# Mountaineering question on the "Jesus nut" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352 "2017-09-02T20:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/1 "2017-09-02T20:52:52Z")
Hi I’ve been searching for a satisfactory definition of the “Jesus nut” or “Jesus pin” or “clip-on-nut”“bomber”. Are all of these terms synonymous? Where exactly does it go? Above or below the anchor? What is the idea place for it?Can anyone give me a precise visual of the "jesus piece’? I haven’t been able to find one. I look forward to your feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/2 "2017-09-02T21:22:27Z")
If you don’t get a good answer here, try [https://www.reddit.com/r/tradclimbing/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tradclimbing/) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/3 "2017-09-02T21:28:26Z")
The context in which I have heard the term is the large retaining nut on the top of the rotor in some types of Bell helicopter. The Wikipedia article mentions that in a climbing context, it may refer to the first piece of protection on a pitch. So it’s not a specific piece of hardware, rather the critical location of the protection in the context of the climb. > [@](#): > > Another use for the term is found in rock climbing, in which it refers to the first piece of protection placed on a pitch. This piece must be placed to resist an outward pull as well as a downward pull in order to avoid the possibility of a “zipper”, in which the outward pull on the rope from the belayer arresting a falling climber pulls protection pieces from the bottom up. In addition, the Jesus nut prevents the possibility of a factor two fall onto the belay anchor. > **[Jesus nut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_nut)** > > Jesus nut is a slang term for the main rotor retaining nut or mast nut, which holds the main rotor to the mast of some helicopters. The related slang term Jesus pin refers to the lock pin used to secure the retaining nut. More generally, Jesus nut (or Jesus pin) is used to refer to any component that is a single point of failure and whose breakdown would result in catastrophic consequences, the suggestion being that in such case the only thing left to do would be to pray to Jesus. > The term Jesus... ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/4 "2017-09-03T03:05:05Z")
I’m certainly no expert, but I have done a decent amount of rock climbing. And I’ve never heard the term “Jesus nut” or “Jesus pin” used. “Bomber” is in common use: it’s an adjective used to describe a point of protection that is (at least believed to be) absolutely reliable - “bombproof”. “Zipper” is also in common use: it describes a fall that takes out multiple protection points. This nearly always happens from the top down, not the bottom up. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/5 "2017-09-03T06:10:44Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > I’m certainly no expert, but I have done a decent amount of rock climbing. And I’ve never heard the term “Jesus nut” or “Jesus pin” used. > > “Bomber” is in common use: it’s an adjective used to describe a point of protection that is (at least believed to be) absolutely reliable - “bombproof”. > > “Zipper” is also in common use: it describes a fall that takes out multiple protection points. This nearly always happens from the top down, not the bottom up. I’ve never heard it before either, but here’s two random references to it… [http://www.rockclimbing.com/forum/Climbing\_Disciplines\_C6/Trad\_Climbing\_F20/When\_to\_place\_the\_Jesus\_nut\_P2386970/](http://www.rockclimbing.com/forum/Climbing_Disciplines_C6/Trad_Climbing_F20/When_to_place_the_Jesus_nut_P2386970/) [https://www.rei.com/media/1f544137-bc02-40cf-913a-782c511dd817](https://www.rei.com/media/1f544137-bc02-40cf-913a-782c511dd817) ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/6 "2017-09-03T13:17:37Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > The context in which I have heard the term is the large retaining nut on the top of the rotor in some types of Bell helicopter. That is also my understanding of the origin of the term, the implication being that Jesus is who you’ll be seeing if that particular nut fails. It’s such a great phrase that it’s usage has spread to mean any particular fastener in a critical location where failure would result in certain death. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/7 "2017-09-03T15:07:04Z")
> [@Fridgemagnet](#): > > That is also my understanding of the origin of the term, the implication being that Jesus is who you’ll be seeing if that particular nut fails. It’s such a great phrase that it’s usage has spread to mean any particular fastener in a critical location where failure would result in certain death. When it fails, first you’ll yell his name, then you’ll meet him in person. ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/8 "2017-09-04T01:37:04Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > I’ve never heard it before either, but here’s two random references to it… > > [http://www.rockclimbing.com/forum/Climbing\_Disciplines\_C6/Trad\_Climbing\_F20/When\_to\_place\_the\_Jesus\_nut\_P2386970/](http://www.rockclimbing.com/forum/Climbing_Disciplines_C6/Trad_Climbing_F20/When_to_place_the_Jesus_nut_P2386970/) > > [https://www.rei.com/media/1f544137-bc02-40cf-913a-782c511dd817](https://www.rei.com/media/1f544137-bc02-40cf-913a-782c511dd817) Thank you very much for those links Reply. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/9 "2017-09-04T03:12:00Z")
> [@davidmich](#): > > Thank you very much for those links Reply. Thank you all. Welcome. Have fun. Be safe. Use protection 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/10 "2017-09-05T19:45:29Z")
> [@Fridgemagnet](#): > > That is also my understanding of the origin of the term, the implication being that Jesus is who you’ll be seeing if that particular nut fails. It’s such a great phrase that it’s usage has spread to mean any particular fastener in a critical location where failure would result in certain death. In a less ‘fatal’ context, ‘C-Clip’ fasteners (especially the little ones) are often called ‘Jesus clips’ because of what you say when they spring away into a dark corner to be lost forever.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mountaineering-question-on-the-jesus-nut/795352/11 "2017-09-07T15:24:53Z")
When I was learning to fly gliders the instructor pointed out the nut that connected the push rod to the elevator. “That, son, is called the Jesus nut”, he said. The reason was obvious.