"RB" wrote in message
...
Got a long, 2" wide nylon tow strap someone formed an eye in one end of by
doubling the strap and knotting. A subsequent pull has left a mamoo tough
knot.....one with a set to it.

I sat down and tried to pick the knot with an ice pick, trying to get any
kind of slack, anywhere in it. After all my finagling, I couldn't get
anywhere at all without piercing or tearing the strap material.

Can anyone offer me any further tips or tricks so I can salvage the strap
intact?

If not, what I guess I'll do is simply cut out the knot part and take the
remaining two pieces to a shoe shop and get 'em lapped and sewn across in
a
number of places. That way I'll have a 25% shorter tow strap, but still
good to go.



Dip it in boiling water, let it sit there for a minute, then work it. Don't
attatck it with sharp or pointy objects because you will break strands.
Knead the thing towards the direction you want it to move. Sometimes these
things come down so hard, I have seen them actually melt the synthetic
materials. When you get it open, take it to an upholstery shop, and have
the new loop sewn in there on a commercial sewing machine.

Steve, an Offshore Petroleum Institute Certified Rigger