Hayes HC2 crimp, 16 - 12 1/2 ga., long (100 units)

Details

Knotted joins are the weak point of a high-tensile fence. A figure-eight knot is quick, but it kinks the wire, it never quite comes up to full tension, and it is the place the run parts when something heavy goes through. A crimp sleeve solves that. The two wire ends run into the sleeve, a crimping tool compresses it in a series of overlapping bites, and the finished join carries more load than the wire itself will take before breaking. These are the HC2 size, which suits 1.6 to 2.5 mm wire, roughly 16 through 12 and a half gauge, and this is the longer sleeve, so there is more body to crimp and more grip on the wire. They come 100 to the pot. Technique matters. Start crimping at one end and work along, overlapping each crimp on the last so there are no untouched shoulders between them. A gap left in the middle is where a join pulls apart. Keep a pot in the fencing bag alongside the crimping tool. They are cheap enough that there is no reason to knot a wire, and a fence built on crimps stays tight.