The day my line snapped on a 12-foot garden wall in Boise

I was setting up for a long run, had my line tied off to a fence post about 30 feet away, and the cheap nylon cord just gave way halfway through the second course. I had to re-lay 40 bricks by eye, using a 4-foot level to check every few feet, and it took me the rest of the afternoon to get it straight again. What's your go-to method for keeping a long line tight and secure when you're working alone?

3 comments

3 Comments

mary7762mo ago

Oh man, that sounds like a nightmare. My go-to method is to not trust any line I didn't buy myself. Learned that the hard way too. I use a proper mason's line now, the braided kind, and double wrap the knot on a solid anchor. That cheap stuff is just asking for trouble.

nelson.wesley2mo ago

Yeah, that braided mason line is a total game changer. I switched after a cheap line snapped on me mid-pull. Now I always check for any nicks or frays before I even start, and I keep a spare in my bag just in case. What length do you usually carry?

robertgreen1mo ago

Wait, you're still using a single knot? I saw what mary776 said about double wrapping and she's totally right. A single knot can slip or get weak, especially if the line is new and slick. I always do at least two full wraps and then a proper hitch, it locks everything down solid. That extra five seconds is way better than having your whole line come loose. What kind of hitch are you finishing with?