Who Invented Duct Tape?

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[@TodayIFoundOut]

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[@xp7575]

If you can't duct it, fuck it, it's permanently broke

[@montecorbit8280]

It should be "duct tape". "Duct tape"is a sticky metallic tape. At least in its modern iteration. The stuff you were talking about should never be used on ducts.... In some locales it is even specifically forbidden to use that type of tape, I have been told.

[@Vahlsten]

in Finland we call duct tape "Jesari" a short from "Jeesus teippi" that translates to as you can guess "Jesus tape" Also the scientists that tested the duct tape, propably just used the tape wrong :D

[@MrJBA79]

As an ethical vegan, I boycott 3M because they are one of the biggest animal-testers on the planet. If I supported them or endorsed them in any way then I would be complicit in their crimes against some of the most innocent creatures at our mercy.

[@vmwindustries]

Great shout out to Red Green show! Lumberjacket colours. Red Green

[@PipoZePoulp]

"Leave your employees alone, and trust them." 99.99% of managers, in any company: "What?"

[@Error_404-F.cks_Not_Found]

99% of employees and managers. The fact that's an actually rule it almost breaks my brain. I want to work at 3M now lol

[@steeljawX]

I'll still refer to Stapp's Law on that. "The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle." The human accomplishment in this case being that management hears and comprehends what the words coming out of upper management's mouths. Meaning if you're a manager and you can hear what your superiors are saying, you're part of the 0.01% elite competent people of your company. Congratulations.

[@ImTheJoker4u]

Pffft, my shop manager dictates how much tape we use on pallets🙄

[@VictoriousGardenosaurus]

@@ImTheJoker4u Lmao, not duct tape, but strapping tape for us. Accounting always wonders why we use so much more strapping tape than masking tape. Our answer was "shipping and receiving"

[@craigquann]

For the most part, I'm that lucky. Small company. I got a company credit card and my only instruction is to keep the cogs turning.

[@oh8wingman]

A few years back I was in Canada's version of Harbor Freight know as Princess Auto. In the surplus section of the store there were packages of duct tape that had twelve one foot squares inside. In bold lettering on the front of the package it said, "For Large Repairs" which I and a few others thought was hilarious. I bought a package just for the hell of it and took it home where I placed it in a closet and more or less forgot about it. One winter one of my neighbours called me to ask if I knew of a way to temporarily fix a window with a hole punched in it. I took the tape over to his place and we repaired the nine inch hole in about twenty minutes with a sheet on both sides. That repair lasted through the winder a far into the summer months when the pane of glass was replaced.

[@thokim84]

I fixed a window with a piece of cardboard and a layer of duct tape on each side. It lasted the two years it took my landlord to fix the window. Thermally, it outperformed the window.

[@KaiyaCorrbin]

I remember seeing these somewhere, as a child...perhaps when my dad was working in the boiler room in the hospital by where we lived. I can see those giant, gray squares so clearly. Memory unlocked.😂

[@WaltWW]

Scooter, everything checks out with your story except the part where you said it took 20 minutes... to put two sheets of tape on a window pane? Did you mean to write 20 seconds instead of minutes?

[@KaiyaCorrbin]

@@WaltWW 20 minutes makes perfect sense, though. In order to cover a window properly, you'd want to make sure there were no holes. I'm sure half of that time was spent figuring out how to properly align it to do just that, then rinse and repeat from the other side, which I can guarantee was a slightly different shape due to how glass tends to break.

[@oh8wingman]

@@WaltWW it was a second story window that didn't open so someone had to do some climbing and it was around -30 F at the time. You think you can do it any faster, have at her.

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

"Duct tape is not a perfect solution to anything. But with a little creativity, in a pinch, it's an adequate solution to just about everything." -- Jamie Hyneman

[@rkraiem100]

*duck tape

[@randomname4726]

​@rkraiem100 You can buy it clearly labeled "Duct Tape" therefore the name is now valid.

[@winghead9813]

@@rkraiem100duct tape:product type Duck tape:brand of duct tape Similar to adhesive bandage being a type of product but band-aid being the well known brand name

[@gregchambers6100]

I love that scene from Gran Torino when the Hmong kid next door is becoming a man and Clint gives him WD 40, Vicegrips and duct tape.

[@josephstanley976]

Great movie 🎬

[@marywenrich8050]

That was a great movie!

[@tmarritt]

The true mark of a man is knowing why you should use grease and not WD40.

[@gregchambers6100]

@@tmarritt WD as a solvent and water displacement, oils and grease for lubricants. Food processing machines can only use vegetable grease and oils. No WD allowed.

[@skylined5534]

@@tmarritt You can't grease a sticking lock...

