Does Nylon Fray When Cut? (How To Finish Nylon Webbing)
Cutting fabric may seem like an easy task to do but once you cut the material then you are faced with the fabric’s ability to fray. Fraying is not the end of the world and a few simple maneuvers can stop fraying in its tracks.
Does nylon fray when cut? Yes, nylon can fray when cut, especially if you leave the cut edges alone for a while. Nylon does not resist fraying and when it happens to nylon webbing, you may be putting your life at risk. To finish nylon webbing so it doe snot fray, just use a lighter to melt the ends together.
To learn how to handle fraying when you are working on nylon fabric. Just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you do not get frustrated by the many fraying nylon edges.
Finishing Nylon 101
Does Nylon Fray When Cut?
Stopping fraying when it happens to nylon is important. Once the material starts to fray, it loses some of its strength. Unfortunately, the fraying may start as soon as you cut the material to the size you want.
One way to hinder fraying is to use pinking shears. While this is not a permanent solution it does help slow the fraying process down. The material is easy to cut and the fraying starts very easily so you have to be careful even when using piking shears.
Stopping the fray from taking place requires a flame and a little heat. The problem with both of these top solutions is that they can distort, discolor, or burn nylon. The cure is almost as bad as the ailment in this case.
If you use too much heat or too big a flame, those issues should take place and you may have to find more nylon to finish your project. Just be careful when you use those two options to stop the fray.
Does Ripstop Nylon Fray?
Yes, it does and that may be a common ailment among all types of nylon material you want to use. Ripstop nylon is easy to cut and it frays very easily and as we mentioned in the previous section, pinking shears is one way to slow the fraying down.
Although pinking shears do not stop fraying from taking place, it does help to keep your edges intact while you are sewing. You can try sewing a stitch line after you cut but make sure that stitch line doe snot cut into your fabric measurement causing you to come up short in material.
Two other go-to ways to stop fraying in nylon would be to use a heat tool or a flame. The heat tool is risky because heat can ruin the nylon or discolor it so badly you can’t use the material and need to replace it.
Fire is a go-to fray solution but it too has its negative aspects. If you hold the flame too close or too long to the fabric you risk burning the material and again, ruining your material and project.
How To Stop Nylon Fraying
The main solution everyone seems to be talking about and using is a candle method. This is where you light a candle and hold the fabric edges over it until the material has melted enough to bind the threads together.
It is a risky solution but it works. The risk is that if you hold the edge of the material too close to the flame, it might catch fire. Some people use a soldering iron to seal the edge and this may be a good method to use as it does not get hot enough to melt or burn the nylon.
Just run the soldering iron along the edge of the fabric until the threads are melted together. Of course, you need to heat treat the nylon right away to avoid any fraying from taking place. You can cut a straight line as well.
How To Finish Nylon Rope Ends
Finishing nylon rope ends correctly is very important as the nylon rope probably frays or unwinds a lot easier than the fabric will. Also, the rope has a variety of duties that may injure you or someone else if they are not finished the right way.
The first step in finishing nylon rope ends to use a lighter to melt the ends. The second step is to coat that melted edge with waterproof glue and allow the glue to dry. If you do not want to use a lighter, you can replace it with a soldering item or some other heat-producing tool.
Also, you should continually clean the nylon so the dirt and other elements do not wear the material out. When you do this make sure to rinse the soap off completely. Lingering soap is not good for nylon either.
When you store nylon rope, keep it out of the heat and the sun as well as away from gas and other harmful liquids or chemicals.
Can You Burn The Ends of a Nylon Cord?
Yes, you can but the better term would be melt, not burn. The latter term infers something bad and burning nylon ruins the material. Melting is the better term as it describes the process you are doing.
Melting can be done from using a heat tool, like a soldering iron, or it involves using a flame, for example from a candle, lighter, match, and so on. Both options produce the right results if you are careful.
If you are not careful then burning off the nylon takes place and possibly ruins the rope, cord, or nylon mesh you want to keep from fraying. That means you need to move the fabric smoothly but not too quickly or too slowly. It needs the Goldilocks effect and the movement has to be just right.
