How to Open a Coil of Rope

Rope Construction

Twisted ropes are constructed in three stages.

  • First, natural or synthetic fibers are spun into yarn.
  • A number of these yarns are then twisted together forming strands.
  • These strands are then twisted together to produce the finished rope.

The twist of the yarn is opposite to that of the strand, and that in turn is opposite to that of the rope. This counter-twisting keeps the rope held together.

Rope constructed in this manner will untwist under tension, which is the cause of spinning and kinking. Any rope of this type must be bound or melted at both ends to prevent untwisting.

Twisted ropes have a preferred direction for coiling. Normally right laid rope should be coiled clockwise to prevent kinking.

How to Open

to successfully open a coil of rope

  • first figure out which way up the coil should be so that the rope comes out anticlockwise. 
    How To Open A Coil Of Polypropylene Rope Showing Left Hand Arrow Left
  • Then cut the banding or rope that holds the coil together.  
  • Pull the rope anticlockwise from the center of the coil

Alternatively you could build a spinner. A spinner allows you to pull 

Large Coil Of Sisal 28mm Rope On Rope Spinner

rope from the outside of the coil and comes in very handy for larger coils of rope. A spinner can be made in various ways but the basic principal is to have a platform that the rope will sit on. A Post in the middle to keep the rope on the center of the platform. Then castor wheels or a bearing on the post allowing the platform to rotate.