[@nannettefreeman7331]

The PERFECT companion piece to the video you just did about WD-40. As the old adage goes: If it doesn't move but should, use WD-40. If it does move & shouldn't, use duct tape. Words to live by ✌🏼

[@larryowsowitz2274]

When my daughters went to college I put together a basic tool kit for them; flat and x point screw drivers, channel lock and needle nose pliers, a hammer aaaaannnnddd duct tape. They thanked me many times for the tools and in particular the duct tape. So did their dorm buddies as they all used the tape.

[@annehammill276]

I'd really love for someone to do a videos on the man who invented the "black box" flight recorder. Dr David Warren never received much acknowledgement for his invention in his lifetime and actually was a really interesting guy. I was privileged to have met him when I was a child and remember him fondly. He was also considered to be somewhat of an expert on worm farms and was a Moris Minor enthusiast among other things.

[@AndyJarman]

Well if he was so smart, why didn't he make the WHOLE PLANE out of the same stuff eh?

[@annehammill276]

I'm fairly sure Dave's response to that would have been something along the lines of "well they didn't let me design the rest of the plane" 😜. In fact he wasn't meant to be messing with recording equipment either, he was a chemist and was supposed to be working on jet fuel.

[@DarkendHeartWithin]

I'd be very interested in this topic as well, it sounds very interesting and informative jus by the little you've said here, so thank you for peaking my curiosity!!

[@crazyg74]

@@AndyJarman because planes made out of steel plate are too heavy to fly.....

[@seanmorgan2356]

First WD-40, now Duct tape! Simon's spreading The secrets of the Universe!

[@zeruty]

Don't worry, I doubt he'll spill the secrets of 3-in-1 oil and gorilla tape.

[@steeljawX]

@@zeruty I was hoping for Flex (any product really) and Vaseline. Flex products because of Phil Swift, Vaseline due to its wide range of uses and its long time presence in the market (I think it's about as long running as Duct Tape.)

[@boterlettersukkel]

Super glue next??

[@canaan5337]

@@boterlettersukkel that’s a great idea.

[@Knight_Kin]

Tuck Tape

[@NICOLAI_VET]

My 16 years old daughter is a wizard when it comes to the use of duck tape and superglue. She has repaired her stirrup during a competition with nothing more than duck tape. And it held for the rest of the day.

[@nancycurtis7315]

Well done! I've had to use it to repair my cart, when my horse kicked a bit off it. We got to where we were going.

[@robertn2]

I used superglue on my weed eater and so far, it hasn't leak.

[@isaiahwood7299]

Really cool to hear how ducktape saved the day on some very important missions, because it saved the day countless times on very routine missions, being a Army engineer I won't go to the field without it.

[@athena8794]

Every Sea Scout ship I've ever crewed has anywhere between 6 and 15 rolls of duct tape bungee corded to a wall somewhere. Usually in the engineering spaces. Or in one specific case, in the head.

[@reignofchaos6463]

An army engineer using duct tape... yup sounds about right. And the only thing the medic had was asprin.

[@PhantomCookie87]

Agreed!

[@FurtiveSkeptical]

Haha, 'ducktape'..

[@DFSJR1203]

I worked at Permacel Tape (Revolite Corporation) and cut tons of this stuff and wound it on 2" x 60yd. rolls. This was between the years 1978 - 1982 and again between 1991 and 1995. This was at the North Brunswick Plant on Rt. 1. Most of my relatives worked there from when J&J started Revolite so I am aware of the histories of most tapes made at that company.

[@boffyb]

It's actually “duct ape”, as it was created as an inexpensive alternative to having trained gorillas hold together parts of your ducts. That's also where we get “gorilla glue”.

[@classyorange3362]

My gorilla has been getting mf lazy lately. Half the time I check on him, he's not even holding the ducts together. But he's unionized so I can't fire him without a lawsuit 😭

[@zeruty]

It's tragic what this innovation has done to the gorilla job market. So many gorillas are unemployed and can't even feed their families 😢 And that's not even considering the emotional toll they face from not having a clear purpose in life. 😔

[@xp7575]

This needs to be the top comment 😂

[@brianlewis5692]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jacobswafford1151]

😂

[@HikuroMishiro]

While I'm sure I've heard and read the origins of duct/duck tape multiple times, its always good to have a refresher. It's not that uncommon to hear people smugly say 'It's DUCT tape' whenever they hear someone else say duck tape, so good to keep the details fresh in the mind so I can push up my glasses and say 'ackchyually...'

[@the-chillian]

This is why there are glasses.

[@johnmarkkillough6242]

If your glasses were held together at the bridge by duct tape you’d really be proving a point

[@the-chillian]

@@johnmarkkillough6242 *duck tape

[@FurtiveSkeptical]

Ennh, words are generally different from one another and have usually separate meanings. How many times do some folks have to encounter a word as an adult before they understand it? 😅 Too lazy to think about words and their differences? Sounds like a 'them' problem... Speaking generally of course not about anyone talking here, just hear the "words are pointy and hurt me as I try to understand them" folks as they complain about words with more than one syllable these days.

[@Thorinox]

Also got to love the fact that now, on airplanes, if you cause issues and need to be restrained, good ole fashion duct tape is always used.

