25 replies to this topic

[kimbo]

Just curious about the shape of the metal rings at the ends of the handles. I have been having the lines catch and hang up on the corners. The triangle shape is the standard, but has anyone tried "oval" rings?
I'm sure because I'm new I may be over correcting and causing the line to hang or maybe changing the angle of how I hold the handles will eliminate this catching problem.
Any ideas or comments are welcome.

Thanks

[quaa714]

Just curious about the shape of the metal rings at the ends of the handles. I have been having the lines catch and hang up on the corners. The triangle shape is the standard, but has anyone tried "oval" rings?
I'm sure because I'm new I may be over correcting and causing the line to hang or maybe changing the angle of how I hold the handles will eliminate this catching problem.
Any ideas or comments are welcome.

Thanks

without being coy here..............snag free handles.................call Lolly or Ben at Rev or support your local kite store.

[kimbo]

without being coy here..............snag free handles.................call Lolly or Ben at Rev or support your local kite store.

I'll keep that in mind if I can't find a ring at my hardware store that will work.

[Jeepster]

I'll keep that in mind if I can't find a ring at my hardware store that will work.

kimbo,

No matter the shape of the ring, it's going to stick out the side of the handle some distance if mounted like the present D rings. That's what catches most lines. The only way around that is to mount a ring that doesn't stick out beyond the width of the handle ... ie change the mounting method.

Two other methods are to remove all rings and bring the line out the end of the handle (indoor handles) or out the front of the handle (Walt's clip-less handles). Buy a set of clip-less handles and use your ringed set as a backup or loaner set.

Cheers,
Tom

[LS Kite Stakes]

Check out my website at the bottom of the products page. If you like what you see, give Lolly a call at Revolution, she will set you up!

[Sailor99]

I think the OP was asking about shape of clips (costing a few pence) rather than new handles costing £60! I wonder if we should keep a pespective on peoples' varying means.

I would say the shape will make little difference to the snagging.

[tonycarl]

How about mounting the rings vertically instead of horizontally?

Edited by tonycarl, 21 June 2009 - 12:48 AM.

[pudsli]

hi.
make your own handles.
all the best steve.

[play365]

Or get some pliers and squeeze them on to the handles tighter so they don't pop over

[kairusan]

A better option than adding differently shaped clips may be to just modify your handles into no-snag handles using the "Stone in Shoe Bob" method (so named because his post in this thread first described the concept). It's a very easy, inexpensive, quick, and best of all, reversible modification (so you can put your handles back the way they were if you don't like it).

Here's how you do it:

- Get some ribbed plastic drywall anchors, #10-12 x 1&1/4"
- Get some wood screws, I think #12 or #14 x 1&1/2", with rounded smooth heads (and flat, not upwardly sloping, areas underneath the heads), making sure that the screw part doesn't extend all the way up to the head (about 1/2" of smooth shaft down from the head is good)
- Using needlenose pliers, pull the hog clips out of the handles, taking care not to damage the vinyl endcaps
- Pull the vinyl endcaps off
- File down the rough edges of the stainless steel to get rid of the burrs
- Put a drywall anchor into the end of the steel tube so the lip of the anchor is flush with the top of the tube
- Screw a screw into the anchor until about 3/8" of the top of the screw is showing; this makes a nice, smooth area between the top of the screw and the lip of the drywall anchor for securing your leaders
- Thread your leader line through one of the existing hog-clip holes in the vinyl endcap
- Larkshead (or otherwise attach) your leader line to the screw (to the smooth area between the bottom of the screw head and the lip of the drywall anchor), and tighten the screw a bit to secure the leader line (this keeps the line from sliding back and forth, preventing any fraying and damage to the vinyl endcap)
- Put the endcap back on, with the hog clip hole facing forward so the leader line can come out
- Repeat for the other three leaders, and you're done!

(Edit:) Picture of the parts I used and one of the endcaps without the vinyl thingy on (to better illustrate the method):



Some pictures of the resultant no-snag endcaps:





I've used these for many, many flight sessions now, and they've been completely trouble-free, maintenance-free, and, of course, awesome.

(I still want me some of those 15" aluminum no-snag handles, though.)

Edited by kairusan, 21 June 2009 - 10:19 AM.

