Cutting Technora Climbing Cord: Fancy Cord Needs Fancy Cutting Techniques
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I did a video quite awhile ago about some different soft goods I was starting to carry on my climbing rack. Amongst those goods were an Edelrid aramid sling and a cordelette of Sterling PowerCord.
There is some knowledge we need to have when it comes to using novel materials that behave differently than the nylon we might be used to. Climbers already know not to take a factor two fall off of a dyneema sling being used as a personal anchor system. Climbers know not to use a Hallow Block as a sling that is part of lead climb protection, as with no core it is not rated to take the force of a lead fall.
But when the aramid family of materials (aramid, Kevlar, Technora) starting being added to climbing soft goods, it maybe wasn’t anticipated that we wouldn’t even be able to prepare our new gear in the usual way.
These fibers are fire and heat resistant along with being abrasion resistant. So, if we want to cut a cord down to size, cutting is harder and cauterizing the end so that it doesn’t fray is harder. It’s a new learning curve for a new set of materials.
So, watch the video to see two methods of cutting these specialized cords (and ropes… some ropes are starting to add aramid into the sheath or as an extra sheath to improve cut resistance), and then decide if you may want of of the tools listed below, depending upon your method of preference.