I bought a new tarp stuff sack for my Granite Gear tarp and I want to snip off the attached stuff sack on the tarp itself. Should I be worried about the fabric fraying so much that it damages my tarp? The attached stuff sack is attached directly to the ridgeline. What's the best way to remove it do you think?
I wouldn't care to admit how many times I've "made improvements" to gear to regret it later.
However, won't a hot knife solve your problem?
You could try sewing a line on the stuff sack right near where you'd be cutting it. You could cut it a little bit away from the ridgeline and zig-zag a stitching line on the left over material.
I've never tried a hot knife on nylon??? I don't like to get anything "hot" near my ripstop nylon gear.
When I've cut DWR ripstop nylon, I've never had it do any fraying. Now the ripstop nylon that I have that not DWR frays something awful.
Hot knife = small soldering iron. It's the only way I cut fabric. A sheet of glass makes the best backing surface (got an old mirror?), but formica (not in the kitchen!) or masonite works. Use a straightedge and be very, very careful not to brush the soldering iron against the nylon. Or your fingers (but the former is worse).
I'd just cut it as close to the seam as possible and not worry about it. If the stuff sack is also silnylon, it won't fray. If it's just regular ripstop, there will only be a tiny bit of fraying, which will stop at the seam.
Jerry
The "Search" function is your friend!
Snarf some clear nail polish from somewhere and run a small bead along the stuff sack fabric. When that is dry cut the sack as close to the bead as you can. Don't worry about snipping some of the bead off. As long as you have a good coverage it won't do any harm.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
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This thread is like 101 ways to finish your edge. I love it!
It is way easier than it sounds, just work on a backing/board/bench that you won't mind a little brown line on, and keep all the "good" tarp fabric out of the way. takes 5 min, leaves a nice clean "cauterized" edge
Hot knife = small soldering iron. It's the only way I cut fabric. A sheet of glass makes the best backing surface (got an old mirror?), but formica (not in the kitchen!) or masonite works. Use a straightedge and be very, very careful not to brush the soldering iron against the nylon. Or your fingers (but the former is worse).
Awesome! Thanks for the info everyone!
There is a product called Fray Check. Any fabric store will carry it. It is something like liquid plastic that dries to stop any fabric from fraying. In this case just put a bead of it along the place you want to cut, and when it dries cut away! This product works great to reinforce stitching, stop runners, prevent rips from ripping further, etc., etc.
Last edited by mrsvickers; 09-28-2010 at 22:15. Reason: sp
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