[@bazza945]

I read about that tape, it's aviation grade and certified not to peel off at 600+ knots. It cannot be used for structural repairs. US$900+ per roll.

[@donsandsii4642]

Hopefully not used to make inflight repairs. If they run out and no one has been restrained, expect bad things to happen

[@tsurutuneado5981]

That's speed tape, not duct tape, but close enough. Fun fact: speed tape was used to repair Yuki Tsunoda's car during a Formula 1 race not long ago

[@johnreese7973]

I understand that speed tape is thick aluminum tape, and cargo tape is white and is like unrippable duct tape. Your hands can't rip cargo tape and it is a great restraint product.

[@steeljawX]

I'd say the next one you should do would be the "Flex" line of adhesives, but that'd have to be for Brain Blaze. A whole lot of allegedly's will be piled on that one.

[@aceundead4750]

Allegedly it lasts for about two years before needing to be reapplied. Especially to basement walls. My buddy's basement floods occasionally if it rains for two or more days if it doesnt have some type of sealant and cans of flex seal are cheaper than a bucket of sealant, though the bucket would contain more.

[@rikijett310]

That's a LOT of damage!!!!! 😂😂👍

[@CH-fc8dm]

This would be interesting

[@ericparrish1515]

Yeah, must be the money. I'll be damn, it is up

[@frankowalker4662]

I love your vids, so informative. But there is one thing I've never said about them, and always meant to..... The audio is perfect. Through my stereo your voice is booming, yet very clear.

[@PR_311]

U think so? I feel like the audio on casual criminalist is better then on most other videos from Simon. But that might be just because he also uses it as podcast

[@johnryan1386]

It’s just the background music that really needs an update

[@3v068]

The idea that 3M has of leaving dedicated persons alone should be applied EVERY FUCKING WHERE.

[@donsandsii4642]

How much has been lost without this policy?

[@Valthoran90]

Passion and focus should be nurtured, not snubbed.

[@chuckles123]

It really shouldn't be. Sometimes insertion of complexity into a business is a good way to drown it. Ultimately I am going to work to earn a long-term paycheck, not risky money.

[@humility-righteous-giving]

@@Valthoran90 conceive believe achieve, overcome all hardships, others wont make it happen for you, if your dedicated enough than you get your way and being snubbed by others won't stop you, for every good idea there is at least 1000 bad ideas ,this actually proves it!! others are supposed to snub you and your supposed to preserver ,thats how success is forged, success is not sustainable if it relies on others approval, you have to build credibility first in order for others to hitch themselves to you

[@donaldroehrig7817]

Yeah, we will apply that to your local McDonald's and/or Walmart. Let me know how that works out for you.

[@mpersad]

Without duct tape a number of cars I've owned over the years would have been left at the side of the road if I'd not been able to tape a hose, seal a window, repair a door mirror or hold down a flapping load cover! Also, it lasts for years without much deterioration. I still have a roll of black tape that is over 20 years old but which I still use to this day.

[@kylehiscock9827]

Couldn’t agree more! Had a roll of duct tape in the trunk of my Chevy Cobalt when the fuel return line decided to leak whilst on a road trip. Patched it up in 10 minutes and went on my way!

[@nilus2k]

I had a side mirror on my car on college held on with duct tape for a year. I was in college and broke so it wasn’t getting fixed quick

[@debbylou5729]

What’s black tape?

[@DB-zk1tw]

A roll of black tape for 20 years..must have been a bloody big roll.

[@DB-zk1tw]

@@debbylou5729 same as red but black

[@bazza945]

It was actually invented by ducks, they were sick of sinking everytime they went for a swim. The original name was "duck" tape.

[@GoofyOldGuyPlays]

I honestly never knew there was an actual origin to "Duck" tape. Having been born in 1961, I've always been told it was "Duct" tape due to the usage on air ducts. But then, as my dad always said, "You only ever really need two things in your home. If it moves and shouldn't, duct tape. If doesn't move and should, WD-40." And now you've covered both and I'm informed on all the important things I need in life. (and it seems I'm not the only one who heard that phrase :) )

[@Fireheart318]

I keep a roll of bright orange duct tape in my car and another in my backpack. In addition to being duct tape, it’s also bright orange like traffic cones, airplane black boxes, and high-vis vests. That way, if I ever get stuck somewhere or need to indicate a hazard like an unruly rug or something, I’ve got a way to do that too.

[@dogloversrule8476]

Smart

[@itsmebatman]

When I served in the Bundeswehr we called this Panzertape and it was dark green instead of grey. And just like Ductape we used this practically everywhere, even for taping maps together.

[@TheCoffeeFiend]

Side note: In German, duct tape is "Panzerband", which either means "(military) tank tape" or "carapace/armour tape".

[@laceymcelroy2802]

My mother is a middle school teacher and was known for her obsession with duct tape. She had a full couch covered in duct tape in her classroom at one point. It was great!

