How to Keep Rope From Fraying

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Things You'll Need

  • Scissors

  • Lit candle

  • Electrical tape

Ropes fray easily when the ends are loose.

Rope frays easily, which eventually destroys it. Many people do something to the ends of the rope to prevent it from happening. If a rope contains nylon, you can melt the ends. Melting part of the rope won't affect its strength. The melted ends feel hard to the touch. Taping the rope is another common method used. Not only will a frayed rope fall apart, but it also looks messy and unkempt.

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Burning Method

Step 1

Cut off any already frayed parts of the rope.

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Step 2

Rotate the end of the rope adjacent to the candle flame until it melts.

Step 3

Blow out any flames on the rope. Let the rope cool for about 10 minutes.

Tape Method

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Step 1

Trim off the frayed parts of the rope with scissors.

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Step 2

Cut a 12-inch piece of tape from the roll.

Step 3

Wrap about 2 inches of tape over the end of the rope and press hard to secure it. Cut the rest of the tape away. Wrap the remaining 10 inches of tape around the rope end.

Tip

When wrapping the rope end with tape, keep the tape edge closest to the rope's end just about flush with that end. This will help keep the 2-inch section of tape in place as well as give the rope a neat appearance.

Warning

Do not touch the melted rope until it cools.

Do not use a butane lighter to fuse the rope end. It can explode it it's kept lit too long.

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