Cutting Amsteel

[SilvrSurfr]

For me, the key to a clean cut in Amsteel is to use a wood block as backing for the cut. Any other way I've tried to cut, even with a brand-new razor blade, results in fuzz...

+1 on the wood block. I even carry a little wood block on the trail.

[Redoleary]

+1 on ceramic knives. Generally speaking you'll eat up a bunch of razor blades well before you take the edge off a cheap $5 Harbor Freight ceramic knife. I use that knife on a teflon /PTFE cutting board. I've made hundreds of cuts with no problems.

[Rug]

one trick that I found works very well is to twist the rope at the point of the cut so that it is very tight and can't spread-out. This method allows even dull knives to cut easily.

[bigbamaguy]

I use a pair of diagnol cutters that electricians use to cut wire with. It ia a clean even cut and allows for angle cuts as well to help in feathering the bury..........

[Roadrunnr72]

+1 on ceramic knives. Generally speaking you'll eat up a bunch of razor blades well before you take the edge off a cheap $5 Harbor Freight ceramic knife. I use that knife on a teflon /PTFE cutting board. I've made hundreds of cuts with no problems.

+1 on the ceramic knives. I haven't found anything that cuts amsteel as good as this.

[Aven]

I've found that the easiest way is to either use a razor blade or to make a loop and pull down as you slide the loop over a blade. It works with scissor or knife.

[the_gr8t_waldo]

in my rope working kit i use a razor blade against a peice of harwdwood. either a single edge blade or the utility knife type. with the utility type , the pointy end makes it easy to pic out strands for taper'n

[JaxHiker]

Ceramic paring knife and a plastic cutting board. Works like a dream.

[Dos]

when I went to the Rigging shop/warehouse yesterday, they cut mine with a C7.
They also use a heated blade.

[Bannerstone]

I'm an avid woodworker so sharpening is another of my DIY obsessions. When I read your post, I decided to try a sharp bench chisel and a mallet to cut various sizes and types of braded cords/ropes on a block of hard wood. The results were kinda freakishly perfect. No visable deformity or fraying on any of the different cords I tried, even the mooshy polyester core 5/8" stuff looked like a laser sliced through it.

I suppose any good sharp knife would do the same thing but you would want to use something like a rawhide mallet so as not to beat up your blade.

Have at it and be safe!

David