How to Properly Fold a Cord / Rope / Cable.

Folding or coiling any length or cable seems like a simply task. However, most people don't realize that there is a coil without causing kinks in the line. At Techshop, there are many different lines of air hoses and cables of all sorts. Properly managing these help maintain the life of the equipment and makes it easy to work with as well! 

Step 1: Coiling a Length of Cordage

The key to coiling any length of cordage is avoiding twisting it over and over. This can be avoid in a couple way but the method that I have found to be the easiest is the following:

There are two types of coils for this process, a forehand coil which is how most people coil, and then a backhand coil.

The forehand coil will put a twist in one direction while the backhand coil will put a twist in the opposite direction.

The idea here is to use alternating forehand and backhand coils to cancel the twisting that would normally develop in the cord as it is being coiled.

I start with a forehand coil, slide my hand along the cord and grab it with my hand flipped the other direction and then complete the coil and repeat.

This method takes some getting used to but I found I can actually coil cordage much faster than coiling in only one direction. When you are ready to use the cord again, simply pull it apart and it will straighten up with very little twisting.