whipping of ropes

High quality finishing of rope ends with a (stitched) whipping

How is the end of a line secured?

What is the best way to secure the end of a line and prevent it from fraying or breaking? We briefly present three options for attaching the end of the rope with their advantages and disadvantages:

Wrap adhesive tape around the end and cut with scissors

✔️ Quick & easy

❌ Tape can come loose

❌ Rope end can/will unravel

Cut off the end of the rope with a hot knife

✔️ Quick & easy

❌ Can break open

❌ Rope end will unravel and fray after breaking up

Stitched whipping

✔️ Beautiful & professional

✔️ Durable, long-lasting solution

❌ Takes longer than cutting

What is a whipping?

A whipping prevents the end of a rope from fraying. In double braid ropes it ensures that the core and cover are kept together. The width of the whipping should be approximately one and a half times the rope’s diameter.

What types of whippings are there for braided ropes?

There are two types of whipping for modern ropes.

Stitched whipping

Ropes with a braided core will always need a stitched whipping. It will also prevent the core from slipping into the cover.

Common whipping

This is the easiest whipping, but it has some disadvantages: it will slip off the rope quickly and it can easily break. It will also fall off if the whipping twine wears through at just one point.

What do I need to do a whipping?

Sewing needles
Waxed whipping twine
Scissors
Pliers
Possibly palm/ sailmaker’s glove

How long does my whipping twine need to be for a stitched whipping?

The length of the whipping twine depends on the diameter of the line to be whipped. It is better to use a little too much than to end up with too little for stitching.

The length of thread for a Ø10mm line is calculated as follows:

10 (diameter of the rope in mm) x 1.5 (factor for the width of the whipping) x 3 (circumference) + 50mm (buffer for stitching) = 95cm

Why should I use waxed whipping twine?

Waxed polyester whipping twine has the advantage that it can be laid very flat around the line to be whipped. The wax ensures that knots and windings hold better and tighter than without wax.

Stitched Whipping

Common Whipping

How do I make a stitched whipping?

Cut off enough whipping twine.
Sew the whipping twine to the end of the rope with 3-5 stitches.
Wrap the twine around the stitches tightly.
Make sure the whipping twine is about one and a half times as wide as the rope diameter (1.5cm for a Ø10mm rope).
Feed the needle straight through the rope right after the final whip.
Secure the whipping with two loops perpendicular to it (4 times stitched).
Finish with a half hitch around the loop (pass under the double yarn).
Feed the needle through the other end of the rope.
Tie a half hitch around the loop on this side, too. Work the twine back through the rope and cut it close to the rope – finished!

How do I make a common whipping?

Make a loop on top of the rope and wrap the twine tightly around it.
Work towards the tail end of the rope.
Make sure the whipping twine is about one and a half times as wide as the rope diameter (1.5cm for a Ø10mm rope). Feed the end of the twine through the loop.
Tightly pull the end of the loop under the whipping.
Carefully pull the knot of the two ends into the centre of the whipping and pull on both ends of the twine.
Cut both ends tightly.