Sorry if I have asked these questions before, I can't remember if I have or not but here they are.

1. Should you put a stopper knots at the ends of a double line fisherman?

2. Is it ok to tie into a carabeaner and attach it to your belay loop?

I believe it is always preferable to tie directly into your harness through your leg loops and waist loop as there are then less things that can fail.

If I have to tie onto a carabeaner attached to my harness, I then use two carabeaners to tie into and back them up with a quick draws.

I also always do stopper knots on all the knots I tie, however someone said to me that your ruin the shape of a double line fisherman knot by doing a stopper knots on it. I can't bring myself not to do a stopper knot on all knots I do, it doesn't feel right not to.

You see people on the mountain also abseiling down on one quick draw attached to a bolt, I don't think this is correct.

What do you think?

I said abseiling down, like you normally see people abseiling up. A person told me that abseiling means going down.

I just bought a new Petzl harness and the little manual that came with it says that you should:
a. always tie in directly, but...
b. ...if you have to use a biner, use two facing opposite ways.
c. never but a biner through the two tie-in points of your harness. You're cross-loading the biner. Use the belay loop like you're supposed to.

Point c is one that apparently a lot of South Africans just don't get... like the two guys at the Barn last week that looked at me like I was a freak when I pointed it out. And they were wearing Petzl harnesses... uhm... RTFM?

Personally I don't think top-roping on a single biner can be that bad... you're not putting huge loads on anything. But I'd never lead on a biner.

I reckon Proze is exactly right, I have seen loads of people doing that, putting biners through leg and belt loops, has to be said that most of them didnt know any better at the time, but ther is always that one arrogant bugger who doesnt take (or at least listen to) well meant advice

Drifter,

Biners are not designed to be cross-loaded and will break under sudden force, which is why you dont lead on one because it can easily work out that at the moment of a big lead fall putting force on the biner, it could be caught in a cross-loaded position with dodgy consequences.....like he says...people should RTFM.

Strange how people seem to look at what is 'good enough' in terms of safety instead of following best practice, the less links you have in your safety chain the better for you.

Mkboy thanks for the advice, I am learning all the time.