Is more duct tape always better?

Well, yes. Except when used as a replacement for a car seat belt.

Yes, especially if you’re using it to tape up ripped knees in your Levis. (Turn jeans inside out, apply tape to the inside of the pants leg.) Also, it’s like masking tape. After a fair amount of time, if you ever want to get it and it’s residue off, GOOD LUCK!

Absolutely.
 

Everybody needs something to believe in.

In general yes. But… there are so many LOUSY duct tape imitations that don’t have the strength and adhesive properties of the original. Only buy the real stuff.

The handy-man’s secret weapon.

If you run out before reaching your hostage’s neck…

My two cents…

More duct tape always better? Probably not. “Hold” usually better than “look”—probably so.

Hell yes. remember, if the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

No, more duct tape is not necessarily better.

You reach that critical mass where the wrinkles and imperfections exaggerate and you end up with a bulky, blobby mass that’s difficult to live with and almost impossible to remove.

Evenly apply the minimal amount needed to firmly secure the parts. Then stop.

Here is the inside track on duct tape by folks who you think would use it a lot: Duct tape actually really sucks. Zip ties and bailing wire are waay more useful. Tape is temporary and it will get the worst goo all over everything in even the slightest heat. It also is not that strong and has very limited usefulness. I actually hate the shit. If you find yourself doing anything with duct tape odds are you are doing it wrong or could have a better solution. I used it once in the past year to do some tubeless conversions on bicycle tires and it was the really good stuff (gorilla tape) Even in an emergency there is usually something better.

@ARE_you_kidding_me Maybe, but duct tape is cheaper and more readily available, plus not as apt to leave those horrible “paper” cuts on every surface of your skin.

Yup! ^^ Zip ties are not ‘one-size-fits-all’ and hard to corral. Bailing wire is bulky and requires tools to use.

When I’m trying to hold together a toothpaste tube that has betrayed me, splitting on the side and insisting on spilling its contents everywhere but my toothbrush—yes. The more duct tape the better.

When I’m trying to hold dozens of metal rods in place after finalizing the design of my sculpture for the welding portion of a sculpture art class, and then I leave that sculpture in my car for a day…. definitely not. It was like pick-up sticks with the added bonus of melted goo.

No self respecting handy man uses duct tape for much of anything. Its use is a bold faced sign that someone does not know what they are doing.

@YARNLADY bailing wire and cable ties are pretty cheap and more permanent/useful. Tape works “ok” for dealing with temporary fabric/clothing fixes and that’s about it. That said I do take a little backpacking to do emergency fixes on rips and tears, covering blisters etc. Once I used it to repair a tent pole. I would have used cable ties if I had any though.

@ibstubro you can get a whole big pack of ties in various sizes for about the cost of a roll of tape. That’s my go to when doing a half assed job of fixing something. Fuck duct tape.

I never use duct tape, @ARE_you_kidding_me. A temporary fix that leaves a near permanent residue. Maybe electrical tape in a pinch.

I prefer gaffer’s tape.

Duct tape and super glue were standard in my first aid kits when my son was growing up.

They have SO many uses, and they’re so cool. I made this for the twins on their first birthday out of wrapping paper and duct tape.

I used to call it duck tape. I used it to remove blackheads from my nose. I don’t remember if it worked. It was fun and felt good. Like a q-tip in my ears.

@RedDeerGuy1 So many people called it that, a company took advantage and produces a line of Duck Tape for craft users.