How to cut 3/4" Yale bull rigging rope

littleRoot

Treehouser
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May 12, 2019
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Morning, I think,,

I have 600ft of Yale 3/4" XTC 12-Strand Bull Rope that is made from 12-strand single braid of polyester.

To cut the rope into 200ft lengths?

I assume that a electric rope cutter is the best way,
Which one (type/brand) is a good cutter?

Amazon has this one
"West Coast Paracord Electric Rope Cutter - 120 Volt 48 Watt Thermal Hot Knife"
it heat up to 1200 degs.


Thanks for the help/advise
Ed.
 
Tape it tight. Razor knife straight through the tape. Torch on the ends.

Stuff you already have around.


Welcome.

Why 3/4"? Almost nobody needs 3/4".
 
Hi Ed, welcome!

I've always wrapped electrical tape on it, then cut in the middle of the taped part with a sharp knife, then melt the ends with a cigarette lighter.

I've read of other people heating up a knife with a propane torch and then cutting the rope. I imagine it ruins the temper of the blade, so I wouldn't use a fine knife that is dear to me.

The arborist supply shops and probably boating supply shops use electric hot knives like you're talking about. Probably fast and simple, but I am too cheap to spend money on something that would get used so rarely.
I haven't looked up the one you're talking about yet, but it says it's for paracord which is, what 1/16"? It might work, but might be too small for bull ropes like your 3/4".
 
I keep something like this in my "tree trailer"...where all my tree stuff stays. A jet torch that melts well.

And do what Jonny says....cut in the middle of the tape...gives a tight end to melt.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Custom-Accessories-89960W-E-Tek-Butane-Torch/29029306



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Welcome to the house!!

I have a hank of 5/8 treemaster i use for heavy work, never needed to catch anything more than that in the midwest. Also about the best stuff ever for natural crotching, which i utilize as much as i can. I am a wimp tho and don't take pieces the size of cars :lol:

Tape for about 3 inches, then cut through the tape and rope with a razor sharp knife. That's how it's done at the supply house. If you want you can then melt the ends by taking a propane torch or candle to it, but a melted end will crack and then unravel, and will snag on everything almost ensuring that it frays. I personally whip my ends, get a palm, big needle, and some whipping cord from Marlow or similar, and do a sailmakers whipping on the end. It will last the life of the rope, and will never come undone, and is the correct way to end a rope imo. If you buy tools, buy this stuff rather than a hot knife, you will use it for splicing too (finishing splices and the like), a hot knife isn't a substitute for whipping and has little use for rope other than hacking ends off in a production setting when you don't care about the rope ends.
 
Tape is cool, but melting the ends trumps all. I tape it, cut it, then BARELY dip the end into my sawgas and light it up. Then I use a stick to smear/shape the melting end into a nice gooey but neat mess, then blow it out.

The only reason I tape it is to make a neat cut - NOT to bind the rope. Melting it usually frigs the tape up, anyway. After melting I'll usually remove the tape.
 
Ceramic kitchen knives work great for cutting rope, even tech stuff like Kevlar. Harbor freight has then for about 6$. I like to pull the last inch of core out, cut it off and whip the cover. Melting is way faster and easier though.
 
Most people who need 3/4" don't ask for cutting tips.

Sometimes, someone new thinks bigger is better, especially if snubbing stuff off, which can break a tree.
 
I keep 1/2” and 3/4” and that’s it. 3/4” will handle anything out there. To cut it I just tape it off well and use a sharp fillet knife (as Rajan has shown). Burn the ends and shape a bit. I’m not into cutting trees in half most times so a 3/4” only gets brought out on large spars. 1/2” stablebraid is my go to
 
1/2" and 5/8" SB see action daily I keep a 110' 3/4 SB for trunk wood, tying off the bucket on a hill, pulling logs, but usage is one or twice in two weeks on average sometimes longer.

I'd say 90% of all my rigging is 1/2" SB.
 
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