[RevWizard]

Or get some pliers and squeeze them on to the handles tighter so they don't pop over

I use it, the concept works quite good!

[Stone in Shoe Bob]

A better option than adding differently shaped clips may be to just modify your handles into no-snag handles using the "Stone in Shoe Bob" method (so named because his post in this thread first described the concept). It's a very easy, inexpensive, quick, and best of all, reversible modification (so you can put your handles back the way they were if you don't like it).

Thanks for the credit, though I feel I must add an update.

One consequence of my modification it that it does extend the handles slightly, not enough to have any great effect on the handling of the kite, but when I started to fly with more break set, I found that the increased break also caused me to adjust my grip on the handles. The extra length at the top of the modified handles then became an issue, so I rolled back the modification to the tops of my handles, the bottoms remain modified.

With the benefit of hind sight, it is clear that there was never any need to alter the top fixings anyway, as with our thumbs behind the D rings there can never any snagging, the snagging can only ever occur with the break line fixings.

[kairusan]

Thanks for the credit, though I feel I must add an update.

One consequence of my modification it that it does extend the handles slightly, not enough to have any great effect on the handling of the kite, but when I started to fly with more break set, I found that the increased break also caused me to adjust my grip on the handles. The extra length at the top of the modified handles then became an issue, so I rolled back the modification to the tops of my handles, the bottoms remain modified.

With the benefit of hind sight, it is clear that there was never any need to alter the top fixings anyway, as with our thumbs behind the D rings there can never any snagging, the snagging can only ever occur with the break line fixings.

That's very true; the length of the top and bottom both extend about 1/2" all told. However, I haven't had the problem you describe, probably because I've never learned how to grip the handles properly in the first place.

[REVflyer]

you can do the same no-snag thing
with a cut-down nail instead of the screw and plastic moly, then you're not changing the length.

The only concern I have with the no-snag REV handles is their weight, they're way heavier than I'm used to!

My competition handles are aluminum tubes rather than a solid rod, 12 inches across the gap
my "jackin'-around" handles are titanium tubes, 17 inches across the gap.

[kimbo]

Or get some pliers and squeeze them on to the handles tighter so they don't pop over

Thanks for the detailed modification instructions. This is just what I was looking for. Cheap too.

I'm sure the Pro Handles are around 40 bucks. They do look sweet though.

[Watty]

Just saw a minor modification that someone did on the pro handles over on a thread at GWTW, and went and did it myself. I just took the endcaps from an old lonely handle (It's pair got lost) and slipped them over the top ends of the handles. This makes it a bit more comfortable on my fingers, which are always at the very top of the handles.

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[sammy]

watty i think i remmeber when u did that a while ago if that was you. how is it holding up? i say that bc when they make the handles at rev, they only drill a hole in it and its very sharp and the bridle line with get cut. let me know bc i was thinking of doing that to a a few pairs.

[kimbo]

Went with the nail modification instead of one of the others. Just quicker. I did use a larks head around the nail and brought it out the end not the front through one of the holes drilled in the handle. Seemed like less chance to wear on the cord.
Now just need some wind.
Thanks again.

[Baloo]

Like the mod for the no snags you posted Spence, will stop the larkshead from "popping" over the top, or of course under the bottom. dont know if anyone else has this happen? I dont think it affects the way the handles work, however just a thing I habitualy put right if it happens.

Another comment, if you are pedantic about the length of handles, and lets get this right, nothing wrong with being pedantic here. You could alays carefuly trim a bit off the length B4 you do the screw mod. It would mean you could not go back to standard afterwards though.

Also while I am posting on the subject. I did LOVE the look of those handles that were made with turned down slots in the ends for the leaders. They were Titainium too which is another reason to like them. Anyone with a set like that who would like to make any comments. How do you get on with the leader in a slot idea please?

[BAZ]

This is my mod to my handles
The last picture is a titanium insert in a stainless steel tube.I saw this mod on the forum and I had them made for me.They are not what you would call cost effective (machining costs are expensive)

The first and second pictures are the aluminium no snag handle with my modification of a groove for the leader to sit in making it totally smooth (I made inserts for stainless tube as i didnt have enough aluminium to make all aluminium handles-just a trial)
this was an idea of Garys of the flying squad (play365)
Just need grips to finish them off

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Edited by BAZ, 24 June 2009 - 12:47 AM.