Difference between amsteel blue in yellow and black

[JP_dog]

I ordered some amsteel, some yellow from eBay and some black from a member. The black is softer, more pliable, and turns white if you fluff it or abrade it. The yellow is very plastic feeling and stiff in comparison. Is this common, is the yellow more heavily coated like zingit perhaps? And most importantly, is there a strength difference?

[SilvrSurfr]

I ordered some amsteel, some yellow from eBay and some black from a member. The black is softer, more pliable, and turns white if you fluff it or abrade it. The yellow is very plastic feeling and stiff in comparison. Is this common, is the yellow more heavily coated like zingit perhaps? And most importantly, is there a strength difference?

I have black, green, orange, red, and gray Amsteel 7/64 and they all feel the same. I would assume that whatever you bought from EBay is probably not Amsteel - could be NE Rope STS 12.

[gmcttr]

My experience matches SilvrSurfr's. Got a link to the ebay source?

[JP_dog]

Here is what I got: http://m.ebay.com/itm/251445140451?nav=SEARCH

[wildewudu]

I have red, black, and green. There was another post that addressed this. I believe the dye affects the feeling of the material. The black is very pliable, while the colored versions of Amsteel-Blue are a bit stiffer in feel. They're all the same in performance though, nothing to to be concerned about.

[JP_dog]

I have red, black, and green. There was another post that addressed this. I believe the dye affects the feeling of the material. The black is very pliable, while the colored versions of Amsteel-Blue are a bit stiffer in feel. They're all the same in performance though, nothing to to be concerned about.

Thanks bro, I have a lot riding on this, like my sensitive skull! Lol. I like the feel of the black in handling but the yellow is easier to splice. Taking a crack at a Ridgeline now. I managed to accidently order 2@180' hanks of zingit, I will never run out of utility cord again!

[gmcttr]

Here is what I got: http://m.ebay.com/itm/251445140451?nav=SEARCH

Just putting out my best guess here. The listing says the roll is near the end. I have read posts stating the end of roll material is more "compressed" or smashed. I know from my experience that once an amsteel product has been weighted, the strands become more compact and it has a stiffer feel to it.

Try working/flexing the yellow and see if it takes on a feel more consistent with the other.

I would not expect this to have any effect on the strength.

...I believe the dye affects the feeling of the material. The black is very pliable, while the colored versions of Amsteel-Blue are a bit stiffer in feel...

My experience is is different. I have handled several hundred feet each of black, silver, blue, orange and green and have never noticed any difference in feel or splice-ability. The amount the color wears off with handling (or at least shows on your hands) seems to vary with black being the worst.

See the above answer. The effect of position on the spool may (and I repeat may) effect feel and how easy it is to splice without working it first.

...I managed to accidently order 2@180' hanks of zingit, I will never run out of utility cord again!

Rig a couple of tarps all the way around with the zing it and you'll burn through it quickly.

[wildewudu]

My experience is different as well. The black is always softer than any of the other colors. I've ordered several 600' foot spools of this stuff and it's always the same story for me. The colored Amsteels are stiffer right off the roll--easier to splice--while the black Amsteel are softer feeling. This is consistent for me from the time I unroll that first few feet until I get to the end. I will say, I just got in another roll of the black it is a little bit stiffer feeling than the one I just finished, but still softer feeling than my colored rolls.

They all start off as the same 7/64" Amsteel-Blue, but the dye is applied afterwards, hence my suggestion that it is the dye (and the samthane coating) that affects the difference in feeling.

Apparently, we're not the only two to notice this phenomena:

https://hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=30486

I know I've read a longer thread attempting to explain why this is so, but I cannot find it right now.
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Regarding the Zing-It...with those two rolls you would assume you'll never run out, but I'm sure you will find out soon enough this is barely enough to feed your addiction! Now you have to find more things to do with it, like making accessory prussics, continuous ridgelines, guy outs, food bag throw lines, replacement cordage to lighten up your other gear...it's a classic circle of addiction.

My experience is is different. I have handled several hundred feet each of black, silver, blue, orange and green and have never noticed any difference in feel or splice-ability. The amount the color wears off with handling (or at least shows on your hands) seems to vary with black being the worst.

See the above answer. The effect of position on the spool may (and I repeat may) effect feel and how easy it is to splice without working it first.

[gmcttr]

My experience is different as well...

The post that caught my attention from your link follows (I added the bold font)...

No need to worry Wi1ecoyote. Amsteel Blue "feel" seems to vary from batch to batch even with the same color. I've noticed more variance lately. It will be structurally sound and function properly so go ahead and use what you have with confidence.

That would explain why we each have different experiences.

At least we all agree that strength shouldn't be affected.

[pgibson]

Having worked with a few hundred miles of each color I would agree, the weave and it's tightness varies ever so slightly batch by batch and the coatings varie ever so slightly color by color and batch to batch. The yellow dye is one that adheres to the Amsteel better than some of the other colors so it can feel more bonded together. Over time the coating will soften slightly as will the colors.