Grant Erwin wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE


The best method I've tried is to use a whizz wheel and a 4 1/4 inch
grinder. It works great on heavy cable and does not distort the end.

John

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

In article , Grant Erwin says...

am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously.

Anyone who cuts rubber hose or cable like that a lot knows another
nice trick: Bend the hose or cable in a tight bend, and cut on the
outside of the bend.

Most trouble happens because the knife gets trapped between the
cut ends and develops a lot of friction. If the cut ends are
tensioned to spring away, it goes a *lot* easier.

Jim


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==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Grant Erwin wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

Never tried that one, but I've cut 2-4SO with a hacksaw before. Works
pretty well.

As for your method, it sounds like a sacrificial piece of wood on top of
the cable might be a good idea to keep from damaging the soft hammer.

Pete C.

In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a
good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a
thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable
is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires.
I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by
bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly,
edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft
faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

I bet that was the Ashley Book Of Knots.

By the way, believe it of not, there is a knot newsgroup... not a whole
lot of action there, but whenever someone asks a question, they usually
get answered pdq.

news:rec.crafts.knots

Erik

I bet that was the Ashley Book Of Knots.

Not. (Pun very intended) Although I do own Ashley, this was a different one. I
liked it quite a bit, don't recall the title.

By the way, believe it of not, there is a knot newsgroup... not a whole
lot of action there, but whenever someone asks a question, they usually
get answered pdq.

news:rec.crafts.knots

Erik

I have my hands full with rcm and sejw. But thanks!

Grant

The best method I've tried is to use a whizz wheel and a 4 1/4 inch
grinder. It works great on heavy cable and does not distort the end.

John

"whizz wheel"?

GWE

On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 14:11:19 -0800, Grant Erwin
wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

Primitive hardy tool.

On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 23:14:27 GMT, "Pete C."
wrote:

Grant Erwin wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

Never tried that one, but I've cut 2-4SO with a hacksaw before. Works
pretty well.

As for your method, it sounds like a sacrificial piece of wood on top of
the cable might be a good idea to keep from damaging the soft hammer.

Pete C.
Several years ago I was project manager on an airport taxiway
reconstruction. Being very familiar with the location, I new about an
abandoned electrical duct bank that was about to be exposed by the
b'hoe. The look on the face of the foreman when I told him about it
and handed him my four pound "felling" axe to cut the cables, was
priceless.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

You certainly have a mean streak!!!

Gerald Miller wrote:

On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 23:14:27 GMT, "Pete C."
wrote:


Grant Erwin wrote:

Recently on an extended car trip, I spent a couple of days in the home of a
couple who have owned a sailboat for many years. On their bookshelf was a good
book on knots. I spent a couple of hours enjoyably tying knots, learned a thing
or two.

Back home, today I had to cut some 10-SO4 cable a couple of times. This cable is
maybe 7/8" OD, shielded by heavy black rubber, surrounding 4 10 gauge wires. I
am not an electrician and don't own a cable cutting tool. I had up until now
done the first hack with my bolt cutters and then nipped off the cut bit by bit
with dykes, laboriously. Today I decided to try the method the knot book
suggested to cut heavy rope: I caught my hatchet in the bench vise solidly, edge
straight up, laid the cable over the edge, and whacked with a 1.5 lb. soft faced
hammer. About 3 blows and the cable parted cleanly. Works great!

GWE

Never tried that one, but I've cut 2-4SO with a hacksaw before. Works
pretty well.

As for your method, it sounds like a sacrificial piece of wood on top of
the cable might be a good idea to keep from damaging the soft hammer.

Pete C.

Several years ago I was project manager on an airport taxiway
reconstruction. Being very familiar with the location, I new about an
abandoned electrical duct bank that was about to be exposed by the
b'hoe. The look on the face of the foreman when I told him about it
and handed him my four pound "felling" axe to cut the cables, was
priceless.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada