Fencing Showdown! Knots vs crimps vs Spiralfast vs Gripple We Test Them!

[@tanioraaura1274]

ive never had a knot fail before a foot lifted. This is a very interesting channel. I'm blown away by the experiment. Crimps extra cost ,Not keen on them.

[@geoffreyschmidt]

Great to actually see these connectors tested and not just talked about anecdotally. Nice work.

[@huckbeduck]

What about lineman's/Western Union splice? I use something similar to these for old rusty barbed wire that won't stand much bending

[@stevep6160]

Another awesome video. For someone who is about to do a LOT of fencing, you've certainly helped me a huge amount Tim. Thanks mate!

[@countrywideag-steve275]

great job Tim get that extra large assembly out into the field I will be very interested in the review

[@DiemenDesign]

Some good testing, except on the Gripple. I say this, as every time I've found one on an old fence, I do it myself, as I figured it was the way to do it. The wire that pokes through the Gripple, rather than cut off short like you had, is bent back around the gripple onto the same wire and tied off by looping it around, on both wires. I was told this was done to stop the Gripple sliding to help prevent loss of strain if the Gripple moves.

[@FarmLearningTim]

I completely understand what you’re saying, but stand by the test mate, as one of the points of the test was to test the gripple, not the twisted wire…. Same as the figure 8, some people twitch them off too. Had to be a faithful test of the joint gadget.

[@jackwoodward3359]

Great content Tommo, miss you heaps and I'm glad I can still see you producing great content :)

[@fosterprice5690]

Great Video - Thanks. I'm fencing over the ditch and we only use Strainrite crimps as they'll take a greater load than the Hayes ones (bourne out over here with tests and in the field). Be really interesting to do a price comparison with the fencers "time to complete" in the equation

[@romulann1]

Hi Tim, I've watched many of you knot tying videos and I'm glad you did this video on wire and knot strengths. I plan on building my first fence later this year and your video has certainly helped me to clear up a few things. Hopefully in the near future you will include the barbed wire test as well as a few other knots like the speed knot and the reef knot. I'm particularly interested in the reef knot due to its symmetry and would be interested to see if the strength would be increased if one were to put a small diameter aluminum pin within the center of the knot preventing premature kinking from occurring.

[@tammoilliet8683]

I've been using crimps for strain joining and I usually leave the tails long through the sleeve, then I bend the tails over the crimp and wrap thrice on the opposite side of the crimp. I call that a butterfly knot cause that's what it looks like. Or even just bend up the tails and trim them off to prevent the wire slipping through the crimp.

[@tanioraaura1274]

Tam Moilliet Heres an example. Actually my big sow-pig hit the high tension wire at speed the wire creeped loose through the crimp. And she went through. My milking cow in Season did the same thing. So good old figure 8 or a double tidy loop suffice.

[@snells-window]

Thanks fellas, great video. Now I'll have to go and check up on those knots and fasteners.

[@Gravattack]

It makes you think about all the joins, damn it

[@IsambardKingdom]

Great to see the comparison - However I don’t have knot failures in my fences - I am proficient at tying all these knots and will continue to rely on them. Do use a gripple very occasionally. Still have the original bundle of spiral grips in the bottom of my tool box. As for crimps IMHO they appear slow and clumsy, and you need extra paraphernalia

[@funkysod]

Good one! If you can access the test bed again maybe test how much tension you can produce with truckers hitch (and multi rope pully variants) compared to ratchetstraps.

[@stubbenmonkeyfencingtractors]

That's very interesting. I had 3 tex browns fail on netting recently. I think I'll have to learn your strainer knot.

[@t-dog8528]

Spiral fast holding the ends, it was always a given, I'd guess a longer spiral would give more too having more traction on the main lines

[@grantbloxsom6414]

another great vid Tim enjoy them every time

[@craigwillis3372]

Thanks mate...most interesting....still love the figure 8 when in a hurry !!

[@kierenlewin1510]

Hi mate, been a fencing contractor for too long now and I'm sure we do things slightly differently but these clips you do are very interesting. Good work.

[@FarmLearningTim]

Cheers mate. Horses for courses. Thanks for the support. Much appreciated!

[@chrisjanes15]

620! So the wire breaks first?

[@Eeeick]

Excellent video 👌

[@stockdog743]

Great video Tim, I've heard the spiral fast is stronger than the wire it is joining, so I will go with 585.

[@mitchmcbride6053]

Legend mate great video very informative

[@mitchmcbride6053]

I reckon the spiral fast eliminates any pinch points or compromise in the wire

[@timgreen3770]

Love your vids Tim!

[@stur4622]

Tim, do you have a list (or reference for) what knots can be used to join different gauges of wire? Lots of "how to tie this knot" vids out there but don't usually include that sort of info (even the state Ag education materials rarely even list Orange and Speed knots). I find myself repairing lots of fences with a range of sizes (4/3.15/2.5mm plus various gauges of hard and soft barb), even 4mm that's oval/tapered/eroded down in size. Any tips pls?

[@FarmLearningTim]

This would need a lot of testing and thought as without data based on practical testing 75% of all viewers would say that it’s wrong but 85% of that 75% would argue with each other about what’s right! It’s a fantastic idea for a video though and one I would love to do. Watch this space!

[@stur4622]

@@FarmLearningTim yeah that goes to another level of technical. I really meant joining one gauge to another e.g most people know that reef knots in rope are only for same size cordage, or same for Figure 8 in wire I believe. What other wire knots can/can't be used to join 2 diff sizes?

[@FarmLearningTim]

@@stur4622 Hmmm. my gut would be the speed (or donald) knot as it is a compression knot, rather than stressing the bend, but I have to say, it would NEVER be recommended to join two different gage or tensile strength wires in the one line. The result will only be a strong as the weakest link.

[@philosophercowperson]

Tim, great video. I'm guessing 565.

[@PabloP169]

Sorry Tim, but this was basically an ad for Spiralfast. What about Gripples with a twitch each end, as that is the only way that I will use them, but all cases using the extra joiner fittings are going to cost someone wanting a basic fence extra $$$.

[@angusremond]

Can you redo the test with 3.15mm trellis wire?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Don’t really need to. Think of the amount of tension related to the breaking strain of the wire. This percentage should stay fairly consistent with the breaking strain of various wire. The only difference is between tensile. Soft wire should do better as a percentage breaking strain due to its characteristics. Hope that helps

[@adamupton8796]

You test rig uses Spiralfasts to secure ends each time....the Spiralfast in middle should be the same as control test...👍🏻

[@pjfmachine]

As an engineer, I can way into that. You’re forgetting pulley dynamics. There’s one cord feeding into that pulley, it wraps around it and is attached back to the same cord. So you have two legs wrapped around the pulley. One input, two outputs. The two leg’s coming off that pulley would be half of the input load. Hence a 4,905 Newton load (500 kg’s) would be half of that, on each leg. Approx 250 kg’s. Give or take pulley efficiency, and wire slippage. If that wasn’t a fact, we could never have determined, breaking strain of that wire.

[@poorfesor]

Not really because there is the additional friction of passing around the post, on the ends.

[@chrishare3981]

Yeah interesting.😃

[@TrapperAaron]

Sorry for double comment but no western union splice? Leaned it from my grandpa has never failed me. (Lemme specify that ive had lots of broken fences in my life but never had a proper w.u. splice fail)

[@MrBusdriver63]

520kg

[@heathglendenning5882]

625

[@st0sk1]

545. Doh

[@dwaynesmith2]

570

[@paddydunne774]

Plus 50 on the crimp 🤔

[@gregkirsch5973]

470

[@sirprancealott2003]

510

[@HieuNguyen-n6v2e]

560

[@willstokes2362]

Guessing 570

[@bobhaire3039]

How about a wld

[@willycole4833]

536

[@peterbannister3286]

585

[@grantbloxsom6414]

600

[@tetonscot8028]

290

[@vikinguer]

450, did I get it? Let's roll the film

[@FarmLearningTim]

😂

[@shanedouglas2079]

580

[@devriescustomleather1109]

500

[@trackmader]

585 no cheating

[@Annies_Shorts]

400kg

[@markswisher1152]

2 crimps in series would have equaled the spiral fast

[@mase4287]

1000 lbs for spiral fast

[@josephgallik2345]

You need to add the crimp with 3 turns at both ends. This works well. The crimp and 3 turns is great for end connections also.

