Path: csiph.com!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!nntp.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Peter 'Shaggy' Haywood Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc Subject: Re: DUC[KT] tape Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:13:14 +1100 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 112 Message-ID: References: <10j61ja$3hv7b$1@dont-email.me> <7cadnTFwKKy978r0nZ2dnZfqn_idnZ2d@giganews.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit Injection-Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:09:47 +0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="bf8b860a6cc856b9eb5fdf0ce68dfe94"; logging-data="2516963"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/pM//gqawfK1Ys1NosQYVXFN+77JODeZI=" User-Agent: KNode/0.10.9 Cancel-Lock: sha1:D4dBq7N8+FfL5QCkBBcL45/8HpM= Xref: csiph.com comp.os.linux.misc:80807 Groovy hepcat c186282 was jivin' in comp.os.linux.misc on Thu, 8 Jan 2026 10:45 am. It's a cool scene! Dig it. > On 1/7/26 01:33, Charlie Gibbs wrote: >> On 2026-01-07, c186282 wrote: >> >>> On 1/6/26 21:14, Robert Riches wrote: >>> >>>> On 2026-01-05, Peter 'Shaggy' Haywood >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Groovy hepcat Andy Burns was jivin' in comp.os.linux.misc on Sat, >>>>> 3 Jan 2026 01:56 am. It's a cool scene! Dig it. >>>>> >>>>>> Lars Poulsen wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> My nieces in Denmark call it Gaffer tape. >>>>>> >>>>>> gaffer tape is different, designed to come off cleanly when used >>>>>> e.g. for marking positions on stage >>>>> >>>>> No, gaffer tape is electrical tape. Gaffers are stage/movie/TV >>>>> electricians. They rig up wiring for the lighting, etc. >>>> >>>> At least in the US since the latter 1970s for "gaffer tape" and >>>> since the 1960s for "electrical tape", the two are drastically >>>> different: >>>> >>>> - electrical tape is stretchable, about 3/4" wide, and it is used >>>> for wrapping bare wires to prevent short circuiting >>>> >>>> - gaffer tape does not stretch substantially, is about 2" wide, >>>> and is used for making sure (already-insulated) cables don't >>>> move around on the floor, walls, etc. >>> >>> Before everyone gets nasty, consider that there >>> is no EXACT def of 'gaffer tape'. I've seen wide >>> 'electrical tape' marketed as such, also various >>> kinds of paper and cloth based tapes over the >>> years. >>> >>> So don't get into the whole "How many angels on >>> the head of a pin" kind of religion here. Brands, >>> brand-names, commerce ... defs VARY and DRIFT. Relax! Noone's getting nasty. We're just having a friendly discussion. It's all good. >> True - but gaffer tape tends to be cloth-backed (visible fibers), >> while "electrical tape" (at least in these parts) is a simple strip >> of adhesive-coated plastic. >> >> The chief differences between gaffer tape and duct tape are that >> gaffer tape is usually black while duct tape is silver, and the >> adhesive in gaffer tape doesn't leave as much nasty residue. > > > The nasty residue bit can be important ! > > Note that even the term "electrical tape" is not > definitive. That's true. It's more of a generic term for a range of different tapes. > Most common now is the PVC stuff with > a sticky back. However before that it was very > much a 'rubber' tape with a little stickiness (you > can still buy it) and for inside work there was > an even earlier stuff called 'friction tape' which > was very lightly tacky cloth (which I also think > you can still get) that could handle more heat. > > According to Amazon, THIS is "gaffer tape" : > > https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000QC0XZO/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=0ca390723e5c902307a9301a0ee7d132&hsa_cr_id=7503656610801&qid=1767829081&sr=1-1-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124&ref_=sbx_s_sparkle_sbtcd_asin_0_img&pd_rd_w=5HvXD&content-id=amzn1.sym.9f2b2b9e-47e9-4764-a4dc-2be2f6fca36d%3Aamzn1.sym.9f2b2b9e-47e9-4764-a4dc-2be2f6fca36d&pf_rd_p=9f2b2b9e-47e9-4764-a4dc-2be2f6fca36d&pf_rd_r=Q4240N1Z3GKPKKEVPWBD&pd_rd_wg=or9jJ&pd_rd_r=e8f36554-8e7e-41a4-9793-4e75b13c652d > > Described as : > > 11-mil thick black matte cloth gaffer's tape with rubber adhesive > conforms well to irregular surfaces for labeling, and temporary > securing and sealing applications > > Adhesive removes cleanly from most surfaces > > Tape resists abrasion and can be torn by hand > > Can be used outdoors and withstands temperatures from 50 to > 200 degrees F > > Which seems similar to duck/duct tape but with a > less nasty adhesive. Interesting! But maybe the term means different things in different regions. In these parts "gaffer tape" generally refers to PVC electricians' tape with fairly strong(ish) adhesion. But I've often bought black cloth tape similar to... y'know.. that other type of tape: the waddling & quacking kind. ;) This has strong adhesion, so is not easily removed. I can understand, and have no problem, if people call that gaffer tape. Though it's not marketed as that here (as far as I've seen), it certainly falls into the category of electricians' tape. -- ----- Dig the NEW and IMPROVED news sig!! ----- -------------- Shaggy was here! --------------- Ain't I'm a dawg!!