Rope end treatment to prevent unravelling?

What do people do with the nylon ropes with a core to keep the ends from fraying? I know with the old hemp ropes you do a special "wrap" with thinner cord, but that wouldn't look right.

I bought it to go through the holes in one of those little square drawstring rucksacks with the grommets on the bottom. Tie knot to secure it, but the cut ends????

Isn't there something to dip them in? Like a liquid plastic film? I know people used to burn the ends, but that doesn't look all that great on white cord. Maybe colored duct tape?

Thanks for any help!

[john#4]

hay, just burn the end a little. It will melt and you won't have any more truble.
john#4

[Cyngbaeld]

hot melt glue works pretty well if you want it to look nice. You might have to practice a few times to get it right. And be sure to keep a glass of ice water right by where you are working in case you get it on you. It can make a nasty burn because it sticks to the skin.

[Zuiko]

I dont remember where I saw it, but I remember some 1" or so diameter ropes with like 4" of the end wrapped in electrical tape

[fin29]

Originally Posted by Zuiko

I dont remember where I saw it, but I remember some 1" or so diameter ropes with like 4" of the end wrapped in electrical tape

That's what we use. It actually looks pretty nice if you're careful when doing it.

[adofus]

Funny you should ask this now. This month's The Family Handyman covers this and just came in the mail today. Use a soldiering iron to cut it, thus cutting and sealing at the same time.

Adofus, that sounds like a winner--thank you (and for subscribing to Family Handyman)! And it will keep the unused end of the remainder neat as well as hide the inner "core" of the rope.

I used to just light a match to the end, but that always blackened it, which is fine for normal use, but I wanted DD's new (from thrift store, but new to her) rucksack to look nice. The other thought I had was to use Fray-Chek (sp?), but that is expensive. Don't have a hot glue gun, although I read somewhere that you can melt the glue in a makeshift double-boiler.

If I can't find the soldering iron I will use the electrical tape until I can :-)

Thanks again, everyone!

[Mike in Ohio]

RAC,

Soldering Iron is definately the way to go. The only thing is to make sure you get the end melted enough so that it is a solid blob. If you don't you will get it partially unravelling and then you will have to cut the end off.

The other way to do it is to make an eye in the end. To do this you will need a fid, a knife (sailers knife with spike preferable) and a palm. Ahhh, this brings back memories <G>.

Mike

Is "it'll ruin my soldering iron" an excuse for me to get one of those little woodburner tools and use it instead to melt the rope? The above is what DH said, when I asked to borrow it, LOL. I thought that the nylon would just peel off when it cooled, or am I incorrect?