[@craigquann]

Far far more interesting than I expected a story about tape to be...

[@norwegianwiking]

Ive heard that someone spent a lot of time and effort designing a bench to strap a patient in zero gravity to so CPR could be performed. When shown to astronauts it was deemed to heavy and bulky to be used on ships/ISS, and instead they said they'd just duct tape the patient to a surface if it became necessary.

[@pamelamays4186]

Another use for Duct Tape: making sure your Blazement residents stay put and remain silent.

[@ilajoie3]

Danny read both scripts before they came out and used the information inside to escape, that's why Brain Blaze has only been written by Kevin recently

[@paulgracey4697]

Gaffers Tape, with an even lesser propensity to leave residue on parts of a movie set, has a property I discovered, using it to seal some slippery plastic panels very resistant to any glue to a fiberglass fairing. This for a streamlined bicycle I rode across the USA in 2000. The route I took in summer, was very dry and hot at first. Not atypical for Arizona. but by the time I got to Missouri, I ran into rain storms in great quantity. The heat in Arizona had baked the black duct tape at the joint, and while there was now residue left behind when I reached Connecticut, and had to disassemble the bicycle for shipment back to California, I was very glad of its superior water resistance. This enhancement I confirmed at a later date re-assembling the bicycle as it was raining there. Never again did it hold so well as when it had been baked in place.

[@rahlly4345]

You only need two things in life: duct tape and WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use duct tape. If it should move and doesn't, use WD-40. I always love that. I keep: those two, a screwdriver, a wrench, and ja ump starter in my car. All set.

[@iamarawn]

It's much older. Dutch sailors used doeck tape, cloth backed tape, to repair sails back before new york was called new amsterdam

[@JoshWhitford91]

You know you're good at what you do when you can talk for 20 mins straight on the topic of adhesive tape 🤣

[@willemhendriks1905]

Duct Tape is the ultimate sef-contained tool but Tie-Wraps deserve an honorable mention. All my christmasses came when they made white Gaffer Tape. Now my roadies could see where they tied the cables together in a split second.

[@frankhaugen]

On one of the ISS streams a couple of years ago, I saw at least a dozen rolls of the tape. Having fixed a huge gash in a canoe with duct/duck tape, I can see how a trip to space cannot be performed without a roll or five within reach

[@theenzoferrari458]

Do you know that the barrier between them and the vacuum of space is a few mm thick? Duck tape is a quick fix.

[@frankhaugen]

@@theenzoferrari458 seriously?

[@theenzoferrari458]

@@frankhaugen yeah. You think nasa just gonna launch a thick couple feet thick wide tube into space? That'd weigh to much and it's unnecessary. Just cause star trek or star wars have ships that thick don't mean we have attained the same technology. And it wouldn't matter. A pebble sized rock or debris would still puncture it. So make it light and thin for weight savings.

[@tyrannicpuppy]

This is bloody brilliant. I expected the stuff on duct tape, but the extra initial stuff about the history of 3M was even better. It's so nice seeing a corporate higher up seeing a subordinate going around their order as something worthy of recognition in a good way. And even making it a company mantra. When you've got experts in the right place, listen to them. They probably know what they're talking about better than you do.

[@empice2k]

No true Southerner would ever say, “Duck Tape can’t fix that.” 😳😁

[@trentonarney6066]

I've seen the whole back quarter of a van fixed with baleing wire and duck tape. The guy even spray painted it red to match the Chevy G10 van.

[@mr88cet]

The other “insult to injury” complication with the Apollo 13 duct tape solution to their CO2-scrubbing problem, was that their solution had to be *described in words* to a severely-fatigued crew. The astronauts had no way of viewing the solution on a video monitor, for example.

[@JDCheng]

Another use of the tape was also glossed over: because course corrections were a concern, the astronauts were instructed to end overboard urine dumps because of the slight push of the venting liquid could knock them ever so slightly off course - and the crystallized urine creates a haze cloud around the ship, making visual observations to verify position harder to boot. So, hence they "stored" the urine in bags taped to the walls.

[@mr88cet]

@@JDCheng, first observed, but initially not understood, on John Glen’s Mercury flight, the astronauts and ground controllers jokingly called this phenomenon “Constellation Urion”! I gather that, in the specific case of Apollo 13, Mission Control didn’t really intend them to stop urine releases for the entire remainder of the flight. However, since they had to shut down the AGC (Apollo Guidance Computer), they were entirely dependent upon ground tracking, so yes, they didn’t want any chance of confusing that ground tracking.

[@peterzavon3012]

I first encountered this product in the summer of 1969 when I volunteered on the crew of a theatrical production at MIT (I was a student at Boston University). The Tech students called it Elephant Tape, and I heard no other name for it before the mid-1970s. I always presumed the name came from the color resemblance to the skin of an elephant, perhaps with a reference also to the elephant's strength. I learned of gaffers' tape as an entirely different product with a different color and somewhat different adhesive properties (less residue when removed, for example).

