Zip Tie Question

[Wendy]

The whole "don't use zipties use caveline" is silly... sorry Wendy, but it is a crock. *Caveline* is for folks who need to feel special. If caveline were really that great your regulator mouth piece and wing inflator mouth piece would be tied on with *caveline*.

Bill said it, black is what you want if you are afraid of UV rays blowing away all your attachments UW.

Personally I use the ones I bought in a tub at Costco, they are white and they last so long I will never be able to use the whole tub up!

Just be that way...see if I ever let you take me diving in Alaska.

 

[Snowbear]

Just be that way...see if I ever let you take me diving in Alaska.

Hehehe - you can use your caveline in Alaska if you really must.
UP's zipties didn't disintegrate either

 

[android]

I've seen some zip ties that advertise stainless locking teeth instead of the plastic. Has anyone tried these in salt water. I'd assume that the "stainless" wouldn't be that resistant to regular immersion, so I've just bought all plastic.

And my Home Depot has pretty nice stainless boltsnaps that are US made. I stopped by Loewes one night to get a few and they were imported junk that almost took a pair of plier to open the slides were so rough. Decided to pass on them.

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

some advise, if you are going to "trim the tail" after tightening the zip-tie, be sure to cut it straight across, as close to the base as possible. if you cut it at an angle, it will act like a little knife. If the zip-tie is in close proximity to my body (like on my reg) I take a small file and file the edge smooth. Unfortunately this was a hard lesson learned,(stitches). I hope this prevents another accident!!!

 

[mweitz]

They also make those little hand zip tie tightner / cutters. They give a clean cut and tighten the zip tie quite well. You can also (carefully) cut the hangover with a razor.

Mark

 

[spectrum]

Yes, trimming a tie wrap is a bit of an art. If done carelessly you can easily sge sut up on them, might even do a number on some gear. It's best to hold a little tension on the waste while you cut it off as close to flush as possible. Holding the tension makes the cut end inclined to retreat inside the head. There are som tools to do this jub but even the best ones vary in performance with grades of ties.

Quality does vary but the weakness usually shows up when you install it buy breaking as you tension it. Once installed they usually go the distance.

Pete

 

[Kestrell]

Yes they are the same zip ties. You can buy them at a diev shop but they seem the same as the hardware store variety to me.

You said you were thinking of the ones on the reg, but if you are thinking of using zipties for other items on your gear, like attach bolt snaps etc, i would recommend using some cave line insted.

Yeah, use cave line. I have my bolt snaps secured with cave line but I use zip ties as a back up. I pull them to where they are a bit slack and crazy glue them at that point. That way if the cave line breaks (not likely) the zip tie will still be there. I change my zip ties every season. Just relying on zips ties however isn't good as they will degrade and can break without warning.

 

[Damselfish]

Nail clippers work pretty well to cut zip ties. Followed by a filing if it matters alot. Keep one of those nail clippers with a file around, if the TSA hasn't confiscated them all.

 

[AADiveRex]

I've seen some zip ties that advertise stainless locking teeth instead of the plastic. Has anyone tried these in salt water. I'd assume that the "stainless" wouldn't be that resistant to regular immersion, so I've just bought all plastic.

And my Home Depot has pretty nice stainless boltsnaps that are US made. I stopped by Loewes one night to get a few and they were imported junk that almost took a pair of plier to open the slides were so rough. Decided to pass on them.

I have used the stainless ones in the past, and they work very well, but I haven't seen them available in years.

Watch out for those bolt snaps. Most of the springs are made of spring-steel, not stainless, and they will fail quite quickly.

Dive Safe
Adam

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Personally I like the "Thomas & Betts" brand of ty-wraps. I have found that the T&B ones have slightly rounded corners on the square block that locks the tension, some of the off brands can have sharp square corners that can scratch you even if you trim the cut part off nicely. Fortunately I have a supply of them that I purchased long ago.

I have seen shortened life from ultra-violet radiation, but only at work in theatrical lights that use an electric arc lamp as the light source. Of course these arc lamps would also give you a sunburn in half an hour without proper filtration, and the ty-wrap is exposed to this radiation and ambient temperatures around 110 degrees farenheit with surface tempuratures around 180 to 200 degrees for perhaps 1500 to 2000 hours before the non UV rated ones become brittle and fail. Frankly if I am diving in an environment like that I will not be worried about the ty-wrap failing

Mark Vlahos