Cable Ties - Their Many Uses

By Author: Rob Parker
Total Articles: 312
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One of the most useful and durable pieces of equipment for use in storage and organization is the cable tie. The tooth-and-lock system employed by ties makes for a virtually unbreakable (through pressure from the inside of the loop) system for bundling up many different items. Let's take a look at the many different applications for cable ties.

Routing and bundling wires. Cables ties were originally used to organize workspaces where large amounts of wire were involved. Straggling wire can be both a safety hazard and a nightmare as far as organization, and using a cable tie to bundle up and/or rout the wires will help to clear a work floor up.
Storage.
Companies that need to haul cables and wires, or keep large amounts on hand, need an efficient, simple, and reliable way to keep the materials contained. Cable ties can be used to ensure that wires and cables stay tight together in storage and transport.
Handcuffs. Contractors who found themselves in position to make a citizen's arrest always had a useful restraining advice at hand if they carried cable ties, and in some areas law enforcement officials have caught on. The nature of cable ties allows them to be placed securely around the wrists of a prisoner and secured to an object without the fuss that can be involved with regular handcuffs; they can also be much harder to break off.

Cable ties are used in hundreds of different situations within these broad areas. The main reason for the widespread appeal of cable ties lie in the features that they have.

For one thing, cable ties are generally made of smooth plastic. No matter how tightly the tie is drawn, they will not damage the material being bundled through abrasion. The same cannot be said for bundling methods using string or twine.

The cable tie securing system is also much more user friendly than using twine or other methods. Someone using a cable tie does not have to be an expert (or even possess a knowledge of) knots in order to get the system to work well. All one has to do is draw one end through the other in order to secure the cable tie.

These reasons are what make the cable tie ideal in many different situations. They are used in virtually all areas where large amounts of cable or wire need to be bundled for storage, safety, or convenience purposes.