Parts of Roping

Fibers

• Fibers are the basis of all synthetic ropes and are made from nylon, polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene, depending on the purpose of the finished rope. While nylon fibers are strong and stretchy they deteriorate in UV light and are slippery. Polyester will hold a knot better, polypropylene is cheaper and floats and polyethylene is very light and often used as a water skiing rope. Different fibers are then chosen for a rope based on their qualities and the qualities of the finished product.

Yarn

• Yarn is created by spinning fibers together. The twisted yarn is stronger than the original fiber and often finished with wax to increase its durability in water. It is at this stage in the ropemaking process that the fiber will be colored, as is often seen in balls of yarn. The thickness of the yarn is described as its "weight", with the Craft Yarn Council stipulating that the yarn be designated between the numbers 1 and 6, where 1 is the finest and 6 is the heaviest.

Strands

• The yarn is twisted into strands, the number of which dictates the strength of the rope. The more yarns per strand the more flexible the finished rope will be. In wire ropes these are wound round a metallic inner core, which essentially provides the rope with its principle structure. In more traditional ropes the strands are merely wound round each other in much the same way that the fibers are twisted together to make the yarn.

Lays

• The finished strands are referred to as lays and are like miniature ropes. These can be passed around each other to complete the final, strong rope. Passing the strands from left to right around each other is referred to as a "right hand lay" and is the most common kind of rope. Alternatively strands can be passed right to left, as a "left hand lay", used in specialist applications like a cable tool drilling line. Although most ropes are made with just three lays twisted together, four can be used for extra strength and durability.