Snapping off knot wire ends
Have you ever marvelled at the ease with which champion fencers handle high tensile wire and then snap the surplus knot ends off like they are breaking a dry twig?
Breaking off the wire leg after tying a knot is easier than most imagine. It really is down to technique and not strength. Following is an easy guide that should have you snapping off knot wire ends in no time!
End assembly tie off knot
As you form the knot around the post (see the April issue of enrich for details) make sure you leave a tail of 300- 400mm of wire after the initial bend (see Figure 1). This will be used to form a crank handle that is the secret to breaking the wire off easily. Experiment to find the ideal crank length for you – too short a crank reduces the leverage available, and if too long, the crank will be unwieldy, getting in the way of other wires as you form the twists.
Complete the first stages of the knot until you are about to start the twisting technique around and around the actual fence wire (see figure 2). As you start to twist the wire around, bend the tail approximately at the halfway point by forming a 90° bend in the wire so the crank handle is parallel to the main fence wire (see Figure 3). This should leave you with a crank arm and a crank handle of about the same length.
Complete as many twists as you desire, making sure they are tight and close together, particularly the last few. Keeping an outward pressure on the crank handle will ensure the twists are snug against the main fence wire (see Figure 4).
Once the desired number of twists have been completed, twist the crank handle so it is now 90° to the main fence wire and rotate it either up or down, so the crank arm passes close to the main fence wire, as in Figure 5. Continue rotating the wire back against the last twist, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, at which point the wire should neatly snap off leaving a smooth clean break at the end of the last twist, as shown in Figure 9.
If you have rotated in the incorrect direction, the wire will twist before it snaps leaving a sharp jagged break.
If using 4mm soft wire (No. 8), allow a few moments for the wire to cool down after completing the twists and before snapping off, as soft wire that is hot from the twisting process tends to bend rather than snap off cleanly.
Tying off a figure 8 knot
This technique is much the same as above, but generally easier as you are not working around the confines of a strainer post and many other wires.
Form the knot so there is enough surplus tail on each side to form a crank handle, as outlined above. Once the fence has been strained up to the correct tension, the knot should have pulled tight and is ready to be completed.
Bend the tails so they are snug against the shoulders of the knot, as shown in Figure 10, noticing how one is above the wire and the other is underneath the wire.
Grip the knot with a pair of pliers and form a crank handle that is parallel to the fence, as shown in Figure 11. Complete three or four tight twists by keeping an outward pressure on the crank handle as it is rotated around the fence wire. Once enough twists have been completed, twist the crank handle so it is now 90° to the fence, as shown in Figure 12. Keeping an outward pressure on the wire, rotate the wire upward or downward (in whichever direction closes up the formed twists) so the crank arm is close to the main wire, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, making the wire snap off cleanly.
Do the same for the other side of the knot and the end result should look something like Figure 15.
Advantages
The advantages of finishing your knots as described in the techniques aboveinclude:
- No extra tools are required
- The finished knot will not damage hands or hides
- Wire can be dragged through long grass without snagging
- Your fences will look professional and last for years
