dacron vs.nylon

[roberttigar]

Can you tell by looking at a piece of line whether its polyester (dacron) or nylon?

How?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by roberttigar

Can you tell by looking at a piece of line whether its polyester (dacron) or nylon?

How?

Not reliably.


But nylon melts in battery acid.

[GordMay]

Nylon is softer to the touch, and more flexible than polyester.
Nylon melts, and polyester burns.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Nylon is softer to the touch, and more flexible than polyester.

All other things being equal... but they never are. They construction of the rope, and its age and use history will effect the stiffness more than the material it is made of.

Originally Posted by GordMay

Nylon melts, and polyester burns.

This is an odd statement...

Both nylon and polyester will melt, after all most people DO melt the ends of their polyester ropes to stop raveling. [an evil practice, but that's another thread..] Polyester ("Dacron") is certainly easily cut with a hot knife (i.e., "melted") without bursting into flame.

And Nylon most certainly will burn...

The short answer is there is not a simple way to tell them apart reliably with used line.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by billknny

All other things being equal... but they never are. They construction of the rope, and its age and use history will effect the stiffness more than the material it is made of.



This is an odd statement...

Both nylon and polyester will melt, after all most people DO melt the ends of their polyester ropes to stop raveling. [an evil practice, but that's another thread..] Polyester ("Dacron") is certainly easily cut with a hot knife (i.e., "melted") without bursting into flame.

And Nylon most certainly will burn...

The short answer is there is not a simple way to tell them apart reliably with used line.

Acid will, EVERY time. Try it. But it must be strong acid, not vinegar or something diluted.

Polyester is attacked by strong base, nylon by strong acid.


There are tricks for every common textile. Chemistry.

[Adelie]

Fray the ends of a sample and a piece of nylon and a piece of polyester. Put some black Ritt fabric dye in a pot of boiling water. Soak in the water for a minute or two. Let cool then rinse.

Check for discolouration. Nylon will change color, polyester won’t.

I got this off a link from the cordage institute on how to detect bogus or adulterated rodes.