Rope sizes

[Pluto]

I am trying to sort out exactly what ropes we should have on Kennet, but archive material quotes rope sizes by weight for a standard length, and today we seem to use diameter. The sizes I want converted are:

 

Lock line and bridle line: 8lb or 8.5lb

Level line: 5lb

Holding up rope: 6lb

Strap rope: 15lb

Tow rope: 24lb

 

Mansley & Co of Leigh, they were alongside the towpath on the Wigan side of Leigh Bridge, were charging 3/- per lb in 1948, so I think the cost is a little more today.

[Timleech]

I am trying to sort out exactly what ropes we should have on Kennet, but archive material quotes rope sizes by weight for a standard length, and today we seem to use diameter. The sizes I want converted are:

 

Lock line and bridle line: 8lb or 8.5lb

Level line: 5lb

Holding up rope: 6lb

Strap rope: 15lb

Tow rope: 24lb

 

Mansley & Co of Leigh, they were alongside the towpath on the Wigan side of Leigh Bridge, were charging 3/- per lb in 1948, so I think the cost is a little more today.

 

I think 8lb was the size used for general purposes on a Narrow Boat, probably a bit over 1/2" diameter. The weight was that for a certain length of the line, logic would suggest the length of the walk but not sure whether that's correct.

 

What ever happened to rope being measured by circumference?

 

Tim

Edited July 27, 2011 by Timleech

[Pluto]

I think 8lb was the size used for general purposes on a Narrow Boat, probably a bit over 1/2" diameter. The weight was that for a certain length of the line, logic would suggest the length of the walk but not sure whether that's correct.

 

What ever happened to rope being measured by circumference?

 

Tim

That's what I thought, Tim, with a standard length on which rope walks were designed, rather than the other way round. On circumference, perhaps much rope today is so soft that it would be difficult to make an exact measurement.

[Blossom]

A little off topic perhaps, but just thrown in for interest. Back in the late 1960;s early 1970’s there still used to be a rope shop in Broad Street, Wolverhampton, just 2 minute walk from Wolverhampton top lock that still sold cotton tow lines which were about 100 foot long and came in two sizes (diameter) They were still sold as 1 horse or 2 horse lines, 1 horse being about ½” diameter and 2 horse being ¾”diameter.

[Derek R.]

The weight measurement by length would of course be critical on affecting the size. A 5lb measurement of one yard in length would be one big rope, whereas along a rope walk (how long) it would be much smaller. Perhaps it was a fathom in length - I don't know, and rope walk lengths can vary. Maybe a Chain in length - 22yds.

 

How long is your ropewalk?

 

There's a handy little table, albeit in metric HERE.

 

It seems ropes were measured in circumference if over 1" in diameter:

 

"Fibre Rope Size

 

Rope is measured in two ways: by diameter or circumference. Ropes up to one inch are generally measured by the diameter and ropes over one inch by their circumference. This must be clearly understood, since a rope one inch in diameter has a circumference of approximately 3 inches, while a rope one inch in circumference has a diameter of 5/16 of an inch."

 

From:

http://www.66thlondon.org/knots.html

Edited July 27, 2011 by Derek R.

[Timleech]

A little off topic perhaps, but just thrown in for interest. Back in the late 1960;s early 1970’s there still used to be a rope shop in Broad Street, Wolverhampton, just 2 minute walk from Wolverhampton top lock that still sold cotton tow lines which were about 100 foot long and came in two sizes (diameter) They were still sold as 1 horse or 2 horse lines, 1 horse being about ½” diameter and 2 horse being ¾”diameter.

 

I'm pretty sure that Mansley;s cotton lines came in coils about 100ft long, so that was probably the length of their walk.

Thinking about it, the weight of a coil of 8lb line might well have been 8 lb, my first thought was that it must have been more than that.

 

Tim

Edited July 27, 2011 by Timleech

[Pluto]

A couple of views of the ropewalk at Edenfield, north of Bury, in 1986. They made cotton rope for the NCB as it did not create any static electricity when in use. The cotton yarn came from beam ends, the unused waste cotton yarn from the warp on looms.

[boatmanckp]

I purchased two ropes from Mansley's of Leigh in the early 70s a 6 lb. line and a 9 lb line both were 90 ft in length. I still have the bill somewhere? both ropes are triple twisted and made of cotton. The 9 lb line was cut into required lengths and used as mooring line 1 long one forward and 2 shorter ones at the stern.With over 30 years service I could not complain.The 6 lb. line is still complete and is in first class condition and used as an anchor line.Not that it gets used very often! The 9 lb line was the standard horse narrowboat towing line. Cotton lines were also widely used in the mills to drive various machinery through a series of pulleys.CKP

[Laurence Hogg]

A little off topic perhaps, but just thrown in for interest. Back in the late 1960;s early 1970’s there still used to be a rope shop in Broad Street, Wolverhampton, just 2 minute walk from Wolverhampton top lock that still sold cotton tow lines which were about 100 foot long and came in two sizes (diameter) They were still sold as 1 horse or 2 horse lines, 1 horse being about ½” diameter and 2 horse being ¾”diameter.

I well remember that place. I believe they got most of the supplies originally from the Moxley Rope Works which was a stones throw from the Walsall canal at Moxley (factory sign is still there today!)

Back then Wolverhampton was a treasure trove of unusual shops, sadly today the shop is probably a Iranian kebab shop!