Friction tape is a type of adhesive tape made from cloth impregnated with a rubber-based adhesive, and sometimes an abrasive substance, mainly used to increase grip or friction. Because the adhesive is impregnated in the cloth, friction tape is sticky on both sides. The rubber based adhesive makes it an electrical insulator and provides a degree of protection from liquids and corrosion. In the past, friction tape was widely used by electricians, but PVC electrical tape has replaced it in most applications today. The frictional properties of the tape come from the cloth material which is often made from cotton. One common use is to wrap it around the blade of a hockey stick to improve puck control. Another use is to wrap it around the handle of a softball or baseball bat to give oneself a better grip. It's also useful as a base when wrapping a bicycle handlebar with handlebar tape.
An interesting phenomenon is the Triboluminescence observable in a dark room as the tape is pulled off the roll.
Famous quotes containing the words friction and/or tape:
“The admission of Oriental immigrants who cannot be amalgamated with our people has been made the subject either of prohibitory clauses in our treaties and statutes or of strict administrative regulations secured by diplomatic negotiations. I sincerely hope that we may continue to minimize the evils likely to arise from such immigration without unnecessary friction and by mutual concessions between self-respecting governments.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“We shall see but little way if we require to understand what we see. How few things can a man measure with the tape of his understanding! How many greater things might he be seeing in the meanwhile!”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)