Havens Grips

A Havens grip clamps onto steel cable so you can pull the line snug with a come-along before you terminate it. In tree cabling it is the tool that takes up slack between anchors so the finished system sits at the right tension.

How it is used in cabling

When installing a static steel cable between two leaders, you anchor one end, run the cable to the second anchor and then need to take up slack before terminating. The Havens grip clamps onto the cable, a come-along hooks to the grip and the anchor, and you pull the leaders together just enough to remove slack, not to drag them into a new position.

Grip jaws are designed to bite harder as load increases, but they only work on the cable diameter range they are rated for. A grip that is too big will slip, and one that is too small will not close properly. Check the stamped size range and the working load against the job.

A Havens grip is also handy beyond cabling. Crews use come-along grips to snug guy lines and to hold cable while a second fitting is installed. Treat it as a tensioning tool with a rated capacity, and do not use it for lifting or for life support.

Care and safety

Keep the jaws clean of sap and grit and check the teeth for wear. Worn jaws can slip under load. Stay out of the line of pull when tensioning, since a slipping grip or failed cable can snap back. Cabling and bracing is structural work on a living tree. It should be specified and installed by a trained arborist following ANSI A300 Part 3, ANSI Z133 and the hardware maker's instructions, and inspected on a regular schedule after install. See more tools in our cabling and bracing section.