Serious question, has anyone tried using a zip tie to hold a governor rope in place during a splice?

I was working on a Dover in a downtown Chicago building last Tuesday and the rope kept slipping while I was trying to get the splice started. Wrapped a heavy duty zip tie around the rope and the sheave groove as a temporary clamp, and it held everything perfectly still. What other quick fixes do you guys use for a stubborn governor rope?

4 comments

4 Comments

erickelly2mo ago

Ever try a small C-clamp from your tool bag?

brooke_taylor2mo ago

Totally did that once on a hospital job. I've also used a bit of gaff tape in a pinch when the rope was being a real pain.

mark_green2mo ago

My foreman showed me that zip tie trick on a job in St. Louis last year. It's a solid move when you just need that rope to stay put for a minute. Saved me a ton of frustration more than once.

the_emma19d ago

You know, zip ties work but I gotta gently push back on calling that a "trick" for rope. The real trick is using a half hitch knot, it takes two seconds and actually holds without having to cut the zip tie later. Zip ties are great for bundling or temporary fixes on gear but on actual rope where you need tension, that plastic can slip or snap if it gets wet or you put real weight on it. I've seen guys rely on zip ties for climbing ropes or towing lines and it's a solid way to get yourself in a bind, literally.