Web Belt Cutting

[Otter]

Ok, this may be an easy question, but before I trim my new 2" web belt on the BP, I am going to ask. Is there anything easy/special I need to do? I have seen the 'hot knives' that both cut/melt nylon webbing....I don't have one of those. I have heavy duty shears that will cut through the heavy resin belt no problem...I am assuming its so embedded with resin that I won't have any fraying (sp?), or am I going to need to melt the end without blobs'o goop at the end?

 

[Lineman Larry]

Spend 3 dolars. 1 dollar for a lighter and 2 for a bottle of "Super Glue"

Step 1. Cut belt
Step 2. Use the lighter to "seal" the frayed end.
Step 3. Use Super Glue to keep the seal from fraying out in the future.
Do not be stingy with the Super Glue.

 

[The Kraken]

I use an industrial razor blade and a small hammer.
Place the webbing on a flat surface, such as a cutting board.
Place the razor blade in the groove of the weave. This will insure that you get a square cut.
Tap the back of the razor blade with the small hammer (or some other striking device).
You'll get a good clean cut.
Take an open flame and sear the end of the webbing or dip it in some glue similar to super glue.

 

[Hank49]

This will insure that you get a square cut.
.

I agree with Kraken. "Square cut" is the key word. I tried to be smart and made a rounded cut on a weight belt, thinking it would feed easliy into the buckle, but it just kept fraying as the lose ends weren't held by a single cross thread.

 

[James S]

The best method I have used is to take a pair of scissors, place them into the flame from the burners on my stove, let them get real hot, then cut the webbing. The cut comes out nice an clean.
\
James

 

[rickyd]

I heat up an old knife shop blade with a torch, and just let the blade melt thru the webbing. Use a wood block underneath. I also "round" off the corners by again melting a short diagnoal on each side, and then just touching the blade to the sharp edges.


Seals all the time, no fraying.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I just cut the webbing with my EMT shears ... then use a soldering iron to melt the edges to prevent fraying ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[alpenadiver]

I use heavy duty shears, then I fire up my popane torch until the metal area(nozzle?) around the flame turns red hot then run the webbing across it.

 

[JDostal]

I just use a pair of scissors (Fiskers or something like that...the ubiquitous orange handled ones that work great). Snip the webbing, grab my torch and singe the ends.

My LDS has a cool little soldering gun that has like a 2" wide bar on it instead of a point. They just heat it up and slice through the webbing - it's kinda cool.

 

[FredT]

I cut a fair amount of webbing making harness kits. The second best tool if you don't have a hot knife is a reasonably large handled SHARP knife. Cut across the grain squarely using the warp and weave of the belt as a guide. A few seconds with a propane flame seals the ends. The edge can also be sculpted into a round or other shape as desired by the same method cutting down onto a HDPE surface (plastic cutting board). The HDPE provides suitable support, but won't dull the knife when you cut through. Resharpen the blade often if doing a series of cuts. The sharp blade doesn't pull the threads of the belt, it shears them.

BTW your dive knife should ALWAYS be in shape to cut this stuff. If not it needs serious attention before the next dive.

FT