Making a Basic Cable Restraint: Part 1

Follow these steps to make a basic cable restraint.

1. Cut a piece of stranded steel cable that is less than 84 inches long (the maximum cable length allowed by Pennsylvania law).
2. Slide a stop onto the end of the cable, and crimp it with a swaging tool or a mallet.
3. Bend the last ½ inch of the cable near the stop into a figure-seven bend (the shape of a figure 7).
4. Mark the cable with tape or a colored marker at 8 inches and 38 inches from the point of figure-seven bend.
5. Slide a J-hook or S-hook breakaway device onto the cable and into the figure-seven bend.
6. Hook the other end of the J-hook or S-hook into a relaxing lock that is legal for use in Pennsylvania. Secure the hook to the lock with side-cutting pliers. Do not put the lock on the cable.
7. Slip another stop on the cable, and crimp it with a swaging tool or a mallet at the 8-inch mark so that the cable forms a loop that is at least 8 inches in circumference. This will be a loop about 2½ inches in diameter and creates the minimum loop stop (deer stop).
8. Slide the cable through the lock in a direction that allows the loop to close freely but in a way that the lock stops the loop from re-opening.
9. If you choose to install a support collar, place it on the cable. A screw-on support collar can also be placed on the cable restraint after it is constructed.
10. Slide an additional stop on the cable and crimp it with a swaging tool or a mallet at the 38-inch mark so that the cable can form a loop that is no larger than 38 inches in circumference. This will be a loop of about 12 inches in diameter and creates the maximum loop stop, which is useful for keeping larger animals, such as domestic livestock, out of the set.