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Painter line end treatment?

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Or other lines? AKA what do you do with the bitter ends of your lines and ropes? With lacing cord I just Bic Lighter flame the ends and roll them ouch-still-hot between my fingers.

I once knew how to splice the ends of thicker line, but I am not sure that lost art is even relevant with modern sheathed braids over poly core. My preferred painter line is floating, high vis yellow poly line (with some contrasting tracer please). With a high enough tensile strength that I not whiplash ducking or falling over when a line snaps. I’m too old to do a Charlie-roll when then the line breaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYsYm-YEb6w

Having some length of high strength rescue rope is good. But I am not whipping teeny woven poly end fibers on braided or double braided line to splice the ends. Even if I remembered how.

With modern woven-sheath synthetic lines a couple wraps of quality duct tape, a clean razor cut, centered on that wrap of tape, and a bit of Bic lighter plastic flammage at each end seems to seal the ends of modern ropes in a decent enough way. It helps if you squeeze/roll the melted poly and tape between your fingers. Bonus points if done so ungloved.

I wonder if splicing line ends is becoming a lost art.

How do you dress the ends of your various line and ropes?
 
Wrap tightly with electrician's tape, cut in the middle and singed. I've been impressed with how long it lasts. Splicing is fun, but I'm too lazy.
 
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Heat shrink tubing at the end. Cut and seal tip with soldering iron where applicable. Tubing is available in a variety of sizes and colors.
 
I have just used the Bic lighter technique. The ends have never unraveled. Some for as long as 30 years. Until I came to know this canoe tripping site I was unaware that there were more elegant ways to do a variety of things. My painter ends don’t look snazzy, but until this morning I felt no embarrassment!
 
On my two most used painters, one is just melted, the other has the electrical tape, then cut, then melted. Both are about 20 years old, I might have had the odd frayed strand but that is easily fixed at the next smoke break.

All the solutions posted so far will work, the reliable Bic lighter melt is just so simple and effective.

Of course if you want to be "traditional" you should use non-synthetic rope (preferably hemp), melting is not the answer in that case.
 
The most effective way when using the Bic method is to lay the last foot of the rope on a rag in your hand. When the end begins to melt , squeeze the rag and pull the rope through. The fused end will close and flatten without burning your fingers.
 
The most effective way when using the Bic method is to lay the last foot of the rope on a rag in your hand. When the end begins to melt , squeeze the rag and pull the rope through. The fused end will close and flatten without burning your fingers.

Nice tip and I thank you it.
 
Your junk work gloves work as well, you can shape the end, rounded, flattened, pinched or pointy whichever you prefer.
 
I was waiting for someone to take a swing at that Softball I left over the plate.
 
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I was waiting for someone to take a swing at that Softball I left over the plate.

Oh, I was tempted, it was an inviting pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_QLzthSkfM

Devo still cracks me up.

I love the fact that trippers have a half dozen different ways of dressing their line ends. Each to their own. I appreciate that we all have different ways, styles, techniques and methods, and can still share a harmonious campfire.

I do wear thick leather gloves when squinching down thicker flaming poly rope and razor-cut Gorilla tape line ends; I have the grimy black-fingered leather gloves to prove it. The ones without ouch-holes worn through the thumb and index fingers; always check for that surprise first.

I at least try to use gloves. I still sometimes underestimate the heat imperviousness of my callused finger tips, especially when flaming a cut in it’ll-only-sting-for-a-minute 3mm line. It is one cut and two end seal flames, I’m not getting gloved up just for this.

I have at least learned better about naked fingering the blown-out flame on bungee tape cut ends. That melted rubber bungee crap is nasty. And lastingly adherent onto fingers hot.

Wiping the melted residue off on your pants does little good, even if you shout the magic incantation “Ow, dammit, hothothot”
 
Fixed it for you Mike.

"I love the fact that trippers have a half dozen different ways of dressing their ends."

You can also drag the burnt end under your boot and roll it smooth
 
I cut synthetic rope with a hot knife, so it is already heat sealed. My usual hot knife is a piece of steel banding heated with a propane torch. I may reheat the end to soften the sharp edges of the cut. I normally use double braided polyester rope because it is strong and has good UV resistance. I don't care for yellow polypropylene rope because of it's stiffness and rapid deterioration under UV light. I will splice an eye into one or both ends of twisted or hollow braid rope. When you can find hollow braid rope, it is relatively easy to splice using a knitting needle as a fid. Splicing instructions can be found online. Whoopie slings made from hollow braid line are also handy. Slick synthetic rope is not the best for whoopie slings. It tends to slip under pressure.

https://www.samsonrope.com/resources/how-to-splice-rope

https://www.animatedknots.com/brummel/index.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fid

https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/whoopie-slings
 
Fixed it for you Mike.

"I love the fact that trippers have a half dozen different ways of dressing their ends."

That gets into a whole ‘nother discussion about undergarments vs commando. One famous canoer of wild rivers confessed to being partial to ladies under garments after trying on his wife’s panties, and buying them in his diminutive size for future trips.

“A half a dozen ways to dress an end”. On a long trip, how many pair? What material? (Oh my, pink silk laceys) How’s your laundry technique? Hopefully not washed in the same bucket used to settle drinking water.



You can also drag the burnt end under your boot and roll it smooth

That works for hot dogs that rolled off the grill too. Just make sure no one sees you, and don’t eat that one yourself.
 
I use a soldering iron with a fine tip. Cuts and seals at the same time. Hemp ropes I back braid.

I must take exception to the comment about trippers wearing women's underwear. I know several trippers, and only some of them are transvestites. Not that anything's wrong with that.
 
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