Cutting cord for climbing pro
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 4:34 am
When cutting cord to restring climbing pro, there are a number of things that can make it a real PITA. There is nothing worse than trying to thread 5mm through a 5.5mm hole with a big lump of melted rope on the end. Most of us can't justify a $200 rope cutter just to cut a few pieces of rope or cord per year. A recent thread I started brought up how the sheath separates easily from the core on the Titan cord with Dyneema. A way to get a good small end with a solid fuse, and not spend $200, is to use packing or masking tape, a sharp knife, and a propane torch/hot burner. Cut the section you need and then tape both ends. This will ensure the core and sheath stay packed closely together while cutting/fusing. Super heat the knife blade, and then slowly cut through the middle of the taped end. That's about it. As the hot blade is cutting through, it will sear the end solidly and evenly without the mess. This is a fairly well known method, but not everyone has heard of it, so I figured I would save someone some frustration. Use a SHARP knife!