may increase the holding power of the Fishhook.

The cam is milled from aluminum alloy and painted. The cam face has six U-shaped lateral grooves forming seven teeth. A thin wire cable secures the cam to the shell, and also acts as a weak cam closing spring. The cam axle is a generic 9.9 mm. diameter pin with a spring-loaded ball and a hole drilled for a hitch pin. A 1.5 mm. stainless steel cable connects the axle pin, shell, and hitch pin.

One side of the Fishhook is milled with "UP↑" and an image of the cam. The cam has a milled "↖" arrow.

Comments

The RP206 eliminates the Fishhook's paint in favor of anodizing. This is a significant improvement.

The RP206 is labeled as a Rope Grab. It closely resembles a Type 1 lever cam ascender and could be used as one.

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Small
(#3819)

Front	Rear

Side	Top

Technical Details

I acquired this International Safety Components (ISC) Small rope grab from eBay seller mind-me-jacobs in 2022.

This ISC is 85 mm. tall, 43 mm. wide, 43 mm. thick, and weighs 177 g.

The frame and cam are milled from aluminum. The inside of the shell has a milled depression that the cam forces the rope into. This spreads the load on the rope, and may increase the holding power of the ascender. The top of the rope channel is rounded off so that the rope does not bend over any sharp corners.

The cam has eight grooves in the face giving eight distinct teeth. The cam face is not contoured. The cam rides on a 3/8-inch (9.5 mm.) bolt that is secured with a washer and lock nut.

There are small unused holes drilled in the top, side, and back of the shell and the top of the cam.

One side is milled with "UP↑" and an image of the cam.

Comments

The Wall Safety RG1 6066 ascender has similar body and cam, but has a flat (square) rope channel, has only six grooves on the cam, and uses a pin for the axle. The Wall Safety is sized for 11 to 15 mm. rope. It has similar holes as the ISC, and uses these holes for cable keepers. With a bolted axle that is intended to remain in place, the ISC has no need for such keepers.

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RP203
(#3947)

Front	Rear

Side	Top

Technical Details

I acquired this International Safety Components RP203 from JMD Tools in 2024.

My RP203 is 86 mm. tall, 64 mm. wide, 40 mm. thick, and weighs 175 g.

The frame and cam are milled from aluminum. The inside of the shell has a milled depression that the cam forces the rope into. This spreads the load on the rope, and may increase the holding power of the ascender. The top of the rope channel is rounded off so that the rope does not bend over any sharp corners.

The cam has eight grooves in the face giving eight distinct teeth. The cam face is not contoured. The cam rides on a 3/8-inch (9.5 mm.) bolt that is secured with a washer and lock nut.

There are small holes drilled in the top, side, and back of the shell and the top of the cam. The ones at the side are unused, while the others are used to hold a cam keeper.

One side is printed with "UP↑," "I|S|C," "RP203," a book-with-an-"i" icon, "Ø10.5mm>13mm•," CE0120>EN353-3 (02)," an image of the cam, and "18/104802/171."

Comments

With a bolted axle that is intended to remain in place, the ISC has no need for a cam keeper. This one doubles as a weak cam closure spring, I would never trust it to catch in an emergency, but it will help keep the RP203 from inadvertently sliding down a rope.