Fred Dibnah How to climb a chimney overhang at 50+
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN shares it as a dizzying example of Dibnah's fearless chimney work, in threads about heights and climbing.
What it is
Footage of British steeplejack Fred Dibnah climbing a chimney overhang at over fifty years old, without a harness. It is a short clip from his steeplejack work.
Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2015 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Recommends MrZongle2 · 2015-06 · on “How my father gave me a terrifying lesson at 10”
As an American, I had to Google Fred Dibnah since I had never heard of him. The quick-and-dirty: [LINK] Extra bonus video: here he is at age 50 scaling a chimney... [this video] . Made my palms a bit sweaty just watching it. Amazing that he didn't even use a harness.
Recommends nothrowaway · 2015-06 · on “Fred Dibnah – Steeplejack (1979) [video]”
If anyone is wondering how he got the ladders up the side of the chimney in the first place: [LINK] I rediscovered Fred on YouTube a couple of years ago, and spent far too much time watching pretty much everything I could find. As the title suggests, watching the overhang climb in this is enough to make you feel dizzy: [this video]
Recommends defrost · 2025-01 · on “Documenting an 1115 ft radio tower climb”
I free climbed radio towers on mesa's in the Pilbara as part of work experience in high school .. bit before health and safety was a thing. The steeplejack work of Fred Dibnah is quite a thing to watch. [this video] [LINK]
Cites oasisbob · 2019-01 · on “Table-Saw Kickback on Camera (2012) [video]”
Those are good points - and match what I've seen with arborists who climb trees, prune, and do full removals for a living - chunking trees down from the top, oftentimes while they're in them. A lot of safety procedures and best practices diverge wildly from those in other industries. I get the impression it's probably the same way with chimneys in the UK, given that industry's long history. [1] In arboriculture, the following weird things are acceptable(-ish, depending on the country): - The climber is often supported by a single non-redundant rope, unlike rope access in other fields where two ropes are required. - "Riding the ball", or using a crane to hoist a human load, is done in excepti
Cites Nooshu · 2022-06 · on “Laddering a Chimney (1978) [video]”
Whole host of his videos are on Youtube, many hours worth: [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] *Other videos* - [Fred Dibnah laddering a chimney (Part 1)]( [LINK] ) - [Fred Dibnah laddering a chimney (Part 2)]( [LINK] ) - [Fred Dibnah How to climb a chimney overhang at 50+]( [this video] ) - [Fred Dibnah How to erect a chimney scaffold]( [LINK] ) - [Fred Dibnah Tribute (2004)]( [LINK] )