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How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

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windyway
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How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby windyway » Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:53 am

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My 2012 rope was already worn and frayed and it took $23 and at least an hour to replace it.
So I promised I would do some preventive maintenance this next time.

First I bought bow string wax and found it too hard to be useful.
And surf wax is specifically designed to be sticky, so I skipped that idea.
Sail-Kote didn't seem to help at all.
So I went with basic candle wax because I couldn't find any paraffin for sale.
A package of ten 4" emergency candles was $2 at the grocery store.

Bringing my clean dry bar into the kitchen,
I laid out the rope on a big piece of cardboard on the counter next to the range.
Next I put a candle in a 5oz tuna can and let it simmer until melted.
A natural bristle brush will not melt and makes it easy to paint on the wax.
When the line was was cooled, I put on a pair of work gloves
and rubbed the lines until they were smooth and polished.

Maybe a year from now, I'll be able to see if waxing the line prevented wear.
Does anybody else have any tips or tricks?

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby Kamikuza » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:55 am

I haven't done it yet but key points I've read is boiling a pot of water then melting the candle in a smaller pot, in the boiling water... and most people just open up the weave a bit and soak the line in the wax.

Like the work gloves, tip, good idea. I've used SailKote too but results were negligible...

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby sarc » Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:03 am

Hot weather (tropical) surfing wax works really well, just rub it on the depower line every 10 or 20 sessions - done.

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby JGTR » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:24 am

I just rub wax onto the line, Surfwax or just normal candle wax (what ever I can find) just do it regulary seems to work

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby Kite2Heaven » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:21 am

Hmmm so know youve become the 'lure' on a hook n tasty tuna flavoured line :)

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby briansuntrax » Mon Apr 29, 2013 11:34 am

In Cape Town west coast, where we only have course sand, surf wax works very well and extends line life. We just rub wax into the line, does not require melting.

Tried the same in NE Brazil, where sand is much finer, and found that sand sticks to the wax, same brand but warm water rating, and then acted like grinding paste - de-power line wore much quicker than normal.

So perhaps do a test run first and see how your local sand reacts :wink:

Yes I know plastic sleeve covered line will last longer, but I prefer the smother action of bare dyneema line :thumb:
Last edited by briansuntrax on Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby Bain » Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:26 pm

Why do people do this?
I guess if you ride in a spot with no sand, it would be OK. Even then, how much of a benefit is it?

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby DrLightWind » Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:55 pm

My 2012 rope was already worn and frayed and it took $23 and at least an hour to replace it.
I had the same problem with the CL on my Speed2 & Speed3 kites because the bar chew it up.
Violin bow's wax and crossbow's wax works like champion without melting it,
applying every other times before launching successfully, without replacing CL lines since :clap:

DrLW

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby jakemoore » Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:03 am

Just melt the paraffin on the stove, take it off the heat, and dip the chicken loop line in it. One end then the other.

If you melt most of the block of wax but leave some solid in with it then you will not heat it past its melting point. No gloves are needed, as the melting point is 115-154 F, and the heat capacity and heat of fusion is less than water. In comparison UHMWPE (Amsteel) starts to melt at 291 F.

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Re: How I waxed my Chicken Loop line

Postby windyway » Sat May 04, 2013 3:05 pm

Kite2Heaven wrote:Hmmm so know you've become the 'lure' on a hook n tasty tuna flavored line :)
Ha Ha, I guess tuna flavored wax is not ideal,
but our black tip sharks definitely seem to prefer "surfer" or "sup" flavor. :lol:


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