cutting line neatly

Altissimus

Altissimus

TreeHouser
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
7,991
Location
southern Vermont
... so do you guys just cut with sharp knife then take the plumbers torch to the ends, or heat the butterknife red hot then make cut with holding with channelocks, or do you use the electric benchtop cutter like in the catalogs ... what is most popular?
 
I use a filet knife that I got from when I was a kid and heat that with a torch.
I also use the torch and lightly melt about and inch and a half of the jacket and cut it in the middle so that way their is a nice hardened end and then I'll whip the end. For slings and other stuff where I have to pull the end through itself, like a timber hitch, I will smooth the end with some sandpaper so there are no burs to pick strands.
 
It's easypeasyjapanesy. I make the cut with wire cutters, then seal it with a few drops of super glue. I used to dip it in gas, then light it and burn it, but that seemed to eventually come apart. The super glue method NEVER does that.
 
I tape it tightly with electrical tape, then cut it with a sharp knife. Easy to spot the end in a pile. Cheap and fast. Can easily color code for employees, red for rigging, black for climbing/ life support.
 
I've never had tape last long. However, I did leave out one step. I do use tape to hold the end nice and tight together before I apply the super glue and when I make the cut, it's through the tape. And as always, the tape eventually falls off.
 
flushcut said:
I use a filet knife that I got from when I was a kid and heat that with a torch.
I also use the torch and lightly melt about and inch and a half of the jacket and cut it in the middle so that way their is a nice hardened end and then I'll whip the end. For slings and other stuff where I have to pull the end through itself, like a timber hitch, I will smooth the end with some sandpaper so there are no burs to pick strands.
Click to expand...

I like the sandpaper tip!

I do the heat and cut at the same time too. I got a big pack of razorblades at harbor freight years ago and I just get one of those red hot and do the deed.
 
CurSedVoyce said:
I do like Sean... But Some would have sticky trouble in warmer climates.....
Click to expand...

Sometimes it gets into the low 80's here, and you can get a sunburn :lol: .
Six years ago, my first job under the actual business name, insurance, etc was on the hottest day of the year (maybe century) 97 degrees in town. It does actually got hot hear during a rare heat wave, and actually was down to 5 degrees a few years back during a cold snap.
 
I like to tape the ends of my lines with electrical tape, but of late, it seems more difficult to keep the tape on than it used to be. One thing I've noticed about Double Esterlon vs. Stable Braid is that SB will stay together even with a frayed end. It doesn't seem to fray but an inch or so and that's it. DE, on the other hand, will fray all the way to the other end I do believe! If/when the tape pulls off the end of DE, I immediately get the tape and re-tape it.
 
Tape the rope, cut through the center of the tape, melt the end with a lighter (I smooth it out with the butt end of the lighter) and remove the tape. No burrs, no tape goop to melt in your hands later, no unraveling, no expensive cutters.
 
Skwerl said:
Tape the rope, cut through the center of the tape, melt the end with a lighter (I smooth it out with the butt end of the lighter) and remove the tape. No burrs, no tape goop to melt in your hands later, no unraveling, no expensive cutters.
Click to expand...

Hey there Brian! That's about exactly how I do it too.
 
i got the really expensive electrical tape at westmarine. tape rope, cut with knife/hand pruners and re tape. lasts a really long time.
 
rumination said:
Hey there Brian! That's about exactly how I do it too.
Click to expand...
Me too, excepted with the gas cooker instead of the lighter. I roll the melted end between the kitchen's bench and a spatula to smooth it and to avoid the mushroom head. For the rigging rope, I add a whipping over the electrical tape before melting the end.
 
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