Cutting 2 inch webbing

[GeronimoDF]

Hey Guys,
Everytime I try and cut the webbing for the waist strap, it allows frays. How do you cut the webbing so it does not fray?



Thanks,

Daniel F. Nehlsen

 

[Quarrior]

Have you tried using a lighter after you cut it? If it's Nylon, this should fix the problem. Worked on mine.

 

[Mako Mark]

you use what is called a hot knife, which is kinda like a soldering iron with a blade, or you can do like brian and burn it with a flame.

 

[Groundhog246]

Use a cigarette lighter or similar to melt the cut ends. Works on plastic (poly/nylon) ropes too. Places that do a lot of it (cutting) generally cut it with a hot blade that melts it's way through, rather than slices.

 

[Bob3]

Hot knives are great, though expensive (usually).
There's a catalog joint that has them for about $6. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47888
You can also grind/file the tip of an el-cheapo soldering iron down, or use an exacto knife & heat it with a torch (or stove).
Lacking any of those the cut/melt methods already described work well. Use a razor blade for least disruption.

 

[GeronimoDF]

Hey guys,
I figured out a good way to do this..thanks to cancun mark. I have a soldering iron, and just never thought about using on of the 'other tips' they gave me. It melts the webbing, a little slow but not that bad at all. No more fraying. Thanks for all your ideas.


Daniel

 

[PatH]

If you don't have a hotknife, use a blowtorch or one of the new butane torches. Heat (partially melt) the webbing before you cut it (both sides). This will keep it nice and flat, thin and clean when you cut it. After, you only have to touch up with the torch any minor frays that may have broken free during cutting. Shears work best for cutting. I find a lighter too weak to do the job.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I use two items:

1) extremely sharp shears such as "Fiskars" to cut the webbing using one smooth action. Dull (or cheap) scissors will require a "hacking" motion that causes fraying.

2) propane torch to IMMEDIATELY sear the cut end. Matches and lighters are not hot enough to do the job correctly.

The propane torch also is handy for heating a piece metal in order to burn holes in webbing. Although, during the winter months I simply place the tip of metal into the wood-stove for a few minutes.

 

[simbrooks]

I use the seat-belt cutting tool in my Leatherman pocket knife/tool to cut it, takes about a second to cut through it like a hot knife in butter, i find that a lighter does seal the ends - at least mine havent frayed even slightly - you have to get the webbing to the hot part of the flame to accomplish a good job though - this may or may not be the DIR way to do it

 

[mgdive]

My method for a perfect cut webbing end:

Lock a small jig-saw blade or other thin flat metallic object in a pair of vice-grips. Heat the blade using a propane torch or gas range. Place the webbing flat on an old 2x4. Bring the hot metal's thin edge down on the webbing resulting in a perfect, straight, smooth, seared cut edge.