Whipping and sealing ends

[James_Calvert]

This reminds me of a JDS cartoon.
An old timer is working an elaborate fancy tapered rope end using a marline spike, and looking disdainfully at a new sailor sealing a rope with a lighted match.

You can also seal a rope end with the flame from a gas stove.

Tends to pong a bit in the area for a while...

 

[capnsensible]

I got a cheapo hot knife in Lidl for under a tenner. Got well used running my liveaboard yacht plus two school yachts. Probably the most useful doohdah I ever got.

 

[DanTribe]

You can also seal a rope end with the flame from a gas stove.

Tends to pong a bit in the area for a while...

The caption on the cartoon was "science is killing the art", so I imagine he was bemoaning the demise of "sailorising"ropework.

 

[HunterWanderer]

I use superglue.
Put on a few drops on the rope then twist the rope. When it hardens cut through the glued are with a Stanley knife. Add a few drops to the end if the superglue hasent soaked into the end.
It makes an end rather like a shoe lace.
The rope has to be dry but can be done when windy and doesn't leave a big black lump on the rope end.

 

[geem]

I use superglue.
Put on a few drops on the rope then twist the rope. When it hardens cut through the glued are with a Stanley knife. Add a few drops to the end if the superglue hasent soaked into the end.
It makes an end rather like a shoe lace.
The rope has to be dry but can be done when windy and doesn't leave a big black lump on the rope end.

That's the beauty of a hot knife. All end fibres melted but not burned. Whole job done cleanly and easily in no time but if I didn't have a hot knife your system sounds great

 

[ylop]

Does no-one use Dip and Seal anymore ? Tin of paint like liquid plastic .... dip end in ... let it cure. Used to cover tool handles, rope ends etc. In fact you could even use normal paint ....

I asked in the chandlery this week for Dipping Whipping. They said no longer able to get it - suspected that it was a toxic chemical issue! She suggested other people were heat shrinking.

 

[Neeves]

Google 'heat shrink for rope' and you will find lots of options. I don't know if it is important but cable heat shrink and rope heat shrink are, entirely, different. For a rope end it probably does not matter. Rope heat shrink can shrink as much as 3 times, so the diameter of the tube will shrink by a factor of 3 (and also 'thicken' up). I've been using a rope heat shrink (bought through Aliexpress) that shrinks in boiling water. Using a heat gun or a gas flame on dyneema may reduce the strength of the fibre but boiling water will have minimal impact at the end of a rope, so irrelevant.

Whipping looks 'nice' but heat shrink on a splice also looks neat (and maybe more abrasion resistant).

Jonathan

 

[Daydream believer]

I doubt that abrasion resistance & strength are issues at the very end of a rope. All one wants to do is maintain a tightly bound terminal. Thus preventing fraying & making it easy to thread through pullies & eyes etc.

 

[Refueler]

We have made both stackpacks, liferaft cover, rescue sling cover, petrol can covers, dinghy fuel tank cover, bean bags, reupholstered the 16 cushions in the saloon, windlass cover, cockpit cushion covers, hatch covers, boat full sun cover, etc. All with the cutting/sealing help of the hot knife. For the ninor cost it has saved thousands I suspect

One item that many wont need - but its worth knowing .............. common synthetic sail material when cut with a 'Hot Knife' - the edge is sealed ....

 

[Refueler]

The one factor I found with Heat Shrink .... to aid it lasting long term - its worth 'heating rope end' to create a slight ridge - to prevent heat shrink literally sliding itself off over time as rope is worked. Or as I posted earlier ... dribble thin CA into the rope end.

 

[LadyInBed]

Mains hot knives imo are a waste of time, I've found gas combo's are more useful as you can use them almost anywhere.
Gas Soldering Iron Pen Cordless Ignition Butane Solder Iron Welding Set HS-1115K | eBay

 

[geem]

Mains hot knives imo are a waste of time, I've found gas combo's are more useful as you can use them almost anywhere.
Gas Soldering Iron Pen Cordless Ignition Butane Solder Iron Welding Set HS-1115K | eBay

Haha, so you don't have an inverter? We have 220v sockets all over the boat including a waterproof outlet in a cockpit locker. We can plug in anywhere.
We have a gas soldering iron. Great for soldering but the problem with any gas device is it just burns the outside of the rope. When you use a hot knife, you apply pressure as you cut. This seals the ends of the knife and glues the fibres together in one constant melt with no burning. Super neat and easy.
When you buy rope in a shop. What do they cut with. A hot knife. If there was a better solution they would use it

 

[Refueler]

Haha, so you don't have an inverter? We have 220v sockets all over the boat including a waterproof outlet in a cockpit locker. We can plug in anywhere.
We have a gas soldering iron. Great for soldering but the problem with any gas device is it just burns the outside of the rope. When you use a hot knife, you apply pressure as you cut. This seals the ends of the knife and glues the fibres together in one constant melt with no burning. Super neat and easy.
When you buy rope in a shop. What do they cut with. A hot knife. If there was a better solution they would use it

There are a number of Propane powered Hot Knives on the market ........ even 12v powered but they are weak and really only useful for pinpoint soldering inside cabin out of any air movement !

 

[LadyInBed]

We have a gas soldering iron. Great for soldering but the problem with any gas device is it just burns the outside of the rope.

Did you look at my link? It has a cutting bit as well as soldering iron bits!

 

[Poignard]

Mains hot knives imo are a waste of time, I've found gas combo's are more useful as you can use them almost anywhere.
Gas Soldering Iron Pen Cordless Ignition Butane Solder Iron Welding Set HS-1115K | eBay

Mine hasn't wasted my time.