[@danr1920]

I thought it was duck tape after the type of canvas used in making it. Real duct tape is made out of aluminum and a much better adhesive, not strong, but used to seal leaks in joints.

[@sherylcascadden4988]

As a child of the 60's, I agree with you. I was taught duct tape was the thin aluminum stuff for sealing the holes and seams in heating ducts, and Duck Tape was the thick, strong stuff with woven cloth in it that could be used for anything. I came to the comments looking for this, thank you.

[@cleverusername9369]

It's really amazing how duct tape not only got multiple devoted episodes of Mythbusters, but now an appearance in the canon of the Whistlerverse. That's really how you know you've made it.

[@MicahRanquist1978]

When my daughter was little, she couldn’t quite remember what bird the tape was named after… So she called it chicken tape

[@IanAlcorn]

😂❤

[@Tidybeard01]

Cluck tape!

[@stevenwilgus8982]

My dad was a combat pilot World War II and worked in aviation after that. And I have literally flown aircraft repaired with duct tape and I myself have repaired an aircraft on more than one occasion with duck tape. And now I show you a duck tape instead of duct tape as an homage to the original. This was very fascinating and very informative.

[@Istandby666]

Air Force..,. Duct tape = 100 mph Aluminum tape = 500 mph These are the design limits in which the adhesive can hold a wing on. Aluminum tape was used a lot on prototype type aircraft. If you needed a certain data. To save time. They would slide the wing on then tape it on. I hope this gives people an ideal of what test pilots are paid for.

[@LieutenantDangleBerries]

Duct tape kept the turn signal on my sport bike at ~150 mph.

[@davidewhite69]

I actually witnessed aluminium tape used to secure a loose panel on a RAAF 707 engine nacelle, and it stayed in place all the way from RMAF Butterworth Malaysia to RAAF Darwin Australia!

[@jstep4146]

My company (Midwest Tent) made that tape starting in 1939. As far as I know it was not patented. It was called "canvas duck tape". There were 3 tapes made; one with a wax-canvas that was used on navy equipment of unknown type that had to be melted on, and that stuff used on PT-boats. Other items we made were the straps for rifles, and shelter halves in huge quantities. We still make tents, but mostly for reenactments, like rennfaires, civil war, and tipi's.

[@michaelsanzo5867]

Actual “duct” tape has much higher tensile strength and is so sticky it has a protective layer you peel off before using on actual ducts. “Duck” tape is not suitable for this application

[@eldonstrackeii7892]

That would explain why that exact sentiment was stated in the video. Good ear!

[@aceundead4750]

It's also a massive pain in the ass to use on flexible ducts.

[@TheGrinningViking]

Duct tape was the off brand version of duck tape.

[@JoshuaTootell]

We use "duck" like tape on flexible ducting though. I have a roll right in front of me, from replacing a duct.

[@PopllFixit]

Came here to say this so THANK YOU! That's exactly why this is called DUCK tape & NOT DUCT tape, two completely different things; Mythbusters explained this...

[@sydhenderson6753]

This was delightful. Two inventors whose simple inventions made the world (and sometimes space) a better place.

[@ClifBratcher]

Black duct tape is not the same as gaffer tape! Gaffer tape is cloth-backed and is way easier to remove. Using duct tape to secure temporary cables is a mistake roadies make no more than once.

[@miscbits6399]

There are a bunch of mesh tapes called "duct tape" which are all different Librarian/bookbinding tape is something different, so is 100mph tape

[@ClifBratcher]

@@miscbits6399 That statement seems to imply that gaffer tape is duct tape, which is wrong. Both in the terms common use and their origins.

[@miscbits6399]

@@ClifBratcher It isn't intended to. As the video says, there are a bunch of different tapes. It pays to know what your application is and choose accordingly (bookbinding tape sticks like shit to a blanket and is extremely tough, as one example, because it needs to be continuously flexed) The PROBLEM is that people call all of them "duct tape" unless they know better modern 100mph tape (as used in motor racing or aviation) is quite different to the duck tape that got nicknamed 100mph tape by the military as another example.

[@Fabala827]

Today in “best uses for duct tape”: a couple days ago, I wrapped myself in duct tape & pulled it off, in order to get fiberglass off/out of my body after unexpectedly basically submerging my entire arms & upper body in it 🙃 it felt so good to take it off! And I could physically see fiberglass bits on the tape. Wild.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

We used to make wallets out of it and sell them in high school. They were awesome and did not wear out.

[@tomtheplummer7322]

Some kids use the colored tapes to make prom dresses and tuxes. They have a contest too.

[@williamcooper2415]

Whoever invented duct tape, (military: Hundred Mile An Hour Tape) should get an award. I've used it in many ways, all my life. It's been a life saver.

[@logandihel]

3M has a policy that most employees get to work on their own project every Friday. I learned this story from my neighbor, because his college roommate invented the sticky note!

