A side story regarding vectran rope
I was once in a store (Galyans in Schaumburg, IL) which I abhor. I was looking at the ropes that they had in stock when this lady came and started looking at the rope rack. She asked the nearest sales guy for help. She explained that she was helping set up a project for the local Boy Scout troops. They were going to teach the boys how to "properly" cut/melt rope ends. I wanted to interject and talk about how a whipping might be a better lesson, but I bit my lip, knowing that in many cases the melting is good enough. She told the guy how they were going to get knives red hot and cut through the ropes, then melt them so they don't fray.
So the guy proceeds to show her the ropes (literally) when he gets to a "chock cord" that rock climbers use. It has a parrallel strand vectran core and a super tightly woven polyester cover. It was a 6mm cord that sold for about 3.00/ft. Equivalent nylon ropes of that size sold for line a fifth that cost. The explained that she needed one hundred thrity feet, since each of the ten boys was to end up with a ten foot piece of rope, melted on each end, with which to practice knot-tying and she wanted extra for the troop leader and a little more just in case. Sales-dude explained that this is the best rope and is good for practicing knots.
The guy measures out the 130', as I am now fake-looking at rope and watching him from the corner of my eye, as he seemed scheisty. He fires up the electric rope cutter and starts making the cut. He gets through the cover than begins to struggle with the high-heat resistant core. Pauses for a second and explains that the knife needs to heat up. He waits for a bit, then tries again but to no avail. He can't get through it. He reaches for a normal knife they have nearby to cut rope.
At this point, I couldn't take it any more. I envisioned this lady leaving the store with almost $400 worth of useless rope. I interjected, "Ma'am, that's about the worst rope you could get for what you're doing." She looked shocked. I went on briefy about the vectran core and how tough it is, pointing out that this skilled rope cutter couldn't do with high-tech equipment exactly what she was expecting untrained little boys to do with crude tools. I went on, "That rope is strong enough to pick up 2 SUVs. You don't need that. This rope here is 60 cents a foot and that hot knife will cut it with ease. Don't get that rope."
This is the best part. She turned to the sales guy and ripped him apart! She loudly accused him (perhaps rightfully so) of trying to rip her off of 350 dollars and how he should be talking about things he didn't know about. She kept looking at me and saying, "can you believe this?!?!?!" I kinda felt bad for the guy, but he was asking for it.
Is it wrong that I waited until he cut the rope (partially) before I said anything?
After she left I showed him 2 tricks to cut the rope. He thanked me.
