# cutting ropes with a hot butter knife



## Plasmech (Dec 8, 2009)

I was wondering if anybody ever tried heating up an old butter knife with the torch and cutting/fusing a rope, as opposed to either using an actual "hot knife" or cutting and then melting as a secondary operation?


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## Job Corps Tree (Dec 8, 2009)

*cutting rope with a hot butter knife*

I have done that a lot with an old bucher knife and a propane tourch, works fine , I would try to Whipp it afterwards


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## TreeW?rx (Dec 8, 2009)

Never thought of that, kinda interesting. I usually tape the place where I want the cut and place it on a stump I have in the garage for pounding on. Then I use my extra sharp hatchet for the cut and heat the end with a propane torch. As for keeping the end secure, I have tried electrical tape, works for one climb, Heat shrink tubing, about 5 climbs, I think whipping the end with waxed linen threat works the best. If it is done right, it will out last the rope.


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## Plasmech (Dec 8, 2009)

TreeWürx said:


> Never thought of that, kinda interesting. I usually tape the place where I want the cut and place it on a stump I have in the garage for pounding on. Then I use my extra sharp hatchet for the cut and heat the end with a propane torch. As for keeping the end secure, I have tried electrical tape, works for one climb, Heat shrink tubing, about 5 climbs, I think whipping the end with waxed linen threat works the best. If it is done right, it will out last the rope.



Where can one buy whipping from?


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## TreeW?rx (Dec 8, 2009)

The linen thread that I have came from a medical supply. It is Autopsy thread. You can also get Polyester thread in a stitching awl kit from your local Chinese Tool store pretty cheap. The poly thread is stronger and cheaper than the lined, but ti does tend to fray badly when you are trying to stitch with it. Almost have to run it over bee's wax to make it behave. Either option is a good one.


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## treemandan (Dec 8, 2009)

Yo, dude, what's up? Just stopped in for lunch. I am in the middle of digging out a zelkova and up to my knees in mud. American Arborist is the only place I know that sells actuall rope whip. Its real easy to do and last a good long time. They have an on line cataloge, its like 4 bucks a roll.
I am hoping to get this planting done and be back down on fri but I have to see what my wife has in store for me this weekend too.


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## treemandan (Dec 8, 2009)

And one of the electric rope cutter ( it heats a blade) is like 200 bucks. I was thinking of sticking a razor blade in between the shunt of my soldering iron but just use tape and a sharp razor blade. After I whip the end I melt the fray with a lighter.


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## treemandan (Dec 8, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> Get yourself a 150 to 200 watt electric iron and you can cut and melt rope ends. No need to whip and much more durable. The piece with the dollar bill is one of several pieces of fire hose I melted to make a chain saw bar covers. It takes about 10 minutes for the iron to heat up but once it does it works really well. It takes about three or four minutes per end.



Looks good. Hey Plas, wanna buy a half used roll of rope whip?


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## Job Corps Tree (Dec 8, 2009)

*Cutting Rope with a Hot Butter Knife*

Sherrill has Whipping String, I have just used Carpenters Chock Line You can get in lots of colors may not be as strong but works. I like to do both end of the rope in different colors make it easy to tell them apart, say you may have nicked the red end you know to use the yellow end,or green , or blue just so they are not the same. you can cross stitch or use a drop of super glue help hold it


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## Philbert (Dec 8, 2009)

treemandan said:


> And one of the electric rope cutter ( it heats a blade) is like 200 bucks. I was thinking of sticking a razor blade in between the shunt of my soldering iron but just use tape and a sharp razor blade. After I whip the end I melt the fray with a lighter.




I have used a soldering gun like the one below. Picked mine up at a garage sale, but available at hardware/home stores for $30-$40 (?). I have a larger/flatter tip than the one pictured (sold a s a 'plastic cutting tip') but you should be able to find one that looks like the rope cutters used in stores.

Philbert









Here: Rope Cutting Tip for 8200 Soldering Guns http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brands/CF_Files/model_detail.cfm?upc=037103590237


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## Plasmech (Dec 8, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> http://www.1freeaday.com/p/10006741...oldering-irons-weldings-bondings/product.html
> 
> I can't vouch for the above company but a sodering iron like the one pictured blows away a sodering gun. I speak from experience, I have both.



