Fast Fence Repair

Fixing a stretch of broken barbed wire fence doesn't have to be painful, and it can be quick! Here's how one expert fencer makes his repairs.

Materials Needed:

Fencing sleeves - 100 pack = about $20.
Crimping tool - $50 to $100. (Optional)
Heavy duty pliers

Gripple sleeves - $1.25 each (Optional)

Fencer: Gene Hamman
Photos: Rob Lagerstrom

Use a fence stretcher to pull together enough wire to make the repair. Then, from each half of the break, remove any barbs for about 6 to 8 inches. Slide each wire end through one of these inexpensive sleeves, as shown in this photo. You'll find them in any fencing store. A package of 100 should cost less than $20.

Squeeze the sleeve shut with this crimping tool. The tool costs anywhere between $50 and $100. If you care less about appearance, you could squeeze these tight enough with a pair of pliers.

To make the splice secure, simply separate the strands of the two wire ends.

Now wrap each wire around the barbed wire. As you can see here, one strand (the one closest to the sleeve) is wrapped counterclockwise around the barbed wire. The second strand makes a loop over the first wire, securing it in place, and then it is wrapped clockwise several times over the barbed wire. The remaining loose ends should be cut off, and the same wraps should be made on the opposite side of the sleeve.

Here's the finished repair. It took no more than a couple of minutes to complete.

See next step for an alternative to this type of repair.

Another way to make a repair in broken wire is to use this sleeve, called the Gripple. The broken ends of the wire are pushed through the Gripple, which is designed so they will not pull out. These are made for fairly speedy repairs, especially if you're making many of them. You don't need a crimping tool, but these sleeves are pricey, about $1.25 each. They come in four sizes. For more information go to www.gripple.com.

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