Cutting Dacron

[SPAWNmaster 0]

What's the best way to get a clean cut on Dacron 900lb without a hot knife?

[riggerpaul 1]

SPAWNmaster

What's the best way to get a clean cut on Dacron 900lb without a hot knife?

Even if you had hot knife, you wouldn't want to use it - it would leave a hard sharp edge on the line.

Just cut with a very sharp blade, like a razor blade, x-acto, or other very sharp knife.

If you will be finger-trapping the line, remember to cut the line at a sharp angle.

[Quagmirian 40]

I find sharp scissors to be fine for Dacron.

[riggerrob 598]

Lay a metal ruler across the Dacron suspension line. Press down, then cut with your hot knife.

[councilman24 36]

Your beat to hell household scissors won't do it. You need to have quality scissors that never see paper or anything else than parachute raw materials. I don't even use my good ones for closing loops. I've got about $150 in 3 scissors. You don't need to spend that much but you do need to go to the fabric store and get some high quality new one's. Then don't use them for anything else.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[SPAWNmaster 0]

Thanks all, very helpful.

[ctrph8 0]

Yep. They have to be seriously sharp scissors. I had a piece of 900 lb Dacron on my desk and just did a test snip with the my current pair. No problem.

I've gone a different route than the super nice scissors. I've been going with the 3 pack of semi-disposable scissors at the big box stores. The trick is that you absolutely HAVE to dispose of them when they start making you work for it. Don't even put them in the junk drawer. They will just end up back in circulation. I had half a dozen pairs of crappy (yet fairly expensive) scissors around here that were taking turns making me crazy. After trying to get the good ones sharpened a couple of times I gave up. The cheap ones work great until they don't and I get rid of them.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Quagmirian

I find sharp scissors to be fine for Dacron.

We sharpen all of our scissors prior to every use in our loft. Good, sharp scissors are a must.

[aironscott 3]

Serrated scissors are the ticket. Don't mess around with flat blades for cutting line. Electrician's scissors (as an example) can be purchased for around $20 at any Home Depot or Lowe's. They grip the line and cut it cleaner than anything I've ever tried.

“God Damn Mountain Dew MotherFuckers!”

[riggerrob 598]

Tension.
Tension the line before cutting.
With enough tension any sharp tool will cut Dacron suspension line.
Tension prevents the rope from "escaping" the sharp edge of the cutting tool.

With enough tension, I can cut rope between a smooth anvil and a smooth-faced hammer.

[ctrph8 0]

aironscott

Serrated scissors are the ticket. Don't mess around with flat blades for cutting line. Electrician's scissors (as an example) can be purchased for around $20 at any Home Depot or Lowe's. They grip the line and cut it cleaner than anything I've ever tried.

Brilliant! I'm an electrician and I never thought of that. Freakin brilliant!

[RiggerLee 61]

They work particularly well for hard to cut things like Kevlar.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com