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

Seems like this might have been a smart move on 3M's part. Given the tradition in many organisations for employees to skive off early on a Friday 😂. Even if just a few of them take it seriously and come up with really good ideas, the occasional winning big money maker idea is all you need.

[@jamescorbin8119]

As an Army brat turned soldier, we were always told that 100MPH tape received it's moniker for literally holding together an entire Willy's Jeep driven at 100MPH! Im sure the engine and transmission were allowed to keep their bolts, but, were held to the frame with good ol' OD Green, G.I., 100MPH tape. In a large medic's, Alice pack, attached to the back of my web belt on my LCE, and underneath the bottom of my ruck sack, I carried a bunch of quick-fix items. There was a full roll of 100MPH tape, 200' of 550 Cord, an extra 8oz bottle of CLP, a 20ct box of gallon-sized, double-zippered Zip-Loc bags, 4 big tubes of original Super Glue, a Zippo repair and refuel kit I tossed together, 3 or 4 good, sturdy, rediculously sharp pocket knives, a Gerber (sometimes a Leatherman) multi-tool, two rolls of Charmin, and several square feet of mole skin for blisters and galding prevention.(not made of real moles!) That kind of stuff, and a few other, like cigs and chew, always made me good money when we were in the field. The medic's bag also helped to hold up my ruck sack. The ruck sat right on top of it. 😎 If ya can't "DUCK IT," "#?@K IT"!

[@Big_Tex]

WD 40 one day and duct tape the next? There’ll be nothing left worth talking about!

[@corey3447]

Propane next. Lol

[@michaelpipkin9942]

SuperGlue.

[@ilajoie3]

Maybe Danny got ahold of the scripts beforehand and use the knowledge within to escape the Blazement

[@supergumby8999]

Horseshoes and hand-grenades?

[@GioSerpo]

The only right answer to the question 'Who invented duct tape?' - Some quack.

[@mr88cet]

“Duck tape” was originally designed for the Army to seal ammo casings from water in WWII. They called it “duck” tape, because “duck” was military lingo of the time for anything that could be exposed to water. Examples include the Grumman “Duck” seaplane (flying boat), and various amphibious vehicles, also called “ducks.” It later became better known in civilian circles as “duct tape,” even though there are vastly better means of sealing HVAC ducts.

[@nilamotk]

This... Do. Not. Use. This. On. Ductwork!!!!!

[@RomyCats]

Fascinating info. Love to hear you do one on washi tape. I use it a lot in scrapbooking and journaling. Also for adding embellishments to various household items such as pencil holders.

[@chrisshorten4406]

Anyone else feel like the Manco Duck wants to burn your house down with you inside? 😱

[@HARRi81_UK]

Suspiciously large pupils, I'd say he's got some questionable habits and is probably psychotic.

[@danmagoo]

Very interesting! My father sold plumbing & heating supplies, and introduced "duct tape" to our family somewhere around 1960 -- it was always around the house. By the way, the video mentions gaff or gaffer tape, as if it were a type of duck tape, but I believe they are quite different because of the adhesives: Duck/duct tape uses a petroleum-based adhesive that is messy to remove, while gaffer tape adhesive is based on rubber (real or synthetic) so it comes off much more cleanly, which is important in gaffing where the taping-down of cable, etc, is often meant to be temporary.

[@nilus2k]

A thousand years from now, when our species is building a Dyson sphere, it’s gonna get fixed with duct tape and WD-40

[@jaredkennedy6576]

I do have to make one point on the EB Green tape. That is not like standard duct/duck tape. It can be applied to a wet surface, handles extreme heat and UV exposure well, and also lasts incredibly long. I ended up with a roll from around 2003, that I just used the last of last year. This roll had been rained on, subjected to desert heat swings from -20 to well over 100°f, and still peeled off the roll like new. Truly amazing stuff.

[@SixofQueens]

Yup, it's a miracle product. Two years ago got some to emergency repair a leaking engine coolant hose (a task for which it isn't actually ideal, especially on an engine type that runs hotter than most) that occurred when I drove to a state park for a few day stay at a cabin, a place where the only "auto repair" shop was a gas station convenience store. Repair lasted for exactly the hour and a half needed to get me home where I'd ordered a new hose sent to from my phone via wifi (ah, the wonders of combining the dated and the modern age).

[@brianlewis5692]

Yes, duct tape is a misnomer. It is properly 'DUCK TAPE' but not in reference to the aquatic fowl, but to the sturdy, canvas-like material called 'duck' (i.e. duck-cloth) that duct tape resembles. And if you think about it, it's used for all sorts of things, not just or even primarily for duct-work ;)

[@heretictom]

I love this, classic TIFO style video. Great writing Gilles!

[@PolarBear_Gaming_More]

Duct tape and Flowers will fix almost everything. If the Flowers don't work, use the Duct Tape.