[@charlesbullee7215]

570

[@hackneypaintingandrestorat4752]

587

[@HedgehogChopper]

Very Interesting vid, I was surprised by the gripple but i still dont trust them.. I have another test for you, the fastening to the post, so termination knot like the D knot, gripple T clip, hard stapled down the post etc

[@fomoco300k]

Ditto! I was wondering about that as I was watching.

[@tractortamno1]

So there's nothing wrong with a gripple then. 👍

[@k9elli]

Just a reminder for those of us watching in ‘Merica, it’s 2.2 pounds per kilometer and uhh... exchange rate for pounds to American is about $1.40 / pound soooo.... I don’t know, like 2 tons or something- which is like 10 yards, or first down in Football. *chugs a Coors light and high fives a bald eagle* Cheers👌🏼

[@FarmLearningTim]

Wow. Just wow. 😂 Love ya work mate.

[@kierenlewin1510]

Interesting test, a lot of end assemblies would be struggling with 5kn of strain but very interesting. Also as a 2.5 high tensile wire like a TyEasy from Waratah which we seem to use a lot is recommended to strain to 1.8kn most of those knots would still work until something lent or ran into the fence. In some cases I still like a gripple for the ability to re tension at a later date if required.

[@bryantimmins339]

500

[@peterschmidt9942]

Ha Ha Double loops. 3/4 of my fences are held together that way! Never breaks on the join though, it's always somewhere else on the wire. Nice comparison Tim.

[@myname4598]

Do you have a video showing how to tie each of those knots? I would've liked a close up of the knots and joiners under pressure, but very interesting video. I live way out in the country in texas and have had to stop many times on back roads to chase someone's calves back into the pasture and try to patch the fence until they can get out to fix it.

[@adelarsen9776]

This is factual scientific research with good results which stand. So well done. However, In situ, in practice, a fence wire is not like these experiments. The figure 8 knot is designed to spread the surface area pressure over a great area. That's one advantage. And of course it's easy to tie. The figure 8 is designed to be able to cinch up over many years as live stock and tree limbs. It's supposed to be tied so it has room to cinch up if the wire is put under stress by live stock and tree limbs. It's a forgiving knot that is more than strong enough for any fence. The reality is that the figure 8 knot future proof's a fence line wire. It's supposed to have "give" in it. Now, and as for straining using figure 8, the action taken here is to know your wire and slightly over strain so the relaxation of the strainers allows the wire to still be under maximum tension without deforming the figure 8 which you have made with some in-built stretch (future proof). NB : I would suggest that any kind of impact on a fence that brought its wires to breaking point will be a rather large mess in any case. The type of knot would be irrelevant. So, to iterate : Out in the paddock where real animals live and trees grow you can confidently use a figure 8 knowing it will take the knocks and strains. I love science but the lab can't duplicate what happens on a pastoral grazing property. The figure 8 is great with 8 and 10 gauge soft fencing wire. There's nothing wrong with using the double loop knot either.

[@Thorfinnfromidland]

Amazing content Tim, can't wait to go over the fence. Miss ya

[@bigonprivacy2708]

What about a reef knot? Those seem strong

[@colvardy8691]

I use porcelain insulators , could you test them against plastic ? I often use the barrel ones as terminators too be good to know if they are strong as the wire, i expect them to handle just twisted knot if you can call it that but maybe not a real knot. thanks Col.

[@DWFencing]

I’d like me to see where the taihape speed knot holds up against these. Would probably beat the Donald

[@fomoco300k]

That would be an interest one.

[@Gravattack]

Spiral guess 420, but definitely your best video yet, I learned a hell of a lot, thanks mate..ok..holy shit...new guess for the spiral..550.....I was also really surprised by the gripple, which I do not like to use after your information about one giving way, but a fencer recently said on a very short run of brand new fence that they were the best choice as you can restrain easy, but I twitch the ends as they scare the shit out of me

[@fomoco300k]

Good point. I have seen folks leave a tail even when crimping and give a few wraps as a backup. I plan to employ this technique if I ever crimp any. Haven’t sprung for that expensive tool, yet although I do wish I had one. Can be useful in a pinch or a tight spot.

[@kierenlewin1510]

We recently had a couple of gripples give way during straining but it doesn't happen much, we have almost finished our 2nd bucket since March (about 1000 gripples) so 2 failures is ok for me. I haven't had a crimp fail, we use Strainrite crimps sometimes.

