How to Whip Fuse a Rope
Whipping is a process of binding a twine around the ends of a stranded or braided rope to keep it from fraying. Multiple turns of marline or twine are wrapped around the cut end of the rope, both synthetic and natural, to keep its stranded fibres from unlaying. It can be applied both by hand as well as by using a needle. You can also simply tie off the cut ends with a thread.
There are different types of whipping like Common whipping, French whipping, Portuguese whipping, Sailmaker’s whipping and West Country whipping, you can use either of them to tie the ends of the freshly braided rope. Another way of keeping the rope from fraying is fusing its cut ends. Ropes made of material such as Nylon, Dacron or polyester are melted to fuse the fibres and prevent their natural tendency to unlay.
Things Required:
– Rope
– Twine or dental floss
– Candle
– Match stick
– Tape
Instructions
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1
Whipping Rope
Lay the rope straight on table or any other hard surface and place twine or dental floss on it to form a loop. You have to make sure both ends of the string are within the coils; hence place both ends horizontally on the rope before coiling the string over them in circles. Wrap the twine neatly around the rope along with one end of the twine.
Tighten the whirls until the diameter of the binding is at least double the diameter of the rope. Once you are satisfied with the diameter of the whipping, pull the working end of the thread through the loop to tie a knot. Also pull hard on the other end of the twine or dental floss (whichever you are using). Cut off both loose ends of the twine. To make the whipping neat and permanent, tie it off or sew the end of the thread through the rope. -
2
Fusing Rope
Apply tape to the Nylon, Dacron or polyester rope around the area to be cut. Using a pair of scissor or a sharp knife, cut the rope in the middle of the tape, making sure that the tape remains intact on each side. Now fuse both the cut ends with a burning match or candle. Hold each end on the flame for a minute, while rotating it continuously to burn the end evenly. However, do not overwork and do not go beyond the taped area, when fusing the fibers on flame.