[@claudiaarjangi4914]

haha 🤣 good one

[@Pucknuckle]

The confusion between duct tape and duck tape is made worse by some manufacturers such as Manco advertising it as duck tape complete with a duck mascot, yet that Manco display the duck is standing next to literally says "The most useful, all-purpose and colourful household DUCT TAPE you can buy."

[@1pcfred]

They're just trying to cover all bases marketing. Duck tape should never be used on air ducts. It doesn't work there for very long. There's a special tape for use on ducts that's actually metal foil and the adhesive is so sticky there's a backing you have to peel off the tape before you apply it. There's a good chance you've never seen duct tape unless you're a HVAC tech.

[@Knight_Kin]

"It's actually not good at sealing Ducts". Yes it is, i've used it for years. However, the modern version of this sealant is now used as a liquid because it's more effective and then won't de-laminate if there's settling. It's the same adhesive, applied differently. I've seen the tape work fine on 30 year old ducts, not pulled or anything. I have also seen it drooping and pulled, so those parts either just get re-taped or you use the liquid now. This is just like how we don't use copper pipes anymore, or even PVC for water pipes; it's all PEX now for your hot and cold water leads. That doesn't mean copper pipes weren't effective at delivering water, but PEX won't degrade like copper and leak just like the liquid adhesive won't pull like duct tape, that doesn't mean it wasn't effective.

[@jimleane7578]

Silence is golden, duct tape is silver.

[@tre8435]

In the news/entertainment industry it's referred to as "gaffers tape". I also heard the term "duct tape" came from its use to seal duct work seams.

[@lyfandeth]

Gaffers tape is not duct tape. They use a different adhesive, so if a gaffer has to tape down wires on a valuable antique rug, it will peel off cleanly without doing damage.

[@beefymcskillet5601]

14:35 he really just made a Red Green reference, very impressed 👏

[@jasonritner9662]

It really is one of the most versatile substances/tools humanity has ever created. My first real experience seeing how insanely useful it can be was when I had to build a serpentine belt for my car to get my car to operate long enough to get to a parts store so I could buy a replacement. Built one out of this miracle substance and it gave me zero issues for the 10-15 miles I had to drive to the parts store.

[@KaiyaCorrbin]

Both the book and the movie The Martian were absolutely fantastic...and I was tickled pink that he used duct tape in it. Thank you for that laugh at the end of the video, Simon and writer!

[@about7grams]

Admit it Simon. You didn't know that was a Star Wars joke until you read it in the script

[@JosephNalbone]

When I was last on board a submarine, about 20 years ago now, it was still referred to as EB Green. I had forgotten that. I was always on the lookout for the elusive roll of EB Red. When spotted, some shipyard worker was likely to lose their roll.

[@Hallgrenoid]

I made a wallet from duct tape that I used for several years. Was a great conversation starter.

[@catharinepizzarello4784]

That blue painter’s tape also. A crisp line. Anything needed to be marked and peeled away cleanly.

[@culturebreath369]

Everyone has gotten that "my grandpa fixed... with duct tape" story. 😂 Someone out there has: my astronaut grandpa fixed a space shuttle with duct tape 😮

[@LonMoer]

Duct Tape and WD-40 have another thing in common, - they never get used up. Nobody ever uses the last 20% ~10% of the product before grabbing a new roll of Duct Tape or a new can of WD-40 for their next project.

[@invidofinp1828]

My uncles stories in Vietnam where crates of the stuff was waiting to patch the helis that got holes in parts that didn't need a mechanic, they were crazy stories

[@Matze-c1j]

I admit, as a Canadian the mere mention of Red Green made my day. "Keep your stick on the ice!"

[@gordiebrooks]

Duct tape, gaffa tape, cloth tape, 100 mile an hour tape, book tape !! So many names for the same product.

[@cartermeeks2383]

the more names for something, the more it's loved. Praised Be and Amen to THE TAPE!!

[@blakelowe9079]

Duct tape is amazing, but everyone should also own a roll of gaffer's tape. It's more expensive but worth it. It uses a fabric backing instead of plastic, which is easier to tear to the length you want, and much easier to write on. Gaff tape is just as strong and sticky, but it's easier to remove and doesn't leave any residue. It's also harder to find bad gaff tape since it doesn't have a large consumer market.

[@1pcfred]

There's cloth under the plastic of duck tape. Duct tape is actually metal.

[@sixstringedthing]

One if the most useful things about high-strength cloth-backed adhesive tapes is that if you're working on a gig with someone who refers to gaffer tape (3M, Nashua etc.) as 'duct tape' or 'duck tape', you instantly know to be more cautious around them because they're obviously noob and probably don't know what they're doing.

[@johnschroeder3072]

Very true. They probably think they know how to coil a cable too.

