# Whipping rope, size and needles?

**URL:** <https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105>\
**Category:** Practical Knots\
**Created:** [7 October 2016 03:46 UTC](https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105 "2016-10-07T03:46:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KnutSkojt](https://discourse.igkt.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@KnutSkojt](https://discourse.igkt.net/u/KnutSkojt)\
**Post date:** [7 October 2016 03:46 UTC](https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105/1 "2016-10-07T03:46:34Z")

</div>

Hi,  
when whipping rope ends is there a general rule when choosing size of twine?

E.g. “If you have 6mm hemp-rope, use 1mm waxed whipping twine.”

Also, is common sewing needles a good choice or is it recommended to use dedicated needles?  
Whipping needles seem a bit expensive to be honest…

I’m a bit of beginner so pardon my simple questions. 🙂

Thank you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inkanyezi](https://discourse.igkt.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/ebca7d/32.png) [@Inkanyezi](https://discourse.igkt.net/u/Inkanyezi)\
**Post date:** [9 October 2016 14:34 UTC](https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105/2 "2016-10-09T14:34:04Z")

</div>

You’ll need a sailmaker’s needle, and a sewing palm. Instead of the palm, you can press the needle against a hard surface while holding the rope, to get it through. Pliers for pulling through may help as well. It is far too hard for a sewing needle.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dan\_Lehman](https://discourse.igkt.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Dan\_Lehman](https://discourse.igkt.net/u/Dan_Lehman)\
**Post date:** [11 October 2016 04:37 UTC](https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105/3 "2016-10-11T04:37:33Z")

</div>

Except in doing some for-the-heck-of-it _lateral_ whipping  
of webbing --so to preserve its flatness, as opposed to my  
usual folding it into a ‘Z’/‘S’–,  
I’ve never used a needle for whipping.  
Rather, I prefer to tie multiple strangle knots, and so on,  
hauling them tight with other tools.

E.g., in whipping 6mm rope (hemp or other), I’d likely use  
some commonly found nylon fishing line in a 7-wrap  
strangle knot with a few-wrap sailmaker’s whipping finish  
on the inside (i.e., away from end).

(Somewhere on this forum I’ve explained and shown this.)

# –dl\*

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dan\_Lehman](https://discourse.igkt.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Dan\_Lehman](https://discourse.igkt.net/u/Dan_Lehman)\
**Post date:** [11 October 2016 15:02 UTC](https://discourse.igkt.net/t/whipping-rope-size-and-needles/6105/4 "2016-10-11T15:02:43Z")

</div>

> [@Dan\_Lehman post:3](#):
>
> (Somewhere on this forum I’ve explained and shown this.)
> 
> # –dl\*

I’ve found the good discussion about whipping; it is here:  
[http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=2225.msg17672#msg17672](http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=2225.msg17672#msg17672)

I reiterate/summarize : the commonly published methods for  
whipping are IMO far in excess of what is practically needed;  
fairly simple methods with readily available materials suffice  
to effect a good whipping (QED) ! (E.g., in Cape May, South  
Jersey USA (yeah, some like the “south” bit; officially "New “),  
one can get discarded monofilament fishline out of a big bin  
collector for recycling, and this stuff is great for “small stuff”  
of 1/2” diameter and less. Mason line is pretty available in  
discard at construction sites (in bright colors --pink, green,  
orange, yellow–, or not-so-bright), and hardware stores,  
and works well over a similar range of ropes. (One can used  
_twin_ whipping cord to some success over larger diameters  
–having the same number of wraps, but with doubled cord.)

And again, in my awareness around the maritime area of  
Cape May, most ropes seem to be UNwhipped unless by  
black electrical tape. (Perhaps I would see more of the  
published fancy whipping were I to see more yachting  
cordage?) The two can be combined : in some cases where  
black tape has wanted to unstick, I’ve put on some whipping  
to prevent that --and keep the tape working (e.g., bike tape  
on handlebars).

Btw, for really small stuff --1/8" say, and for cable-hauling  
polyester (lubricated) solid tape–, I’ll make sure the whipping  
is begun by inserting it through the material, as I don’t  
trust being able to get sufficient gripping friction from the  
tension of whipping (since it too must be small and can  
only sustain so much force) --lest pulling out a tail end  
through some knotted part will strip the whipping.

And another consideration is this :: to what extent is whipping  
stressed/taxed/worn? As noted, in the common practice of  
cordage usage I’m aware of, whipping seems a forgotten art  
or at best left to the vagaries of tape --which will work at least  
for a while, and will show its failing by a flapping, unwinded  
end, and can easily be renewed.

I suspect that in general one will have little issues with whipping  
and can do well with occasional inspection; where needed, one  
can redress a failing whipping (whose failure will have what sort  
of consequences? --unlikely anything much severe, just annoying).

In this respect, one might favor putting on whipping that can  
suffer a cut somewhere without that losing it all --simply do  
two whippings, say; or use a method that is in essence a  
sequence of binding knotting (West County whipping, e.g.).

And what method might work well with one strong slick  
whipping material could be problematic with material that  
is weaker and frictive (e.g. nylon monofilament can be  
hauled tight in a multi-strangle knot; cotton string cannot  
get nearly so tight, for overcoming friction and for want of  
strength :: they need different methods.

HAVE FUN EXPLORING, EXPERIMENTING!

# –dl\*