Cutting line...downhauls, harness lines, whatever...can of course be done with razor blades, finishing the ends with a match or a cigarette lighter, thought the results are often less than great. As someone who likes tools, and who religously replaces and tweaks lines, I went in search of the perfect line cutting tool a few years ago. I think I have it worked out.
Murrays Marine sells a purpose-built tool that looks a lot like a soldering gun to me. If you already own a soldering gun you can just buy the replacement tip. I bought the replacement tip, and then went out to get Radio Shack's "Dual heat soldering gun with light" for about $25, and have been in rope-trimming bliss ever since. You laugh, but when I pull this baby out, all my friends come over and need "a quick favor." I'm packing heat.
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Its a brilliant tool! My husband is a sailmaker and uses it all the time - but if your life in general is centred around anything to do with sailing then its one of those must haves cos it makes life so much easier than making a messy cut with a blunt knife or scissors and then looking for a light of some sort to burn the end etc etc. Let them laugh........but once they have used it they will all be running out to get one themselves!
Posted by: Bunty | April 07, 2007 at 11:37 AM
"I'm packing heat."
That would have to be the funniest, cleverest thing I've read all week! :-)
Posted by: nebbian | April 11, 2007 at 05:53 PM
I carry a small blowtorch (think creme brulee-size) in my tool box - comes in handy all the time not just for melting rope ends, but also for starting bbq's... For cutting rope, though - if you don't have the soldering iron/cutting tool, one way to get a clean cut is to tape the rope, then cut through the tape (at an angle), then melt the end. Not quite as neat, but then you don't need to worry about finding electricity as you're at the beach.
Posted by: g-42 | April 13, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Good suggestion, Andreas (g-42)! I've done that in times of need myself on harness lines. Re the heat gun, I don't drive around with it (though I could...I have an inverter in the van),..what I do is drive around with 3-4 precut downhauls and outhauls, so if I need one I have it. But the tape technique works well...I'd forgotten it. Thanks!
Posted by: Peconic Puffin (Michael) | April 13, 2007 at 07:52 PM