how do you cut your ropes?

[Heath]

After I sew the rope with a sailor's whipping, it doesn't matter how you cut it. Chew it off! Leaves a nice soft friendly end to it, too!

 

[mikecross23]

I used a piece of 1.75 mm Zing-it to whip the end of a climbing line the other day. Holding fast so far.

 

[NickfromWI]

The Zing-it whipping sounds pretty good, though a bit bulky, no? It might be good to use a few strands of Zing-it. That way it has less bulk and you can do more than one whipping with each piece you cut off of your throw line!

love
nick

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Good to give an old horse a new job. I'll bet that there are a lot of those old irons laying around. Since a torch is so much easier and now plastic plumbing is making inroads, electric soldering is becoming even more ancient.

If you can take the tip out you might be able to pound it into a knife edge. Otherwise I'll bet a weldor could silver solder a piece on so that you can make a clean cut.

I made a hot cut knife for fabrics but taking my small soldering iron and fabricating a new tip. I found a piece of copper tubing that slipped into the tip. Then cut the tubing that sticks out of the iron vertically and trim it off. You'll end up with a piece of half round tubing. A little work with a hammer and anvil and you'll have a knife edge. You could also cut the tip at an angle like an Exacto blade. This should work for the heavy iron too. Look for a thick wall piece of brass or copper tubing.


Tom

 

[Heath]

sailors whipping

Here is a pic of the sailor's whip. I learned this working for Charly Pottorrf. Are we the only ones doing this? I sure do like it, and i've never seen one come undone. No toxic melting fumes, or hot stuff to burn me, either!

 

[Heath]

How do you get that fuzzy pom-pom through a FS or pulley? Probably the same way you do. Mine is just fuzzy. All the melting and chopping just seems crude, I guess. I learned to do that in scouts as a boy. When I learned this it just seemed neater! Charly has me sew alot of ropes. This is the way he sells them. I understand the positive attributes of how you all are doing it, but noone had posted anything about this method.

PEACE AND CARROTS

HEATH

 

[treeman82]

I just tried cleaning up one end of my lanyard with my father's soldering iron which HAS to be older than I am. For my first time cutting rope with it, and not having a very good cutting tip I was pleased with the job it did. Lot easier than having to mess with a lighter or matches. Thanks for the idea guys

 

[NickfromWI]

ATTN HEATH:

That's a great whipping. One of the greatest reasons I think all ropes should be whipped and not melted is because it's much more fun to say things like "You know what that rope needs? A good whipping!"

love
nick

 

[Heath]

Thanks Nick!
What I want to learn next is splicing. Is there a video or book you started with?
Heath

 

[NickfromWI]

This is off topic, but oh well!

Heath, there was no one video or book for me to start with. I figured out three strand first by looking at another splice on a boat that was docked in a lake by my house. Then hollow/single braid was next. Norm Hall explained it to me a bit, then the rest I figured out trial-n-error and by reading publications from different rope manufacturers. Double braid I learned from the instructions that come with the Toss Wand, and I just don't remember the rest.

Now you can get the Splicing video by Brion Toss. Few people have complaints about it. The price of the video will pay itself off in one or two splices you do for yourself!

Most importantly, talk to as many people as you can, read as many books as you can, find out from the manufacturer how they want a particular rope spliced, and practice, practice, practice.

love
nick

ps- Tell Charly I said hi. I climbed with him at the TreeHouse Project!

 

[DDM]

Hey, Matt Just wait till your dad tries to use the soldering iron again.

 

[treeman82]

Dave, he's got a box full of tips to use, and quite frankly I can't even remember the last time he took the darn thing out.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Soldering irons, or at least the accessory section in a good hardware store, has the special tip intended specifically for melting plastic and synthetic materials.

It has flattened surfaces. After the cut, or melt, the end can be smoothed and shaped. Beats lighting it.

 

[Jacob J.]

<p>My old boss that worked for CalTrans just used a wire that was stretched tight between the positive and negative posts on a car battery. The current kept the wire hot and it melted the rope in half cleanly and melted the ends.<p/>

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Did a battery ever blow up?

Tom

 

[Jacob J.]

I'm not sure, but I'll bet one came close a time or to. He only kept it hooked up for a few minutes.

 

[Heath]

yeah, that whole battery exploding thing makes whipping sound even better!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

What are the chances of the Sherrill (item #15441 H on p.15;2003) replacement melter/cutter tip being within mechanical and electrical tolerances to work well in the replaceable tip socket on a pistol grip soldering iron?