What exactly is cave line?

[Jim Baldwin]

I've finally picked up the hoses I wanted to get my new double's regs all setup, and was about to tie off my bolt snaps and get everything underway. I was going to cut off a bit from my big OMS reel and use that line, but I started wondering what "cave line" was, and if there is any reason I can't go to a hardware store and pick up 3/16" or 1/8" nylon marine rope and use it for tying off snaps instead of taking it off my reel.

Any thoughts?

Jim

I buy mine at Home Depot in the masonry section. Lots so twisted line but look closey and you will find the braided stuff. It;s about $5 a roll and that's enough to last a very long time. I have found white, yellow, hot pink and blue usually #18 and #24 lb. A couple of wraps a good surgeon's knot and burning the ends works good for me.

 

[Charlie99]

a frapping turn around the loops through the bolt snap really help get a nice tight permanent lashing.

Squishing the loops together with frapping turns also puts the pressure onto the square knot (aka reef knot) that it needs to be secure.

A square knot needs to be under tension to be secure - unless you add kludges like burning and mashing the ends or glueing the knot together.

 

[nereas]

be careful the zip ties have a nylon not metal pawl. in my experience the metal ones will corrode and the tie will eventually come loose - invariable at the worst possible time

I have been replacing them every year, when I take my gear apart to have it serviced. So I have never had a problem with the nylon ties yet.

 

[Flightlead]

cave line in bulk here cheap. cheap webbing too.

Nylon Webbing, Braided Nylon Line and Parachute Line

see The Riggers Apprentice for some great knots, information about lashing, knotting, hitching and some interesting lore about rope and line.

 

[alexxred]

Just buy venetian blind cord

 

[lowridersvt]

i have been using masons (from home depot )line for permanent line for ice diving and #24 cave line for my main reals and spools .

Does anybody still ad o rings to there long hose bolt snap i usaly put 2 cheap automotive o rings then use cave line to give me a break away in case some body need it when its cliped off . and just a couple loops of cave line for my spg always burn the knot to

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I use one large o-ring looped through eye of the the snap and then stretched over the base of the mouthpiece. With a strong tug it can be pulled loose from the o-ring without pullin the mouthpiece off and you have the option of re-stowing it later.

Braided line handles better as it does not untwist and is more abbraision resistant, but twisted nylon line of the same diameter is stronger, so there are tradeoffs. Kermantel line uses straight nylon core with a braided cover to get the best of both for use on gold lines.

Zip ties will break if twisted which may or may not be desireable depending on the application, so use them only after careful consideration. Tying a snap on with cave line creates a strong and flexible connection that can still be cut if needed.