[@bruceinoz8002]

The funny thing is that I NEVER heard the classic cloth-based "Force" on a roll referred to as "Duct" tape before it started appearing on shows like "Mythbusters. My background is largely in the technical side of "show-biz" Here it is referred to as "Gaffer Tape" or just "Gaff": A "Gaffer" being a lighting technician in Film and TV parlance. That term appears to be derived from the use of a long pole ( "gaff"" with a specialized fitting (a small hook) on one end and used to adjust the "attitude" controls on lighting fixtures mounted well out of normal reach, i.e., hanging off the studio ceiling grid. Its primary task was and remains,, the securing of cables to walls and floors . See also costume repairs, reinforcing bits of set,, etc. It is a constant feature in the music biz, for many of the same tasks, but mainly for firmly securing audio cabling to the stage floor so musicians do not have nasty accidents. There are two "issues" with these tapes on stage. Firstly cables sheathed in PVC (most audio and light-duty electrical cables), contain a "softener" in the vinyl outer. This slowly "gases off" during the life of the cable, especially in "warm" places. The softener DISSOLVES the adhesive gum on the tape thoughtfully used to cover the trip hazards. At the end of, say, a twelve-week season, when the crew dismantles the show, all of the PVC-sheathed cable under the Gaffer Tape, is coated with a nasty grey slime od dissolved gum. This has to e be cleaned off before re-use. Eucalyptus oil is the "go', but it is NOT a fun job. The other problem arises when some conscientious person tapes a whole lot of cables to a CARPETED stage. After being walked and stood on fer several hours each day, the adhesive can become heavily worked into the carpet. Watching some eager young stage hand tearing the carpet tiles off the floor, along with the tape and cables, is a bit of a hoot. The stuff I have seen and used as "Duct" tape was always a flexible, "heavy" , stretchable vinyl material. Unlike "Gaffer" tape, this was almost universally grey. The "hundred-mile-an-hour-tape" description may also have come from military use. In WW2. Enclosed cockpit canopies were a big deal. So was the incidence of people shooting at each others' aircraft. Hence the practice of fitting panels of Perspex into lightweight frames. Now, "clamping" perspex is a good way to start cracks forming, so, apparently, someone arrived at the idea of holding the individual panels in place using "Gaffer" tape. Damaged panels could be swapped out without the need for "de-riveting" the frame. Of course this might not work too well with pressurized jobs like the B-29, but be OKt for unpressurized aircraft. It gets better: A few years post WW2, the Atomic Energy business was booming, so to speak. In that trade, they had "Yellow Tape"; essentially Gaffer Tape in a very specific colour. Then, there is "book-binder's tape", which is even easier to tear than real "Gaffer" and which has a slightly less "industrial" adhesive and comes in a myriad of colours. Many libraries keep a good stash of this.

[@davidgates1122]

They used the stuff to seal my ducts when they built my house. Needless to say, I have been able to reseal my ducts in the basement, but not inside my walls upstairs. We need an international education campaign to teach people not to use the stuff on ductwork.

[@ravertaking6343]

Loved the "Red Green" reference.

[@yamatohekatsue9143]

Duck tape is like the force it has a light side a dark side it can bind us and holds everything together

[@bit-tuber8126]

Not just additional colors.... but thickness of tape layers and adhesive strengths.

[@jonwallace6204]

You should do a biographics or something on the women who ran the factories during wwii. They invented so much of our modern quality control and manufacture techniques and are largely forgotten about.

[@lukek8357]

So in the entertainment industry we call it Gaff Tape or Gaffers Tape. Here the only brand we use to secure cables to the floor is Nashua 357 because it's the best and most secure for preventing people from tripping.

[@williamwilkins8037]

I would love to see a video on how they used/use duct tape in constructing submarines and torpedo boats! Great video as always 👍

[@travisbrewer5391]

I always loved it by Red Green’s nickname: The Handyman’s Secret Weapon

[@claytondennis8034]

US Submariners call it EB Green and EB Red depending on which of the 2 colors you are using and is made by Nashua. EB Green is general use tape and EB Red is used for almost everything in the engine room. Red is stickier and stronger, and makes a better seal when used for radioactive containments and waste disposal seals.

[@majorbuzz]

All of my favorite uses for duct tape can be viewed in episodes of The Red Green Show. 😊

[@Pupil0fGod]

The reality with many Americans, we don't know which one it is, so we purposely slur the last letter so whoever we speak to assumes it is the version they use.

[@patrickbuick5459]

Thanks for clarifying the duck vs duct naming. Yes, I always try to have a roll around lol.

[@SteelWolf13]

Nasa calls duct tape "space tape" to avoid royalty fees.

[@michaelsanzo5867]

Duck, Because soldiers used to wrap up their ammo boxes to keep them dry like water off a ducks back

[@midnite_rambler]

I have repaired my motorised wheelchair several times using gaffer tape. It holds bits of weight bearing metal together quite well for a short while.

[@lotuselansteve]

I have always known it as Gaffer tape. It is used by the head lighting engineer (known as the gaffer) at stage shows, concerts etc. for securing cables etc.