Double-Sided Tape

Double-Sided Carpet Tape

A roll of generic double-sided tape.

Double-sided tape (in our case almost always referring specifically to carpet tape) is easy to apply and highly versatile, making it ideal for repairs, securing stab tips, guards, crosspieces, and enhancing the adhesion of other tapes. It’s also excellent for securing handle wraps and can even be used as the sole adhesive for assembling an entire project, such as a weapon. However, while it provides strong immediate adhesion, it may not be as durable or long-lasting as traditional adhesives, so it’s best used selectively depending on the application.

Some carpet tapes come with fibers, while some are essentially just a roll of wax paper keeping a ribbon of adhesive from touching itself. The kinds with fibers, especially with many parallel fibers, are the ones that are generally worth using as they lead to the least waste. It could be argued that there are instances where the kind without is better, because it weighs less per inch, but it is much harder to work with.

Carpet tape is best cut with a knife, by pressing the knife against the backside of the wax paper while applying tension. Some times, it's easier to pierce the center of the strip and cut outward in both directions. If you use scissors, depending on the kind of tape, you may have a rather annoying time.

Use Case
Grade

Foam to Core

OK

Foam to Foam

Good

Adhering Handle Wrap

Excellent

Duck Brand Indoor Outdoor Carpet Tape

A roll of Duck Brand carpet tape.

By far the best version of carpet tape that I've come across for Foamsmithing purposes. It has many perpendicular fibers, which allows it to essentially double as perpendicular fiber strapping tape. The secondary bonus to these fibers is that it makes it much easier to cut and manipulate, as well as recover from errors. You can even cut this kind of carpet tape with scissors so you can make more precise shapes, if needed.

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