[@TrapperAaron]

U should do a test where u put a little knick in the wire w a knife or a file. Amazing how much tiny damage can weaken the wire.

[@jasonac]

nice test, I would have liked to see a bit more of a scientific approach ie. multiple tests with an average but it obviously takes more time and money. Those gripples are not cheap ;)

[@fomoco300k]

I really enjoyed this one, Tim. Watched it a few times in fact. (Slow mo is fun!). Information is power... and money saved. Now we will all know not only which tools and talents to invest our time and money in but why as well. Thanks, mate. Looking forward to more of these as well as all the good content you consistently provide. It makes my Saturday morning to see a notification come up that Tim Thompson is at it again. (I’m in the US.)

[@basiloloughlin6333]

breaking polnt 495

[@scc4137]

Let the first slip through to the keeper and beeped the second

[@jimmyjackjumpup6765]

I can think of some more knots to test. No self respecting hillbilly would ever tie any of those "loop" knots in a fence.

[@coen555]

Great video Tim. Awesome testing rig. I'd like to spend an evening with one of these. Test Gripples with wrapped ends, try some max tensors, test Crips with different adjustments on the Hays pro crimp tool. Test that reef knot I tied one day when learning to tie a figure of eight. And do it all with Galvanised wire compared to the Warata "long life". I suspect the harder coating on galvanised wire works better with crimps.

[@nts9]

555

[@michaeltobin2014]

Great vid Tim, looking forward to the knot tying vid, re Donald and Tex.

[@LeonFelixRusso]

520

[@charlesbullee7215]

350

[@patrickkeegan2908]

570

[@stephenbrunner7571]

528

[@peterevans5580]

490

[@jaminhill4192]

My guess 525

[@mc4nathan336]

525

[@GregScholfield]

560

[@sheepdogman1]

510

[@Sideshowbob007]

630 kg

[@ruston48]

575 kg

[@redcrystal69]

590

[@redcrystal69]

Haha that was actually my guess, and it was right :P

[@lindenstt]

585

[@Sideshowbob007]

I was optimistic ....... Can you tell me Tim are there any strainers that have a strain gauge built in ?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yep. Check out my review of the wireman strainwalkers in week or so!

[@Sideshowbob007]

@@FarmLearningTim cheers mate, the wife and I look forward to seeing that. Keep up the good work.

[@Interwebstuff1]

I predict 400 for the spiral

[@Interwebstuff1]

I was wrong.

[@FarmLearningTim]

So was I. We tried it a number of times. Always much stronger.

[@FIAT-TURBONewHolland]

Crimping with wire swieled round each side spiral fast only works single wire not woven wire

[@denny6398]

Hi Tim, just wondering did ye consider using a reef knot and would it have been able to contend with the others? Great video by the way

[@FarmLearningTim]

Thanks Denny. The reef knot does not work well on wire, so I didn’t include it. Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@denny6398]

@@FarmLearningTim Does not work well as in it's a harder knot to make because of the thickness of the wire? Or is it just a weaker tieing knot in general?

[@colvardy8691]

Could you please test knots for electric fences on insulators ? I Don't like the idea of just doing 6 twists , seems weak to me ..

[@FarmLearningTim]

It is. I do it differently…. And cop some flack for it… good idea. Leave it with me for a couple weeks

[@colvardy8691]

Thanks With more electric fence being used , i think it will be popular@@FarmLearningTim

[@highcountryoutdoors4929]

Break at 540kg spiralfast

[@theycallmebacon5692]

I use crimps with six tight clockwise wraps. Sometimes I use one lazy wrap followed by six tight wraps.

[@yaroncameron-rudeforth8843]

Righto.. I don’t wanna be ‘that guy’ but you didn’t use the gripple properly.. granted I don’t use them properly either but I at least put a 180 degree bend on the tails..

[@stevenwilkinson3598]

Wonder if the gripple with tail curled around wire would have helped, but I prefer knowing the cheapest was the strongest 😎

[@jazpanoz4996]

So the spiral fast it is then 👍 Knots I'd go the figure 8 as it still holds before snapping like the spiral fast 👍 gripples best used as a sinker then.....go fish 🍻

[@bmwoutlander]

575 and I followed instructions. Last test.