Afraid Not (A Frayed Knot)

[Neil2]

Synthetic rope ends and splice ends can be sealed much more neatly by holding thems over a flame until the end begins to melt, then immediately drop it on the ground, a hard surface like a path and roll it back and forth under the ball of your shoe. The fibres will all neatly self amalgamate. Warning!! Don't try it bare footed.

 

I've always used an old stanley knife heating the blade on the gas ring.

[David Mack]

Wouldn't recommend what I did to the 'melt' the ends... I held each strand over a gas flame on the hob, with a piece of wet kitchen towel at the ready to damp the melted end down and amalgamate the fibres. Result - a burnt thumb!

I have been known to melt the ends of each strand over the gas ring then quickly shape the hot end between wet fingers. Short contact time and a bowl of cold water to put your fingers in straight afterwards are a good idea!

[tree monkey]

I have been known to melt the ends of each strand over the gas ring then quickly shape the hot end between wet fingers. Short contact time and a bowl of cold water to put your fingers in straight afterwards are a good idea!

I tend to do that, dad showed me when I was a youth and it just seems the right way now

[WotEver]

I have been known to melt the ends of each strand over the gas ring then quickly shape the hot end between wet fingers. Short contact time and a bowl of cold water to put your fingers in straight afterwards are a good idea!

Yup, that's my method too. It hurts though

[howardang]

Yup, that's my method too. It hurts though

If you do a reasonable amount of splicing a disposable cigarette lighter is a useful alternative, or even a match.

 

Howard

[MtB]

Another way is to shrink some electrician's heat shrink sleeve over the end of the rope prior to cutting it.

[Neil2]

Another way is to shrink some electrician's heat shrink sleeve over the end of the rope prior to cutting it.

 

One of my favourite TV programmes as a kid was "Out of Town" with Jack Hargreaves.

 

I remember one episode he was talking about rope, splicing etc and the different ways of finishing a rope end - natural fibres of course - so he goes through back splicing and the different types of whipping then at the end he gets this shrink sleeve stuff and say of course this is the best way to do it...

[Jennifer McM]

Thanks for all the tips! Especially the one about taking an umbrella to a trapeze act! Mind boggles!

 

Ta Da........

 

 

Wish I could say it was a 'first attempt', it was probably 13th time lucky! Still beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say, and I am very pleased! Really pleased people here pointed me in the right direction!

 

 

[bizzard]

Thanks for all the tips! Especially the one about taking an umbrella to a trapeze act! Mind boggles!

 

Ta Da........

 

rope.jpg

 

Wish I could say it was a 'first attempt', it was probably 13th time lucky! Still beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say, and I am very pleased! Really pleased people here pointed me in the right direction!

 

 

Well done you. Those little melted bits could have been blended in totally if you'd rolled it under your tootsie.

The story of the incontinent trapeze artist goes back a long way. He was the father of Trixie the gymnast who co starred with Mrs Blenkinsop in the adventures of the Phut, Phut boat, a story in episodes that I put on here a couple of years ago. It may still be in the archives.

Anyhow, getting back to the circus trapeze act. The ringmaster at first hood winked the audience by telling them it was raining outside and that the rain was dripping in through wee holes in the big top and that he patch it up. But of course the showers continued and members of the audience that sat at the front complained of funny smells on and around them, so he had to sack Trixie's dad or lose the audience.

[Chertsey]

Thanks for all the tips! Especially the one about taking an umbrella to a trapeze act! Mind boggles!

 

Ta Da........

 

rope.jpg

 

Wish I could say it was a 'first attempt', it was probably 13th time lucky! Still beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say, and I am very pleased! Really pleased people here pointed me in the right direction!

 

 

That's brilliant. You've mastered something that probably 90+%* of boaters can't do. Crown know next! (I can *never* remember how to do one)

 

*Wild guess.

[Iain_S]

I find it's the wall knot that's the hard one.

[WotEver]

I find it's the wall knot that's the hard one.

I found that knowing what to do with all the pretty knots I was making was the biggest problem. What do you do with 7 poor and 1 reasonable Turks Head?

[Murflynn]

I used to consider that a couple of years in the boy scouts had been a waste of time, but now I realise that my ability to do crown knots, splices and whippings didn't come naturally - I learned how at the age of 12 and never forgot.

[MtB]

Thanks for all the tips! Especially the one about taking an umbrella to a trapeze act! Mind boggles!

 

Ta Da........

 

rope.jpg

 

Wish I could say it was a 'first attempt', it was probably 13th time lucky! Still beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say, and I am very pleased! Really pleased people here pointed me in the right direction!

 

 

 

 

Well I'm very impressed. Congranulations!

 

I might even have a bash at it myself...