ducK or ducT tape

[Gill Smith]

I bought "the original Duck Tape" a few weeks ago

should I have done?

it's expensive

fibre-reinforced, waterproof etc.

pretty good for wrapping parcels

--

[Jules Richardson]

That depends on what you needed it for ;-)

I think it's supposed to be pretty good if you want something long- lasting - worth the money. I've certainly found that duct tape varies enormously in quality, with the more expensive stuff generally having better adhesive qualities and being less likely to tear.

cheers

Jules

[Lino expert]

It's one of those things on which they went to the lowest common denominator - it was always duct tape, but folk heard it and repeated it as duck tape, if they hadn't seen it written. A bit like 'should've' (contraction of 'should have') becoming 'should of' *cringe*.

Gaffer tape's another one, it's tape used by gaffers - gaffa tape's the stuff of fiction.

Someone help me down off this high horse would you...

[Dave Osborne]

Actually, it's more complicated than that.

Duct tape is a generic term for 2" wide fabric backed adhesive tape.

However, nowadays, it comes in a remarkable array of versions formulated for different specific applications.

For example, originally duct tape was silvery coloured with a shiny finish and permanent adhesive - for sealing aircon duct work.

At the other end of the scale, originally gaffer tape was matt black, very easy to tear with a low-tack peelable adhesive - not so good for either aircon or packaging, but perfect for temporary use.

Nowadays, there are a myriad versions for differing applications.

There's an interesting list here: -

[Mike Barnes]

Gill Smith :

I also use good-quality duct tape (not necessarily Duck Tape, "original" or otherwise). I don't get through an awful lot of it so it's not worth buying the cheaper stuff.

[Adrian C]

Are u still tied to it with Gaffer tape? Say the safe word please....

I'll get me long mac ....

[dennis]

For which its useless, aircon needs aluminium tape to seal it as does warm air heating.

[Richard Russell]

Not according to this:

claims 'duck tape' was the original name ("because of its ability to repel water like a duck=92s back") and 'duct tape' came later.

Richard.

[Adrian C]

Please ignore that last post. I've just realised that was pretty offensive.

Sorry ...

[John]

I saw "Ducks" painted on the pavemement over some excavations - to show where some underground pipes were located!!!

[terry]

Oh. You mean 'macintosh' (i.e. rain gear)! You'd have to explain that word to a North American. As with the word 'tuque' used, in Canada. i.e a knitted woolen cap. Cheers.

[Gib Bogle]

Good for tying up ducks, while you tickle them.

[Gib Bogle]

Whenever I see the word "duct" I hear the tune "Brazil" (more accurately, "Aquarela do Brasil".)

[Gib Bogle]

When the baggage handlers in the US tore a big rent in my soft bag, just under the handle, I repaired it with silvery duct tape. It survived the rest of my trip, and looks set to be good for another trip.

[Matty F]

than the fluorescent :)

[Chris J Dixon]

I thought the seminal work was done with hamsters ;-)

Chris

[Steve Firth]

FWIW the original was duct tape. But people like Drivel insisted on calling it "duck tape". After a time a company, I think it was Henkel but I'm not sure, decided to make money from confusion by actually making a type of duct tape branded as "Duck Tape(tm)" and putting "The Original" on the label.

[Richard Russell]

According to their own site it was Jack Kahl, former CEO of Manco Inc., who created the Duck brand in 1984:

bought Manco in 1997:

[Jules Richardson]

The way I've heard it, it was originally duck tape - a type of water- resistant tape ("like water off a duck's back"), used during WWII.

It was only later when it started being used around the home that it became common to call it duct tape (which is interesting in its own right; as Dennis says, it's pretty useless for HVAC ductwork and professionals all use aluminium tape)

"Duck tape" as a brand is much more recent, but the name's documented back to at least the 1940s.

cheers

Jules