When you say soldering iron, you mean the one that is like a huge pencil as opposed to the pistol grip design?


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## Plasmech (Dec 8, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> It's like a huge pencil. The pistol grip one is called a gun, the large round one is call an iron. There are small irons also but to melt rope you want 150 to 250 watts. This is quite a bit more wattage than most guns. Guns also are usually not designed for %100 duty cycles, but iron are. I've got a 200w,35w and a 20watt irons and several soldering guns. The big irons are the type that are used to make stained glass items.
> 
> Sodering guns would work too but a big iron is better as Tiger would say.



Tiger would probably say a lot of other things too if we got him drunk.


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## Philbert (Dec 8, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> This is quite a bit more wattage than most guns. Guns also are usually not designed for %100 duty cycles, but iron are.



Good point. My gun is only 1.1 A, but they come in all sizes, just like the irons. 

Duty cycle would be a consideration, depending upon how much rope you are planning to cut. I never had a problem, even when I was cutting about 100 1/2 to 5/8" diameter ropes for a project.

What I like about the guns for this are:
- rapid on without a lot of heating up;
- rapid off (release the trigger) so I don't have a hot iron sitting next to me;
- the specific, rope cutting/sealing shape of the tip/bar, versus a solid point.

Philbert


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## Plasmech (Dec 15, 2009)

Philbert said:


> I have used a soldering gun like the one below. Picked mine up at a garage sale, but available at hardware/home stores for $30-$40 (?). I have a larger/flatter tip than the one pictured (sold a s a 'plastic cutting tip') but you should be able to find one that looks like the rope cutters used in stores.
> 
> Philbert
> 
> ...



What about this gun here? 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000707MEU/ref=pd_luc_sbs_02_02


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> What about this gun here?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000707MEU/ref=pd_luc_sbs_02_02



Looks like they have already put it together in a package, if you are only going to use it for that purpose. I assume (?) that it also works with other tips for soldering(?).

Philbert

*Wellington Cordage #BRC25 Electric Cutting Gun*


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## Plasmech (Dec 15, 2009)

Philbert said:


> Looks like they have already put it together in a package, if you are only going to use it for that purpose. I assume (?) that it also works with other tips for soldering(?).
> 
> Philbert
> 
> *Wellington Cordage #BRC25 Electric Cutting Gun*



Here's another thing, do you think that the Weller hot knife you have pictured only works on the 8200, or maybe it works on the higher end higher wattage industrial models?


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> do you think that the Weller hot knife you have pictured only works on the 8200, or maybe it works on the higher end higher wattage industrial models?



Don't know which guns (brands or models) that it works with. Maybe contact the manufacturer if you need specs.

I was just responding to the OP about options compared to the commercial rope cutters. The soldering gun is something that I already have, and others may already have, that has worked for me. Might require buying a special ($12 ?) tip.

At some point, depending upon your use, it might make sense to buy the special purpose rope cutter.

Philbert


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## M.D. Vaden (Dec 16, 2009)

treemandan said:


> And one of the electric rope cutter ( it heats a blade) is like 200 bucks. I was thinking of sticking a razor blade in between the shunt of my soldering iron but just use tape and a sharp razor blade. After I whip the end I melt the fray with a lighter.



Pretty sure my soldering iron comes with a flat disc shaped blade for this kind of thing.

But I generally use a knife and melt the end with the propane torch.

Has anybody ever tried the liquid electricians tape? Or similar the rubberized tool handle grip? Just for the tip that is.


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## moss (Dec 16, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> I was wondering if anybody ever tried heating up an old butter knife with the torch and cutting/fusing a rope, as opposed to either using an actual "hot knife" or cutting and then melting as a secondary operation?



I've used an old fillet knife, heat on a gas burner on the kitchen stove til it's red hot, walk outside to the back porch where the rope to be cut is waiting and make the cuts. Don't like burnt poly fumes in the house.

Nowadays I prefer to cold cut with a sharp knife. First wrap the area to be cut with multiple tight wraps of vinyl tape, then cut. I like this method because it allows the sheath or the core to move independently if it needs to. With a sealed end the sheath bunches at the end if milking occurs during a climb. It holds up very well and is easy to re-dress in the field as needed, which isn't often in my case.
-moss


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