When you do these options you should do them in a well-ventilated area. The nylon will emit some fumes that may be hazardous to your health.
How To Finish Nylon Webbing
The same procedures already described will help you finish nylon webbing. The soldering iron may be the best option as it does not have a flame and the mesh may not be large enough to avoid any burning if you opt to use a candle or a lighter.
If you need to put new holes in the webbing to make it fit better or more securely, then you use use a soldering item or similar tool. This heat tool cauterizes the nylon at the same time it punches a new hole into your webbing.
To take care of your webbing make sure to wash it regularly using normal soap and water. Rinse the soap off completely and store the webbing out of the sun. Also, store the mesh away from bleach, gas or other harmful chemicals as even the fumes can degrade the nylon.
How To Finish a Nylon Necklace
This is not a hard task to perform as you are only dealing with a single strand of nylon at best, depending on the necklace of course. To finish the necklace just put a simple knot, in the end, to hold it all together.
Once that is done, put a little E6000 glue or another adhesive on the tip of the nylon to prevent it from coming apart. You should not use a heat tool or a match etc., because the flame and the smoke may alter your necklace and give it the wrong look.
Also, the heat may discolor the nylon or melt it too far and you won’t be able to use the nylon string.
Can You Hem Nylon?
Yes, you can and it is one of the preferred methods of stopping the fabric from fraying. Once you cut the material you should hem it right away as nylon does fray quite easily and quickly.
The frayed edges may present you with sewing challenges that are easily avoided if you hem right away or even run the material over a heat tool to seal the fibers in place. Since nylon is a stretchy material you may need a special machine to do the hemming.
At the very least you should use a stretchy thread, like woolly nylon, to handle the hemstitches. A stretchy thread helps you avoid other hemming issues when you are trying to hem stretchy nylon.
How To Hem Nylon Fabric
The previous section gave you one idea on how to hem nylon,. It is possible that you may need a special machine as sewing with stretchy material can be a big pain and very difficult to do normally.
The technique of hemming nylon is the same as hemming other fabrics. The first step is to measure the length and then press the hem allowance with your iron. Make sure the iron is on low heat to avoid burning the material.
Then pin the material in place and get ready to sew. The stitch length should be no more than 11 stitches per inch and you will want to use a nylon thread. Once you go it those two items in place, sew like normal.
Hemming Nylon Dress
The previous option should work for a nylon dress as well as other nylon clothing items that need hemming. In fact, hemming the dress should be a lot easier as it does not have a lot of twists and turns to it.
The key is to get the length at the right spot and leaving yourself enough hem allowance to make the dress look good as well as provide you with easier sewing time.
The pins should be about 1 every 4 inches and you can still use no more than 11 stitches per inch. The important factor is to hem as soon as you can after cutting. If you delay, the nylon may start to fray on you.
How To Repair Frayed Nylon Fabric
This will depend on which nylon product is damaged. For nylon rope, you should cut the frayed strands off before trying to repair them. Next, you can use a flame and melt the strands together making sure not to burn the rope in the process.
For a nylon tent, you can use an epoxy made to seal nylon and other hard to repair fabrics. This will take several hours as the epoxy needs time to soak in. Other options include a repair tape to seal slits or even a seam sealer compound or fabric.
For clothing, you can melt the edges with a heat tool or a flame then use a patch to cover the tear and a little fabric glue to make sure the tear does not get any larger.
How To Fix Frayed Nylon Strap
After cleaning the strap, you can plug in your soldering iron or similar heat tool. You do not necessarily need a flame to handle this task as the high heat should melt the edges of the strap together and make a strong bond.
The soldering is best as it will make sure the edges are melted together while it is doing any repair task you have to do. Once you have done that and the material has cooled, you can apply some waterproof glue over the repaired area to make sure nothing gets in to undo your repair work.
Some Final Words
Fraying is a part of sewing life. It happens to everyone at some point and it is not as bad as some people make it out to be. With nylon, stopping fraying is just a lighter away. That is because it is a material that can be easily melted together.
Or if you do not like using a flame, you can use a heat tool to make sure the material’s fibers stick together and do not ruin your project.
