high tensile barbed wire

[pdubdo]

On the surface, high tensile barbed wire seems to be the best of both worlds. Security of tried-&-true barbed wire, with the flex and wider post spacing of HT. I've got to run 2000+ ft of perimeter fencing through trees. Anyone have experience with 15.5 ga HT barbed wire? Looking at the OK and Bekaert brands.

 

[Nesikep]

The thing the HT barbed would lack is the workability of the straight stuff... if stuff is falling on it the barbs will pull out all the staples too

 

[M.Magis]

I use nothing but HT 15 guage now. I've used quite a bit of the standard 12 guage Red Brand, but won't use it for perimeter fences any more. The HT 15 guage stays much tighter and the barbs are much sharper. Not sure I follow the idea of the staples pulling out, but have never had that happen. I've only used Goucho, so I can't speak to other brands.

 

[Bigfoot]

Bekaert is good stuff in my opinion, but it's about all that is available here to.

 

[fenceman]

I like the high tensile barbwire. Its better in every way . Its a little stiff to handle alright , but the lighter weight of the rolls helps make up for that.
The staytuff crimps make splicing easy . you've got to be diligent about using them correctly or they will slip. Bekaert makes good products for the price. Much of their line is knock offs of staytuff but at a much better price. They make a really good net wire with solid vertical stays at the price of a conventional net wire. Recently used some staytuff hightensil predator control barbwire. Has a 4 point barb every 2 to 3 inches.
It would scare a Canadian to death. ;-) :cboy:

 

[wbvs58]

Fenceman was saying in the other thread where the wire was overtightened how he escaped injury working on it. I used to use it on horses and had a couple run straight through it with the wider spacing of posts and not sighting it and it sprung apart so quick that the horses just got very minor scratches from it. I used to use 4 strands of high tensile barb for horses with the bottom strand pretty high so they did not get into too much trouble pawing at it. I think most people have the bottom strand too low for cattle as well, mostly wasted when too low. Plain wire will cut through horses like through butter and it is usually loose from them leaning through it.
I'm a bit off subject talking about horses but I think the same principles apply to cattle, it stays nice and tight and they respect it.
Ken

 

[fenceman]

Fenceman was saying in the other thread where the wire was overtightened how he escaped injury working on it. I used to use it on horses and had a couple run straight through it with the wider spacing of posts and not sighting it and it sprung apart so quick that the horses just got very minor scratches from it. I used to use 4 strands of high tensile barb for horses with the bottom strand pretty high so they did not get into too much trouble pawing at it. I think most people have the bottom strand too low for cattle as well, mostly wasted when too low. Plain wire will cut through horses like through butter and it is usually loose from them leaning through it.
I'm a bit off subject talking about horses but I think the same principles apply to cattle, it stays nice and tight and they respect it.
Ken

I mostly agree . it's getting more common around here to keep the bottom wire up a bit to allow hogs to go through without tearing up the fence. Putting post closer or adding cedar stays makes the fence better and more visible. I've always used barbwire for horses. They learn to stay off it. I believe you misquoted me on overstretching the wire. But no sweat.. :cboy:

 

[wbvs58]

Fenceman was saying in the other thread where the wire was overtightened how he escaped injury working on it. I used to use it on horses and had a couple run straight through it with the wider spacing of posts and not sighting it and it sprung apart so quick that the horses just got very minor scratches from it. I used to use 4 strands of high tensile barb for horses with the bottom strand pretty high so they did not get into too much trouble pawing at it. I think most people have the bottom strand too low for cattle as well, mostly wasted when too low. Plain wire will cut through horses like through butter and it is usually loose from them leaning through it.
I'm a bit off subject talking about horses but I think the same principles apply to cattle, it stays nice and tight and they respect it.
Ken

I mostly agree . it's getting more common around here to keep the bottom wire up a bit to allow hogs to go through without tearing up the fence. Putting post closer or adding cedar stays makes the fence better and more visible. I've always used barbwire for horses. They learn to stay off it. I believe you misquoted me on overstretching the wire. But no sweat.. :cboy:

Oh well, whatever happened in your story Fenceman, sorry I misquoted, glad you didn't take it to heart.
Ken

 

[bball]

Running some red brand HT barbed wire through the woods over the past few days. I like it so far. Barbs are dang sharp. American made so i had to go with this brand. I have seen it with strainers and without.

 

[Rafter S]

Fenceman was saying in the other thread where the wire was overtightened how he escaped injury working on it. I used to use it on horses and had a couple run straight through it with the wider spacing of posts and not sighting it and it sprung apart so quick that the horses just got very minor scratches from it. I used to use 4 strands of high tensile barb for horses with the bottom strand pretty high so they did not get into too much trouble pawing at it. I think most people have the bottom strand too low for cattle as well, mostly wasted when too low. Plain wire will cut through horses like through butter and it is usually loose from them leaning through it.
I'm a bit off subject talking about horses but I think the same principles apply to cattle, it stays nice and tight and they respect it.
Ken

I mostly agree . it's getting more common around here to keep the bottom wire up a bit to allow hogs to go through without tearing up the fence. Putting post closer or adding cedar stays makes the fence better and more visible. I've always used barbwire for horses. They learn to stay off it. I believe you misquoted me on overstretching the wire. But no sweat.. :cboy:

That was me. http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=100515&start=15

Fenceman,

About 30 years ago I learned that it is possible to get barbed wire too tight. I was helping a guy build fence that wasn't happy with stretching his wire with the commercial wire stretchers, but used a come-a-long instead. I was walking along stapling one of the top wires to the posts and hit one of the staples one too many times. It cut the wire, and before I could react one of the ends had ripped my shirt across the front from one side to the other. Just turned it into rags. I'm still astonished that it didn't even scratch me. That could have really been bad.

 

[pdubdo]

thanks for the info...follow up question--10-12 ft post spacing, or further apart? I'm all for saving as much money as possible without having to come back and re-do things in a year or two.

 

[M.Magis]

I prefer 4 steps between posts, but haven't really had any issues with 5 steps. Sometimes need to add a post or two for terrain issues. Again, just the way I do things.

 

[fenceman]

I typically space the post at 12 feet. and stretch the wire good and tight. Just make sure you built a good strong brace. That's the key to good fence. You can stretch the wire plenty tight as long as you don't beat it with a hammer.

 

[dun]

Something I've learned about goucho vs regular stuff is that the goucho when fastened to an oak tree as a post, it will rust and break where it contacts the tree. Regular stuff doesn;t. I've got regular, that's been up for over 50 years, it's rusty but still intact. Gougho that;s only been up about 10 years has rusted and broke.

 

[Bigfoot]

Something I've learned about goucho vs regular stuff is that the goucho when fastened to an oak tree as a post, it will rust and break where it contacts the tree. Regular stuff doesn;t. I've got regular, that's been up for over 50 years, it's rusty but still intact. Gougho that;s only been up about 10 years has rusted and broke.

Same observation here.

 

[M.Magis]

When tearing down/moving a stretch of fence a few years ago, I also noticed the HT barbed wire (couldn't say what brand it was) was in perfect shape, except where it had contacted either the ground or a tree. In those spots, if it wasn't broken it was very brittle. I don't like stapling directly to trees for a lot of reasons, but that added to the list. I use a pressure treated 2x4 against the tree (if I have to) and haven't noticed any rust in the last 5 years, so far.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

OK Brand is all I use. Haven't had any problems with their product.