On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:44:16 -0700,
wrote:

I've managed to put two nicks in the 1/19 stainless forestay on my 32'
boat. Dont ask how, far too embarassing, suffice to say a hack saw got
drawn across the wire. Nothing was cut through, but two small chunks
got taken out of two strands. How dangerous is this?

The stay will break proportionately sooner (i.e with a proof load
about 17/19 of its former rating.) But before that stress level, the
two wires will unravel.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

On Oct 7, 8:02 pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:44:16 -0700,
wrote:

I've managed to put two nicks in the 1/19 stainless forestay on my 32'
boat. Dont ask how, far too embarassing, suffice to say a hack saw got
drawn across the wire. Nothing was cut through, but two small chunks
got taken out of two strands. How dangerous is this?

The stay will break proportionately sooner (i.e with a proof load
about 17/19 of its former rating.) But before that stress level, the
two wires will unravel.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

OK, here's what you do. Get a round jewelers file (you can get some
at Radio Shack) and a magnifying glass. Then gently file the nicks so
they have a very large radius if curvature while watching through the
glass. SS is fairly soft so this shouldnt be hard. This will
eliminate the localized stress riser produced by the nicks. I doubt
that your tensile strength will be affected much after you do this.