I know you don't want to buy any new tools but if you can find an old style Weller soldering gun at a yard sale it could work for you. I'm constantly reworking lines on my dory and the soldering gun works great. Mine is from the 70's. good luck

Many ways to cut line. (rope is somethinf folks use on shore, on a boat or ship it is line).

  I just cut the line (not rope!) with a knife and use a lighter or candle to melt the ends. Do so outside as melting/burning polyester is not good for you. Have a peice of scrape wood to roll it on, and resist shaping it with you fingers as melted polyester is very very hot.

An old soldering iron works well too. also an old knife heated by a torch or the kitchen gas flame works too (use a work glove to hold the knife). 

If you are using line that frays as it is cut, wrap it once or twice with any tape, cut in the center of the wrap, melt the ends to 'whip' them, and remove what is left of the tape.

���Thanks for the suggestion of the soldering gun. I also have a 70'safe vintage Weller out in the garage. And thanks for correcting my terminology. This is my 1st boat, I have a lot to learn!

Show them that you're a real sailor, get out your needle and twine, and whip it and seize it.

Laszlo

An overhand knot at the end of the line where you cut it is a temporary fix to limit fraying until you can melt the end with a candle(works better) or lighter(what you usually wind up using).  An old Army trick so I know it works on rope assuming its the same with line lol.

   When cutting small cord (1/8"), I like to use a stopper knot. For larger lines and climbing ropes, I wrap one layer of masking tape around the line where I will be cutting, slice it in the middle of the tape, burn both ends with a match, and then remove the tape. It leaves a nice, clean cut. If the rope/line has a sheath, you need to burn the end enough to get the sheath melted onto the core. That may require the brief use of a second match.

One of the skills I learned as a Boy Scout was how to whip the end of rope as well as how to make twisted rope out of string. I do not often twist rope but whipping rope is still a skill that I use.

With the advent of woven synthetic rope whipping is considered by some to be an unneeded process and the singeing or burning of the ends of the rope is considered sufficient. Although this gets the job done it is not as decorative as whipping or lock stitching the ends of lines. One can even splice the ends of a line with an eye or back splice whether the line is twisted or woven. There are even screw on clamps for eye splicing and finishing the end of a line. Each possible method has its pros and cons and may even be determined by the situation one finds one self in.

Goggle Finishing the End of a Rope for many links on to terminate the end of your lines.

One of the skills I learned as a Boy Scout was how to whip the end of rope as well as how to make twisted rope out of string. I do not often twist rope but whipping rope is still a skill that I use.

With the advent of woven synthetic rope whipping is considered by some to be an unneeded process and the singeing or burning of the ends of the rope is considered sufficient. Although this gets the job done it is not as decorative as whipping or lock stitching the ends of lines. One can even splice the ends of a line with an eye or back splice whether the line is twisted or woven. There are even screw on clamps for eye splicing and finishing the end of a line. Each possible method has its pros and cons and may even be determined by the situation one finds one self in.

Goggle Finishing the End of a Rope for many links on to terminate the end of your lines.

George,

As you can see from my previous post I totally agree with you. However, I think it's funny that you tell us to google something and the link you paste in your message is a bing link.

Keep whippin' 'em,

Laszlo