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Rope

A rope is a length of fibers woven together to improve strength. Common materials for rope include: manila, hemp, hair and Nylon. Rope has been an important element in construction work since prehistoric times. Today, wires have supplanted rope in heavy construction and industrial applications because of higher tensile stregth. Rope remains instrumental in activities as sailing and climbing.

In order to fasten ropes, a large number of knots are used.

Styles of rope construction: Please add info

Ropes used for climbing can be divided into two categories: dynamics ropes and static ropes. Static ropes have very low stretch properties, they are used for carrying equipment, hauling equipment, and attaching pieces of equipment together. Dynamic ropes are stretchy; being stretchy is crucial in order to limit the maximum force experienced by a climber that falls when using one (and also the maximum force experienced by any piece of gear securing the climber to the rock or ice). The main ropes (called "lead ropes" when the climber is leading) that a climber uses are dynamic.

Climbing ropes are generally made from nylon and have kern mantle construction. There is a core, kern, of long twisted fibres in the middle, and an outer sheath, mantle, of woven coloured fibres. The kern provides most of the strength, the mantle protects the kern and generally affects the handling of the rope (how easy it is to hold, to tie knots in, and so on). Dynamic ropes are made by chopping the fibres in the kern to make them shorter which makes the rope more stretchy.

See also: How to handle rope[?]

Alfred Hitchcock's Rope



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