A dispenser (fig. 8-8) is required to install barbed tape. It consists of a frame to hold the 164-foot reel of barbed tape and two sets of rollers. Insert the reel on the spindle and thread the tape through the two sets of parallel rollers. Then turn the outside set of rollers 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. Now close the hinged arm of the frame and lock it in place by the frame of the rotating rollers. As the tape unwinds from the reel, the two sets of rollers oriented 90 degrees to each other impart a twist to the tape. For it to be effective, you must twist the barbed tape as it is installed.

Uses

You can use barbed tape in place of standard barbed wire inmost all cases except when it is to be repeatedly recovered and reused. The most effective fence you can construct using barbed tape is the "Double-Apron Fence" (discussed below).

ADVANTAGES OF BARBED TAPE.- The principal advantages of barbed tape are its size and weight. For equal lengths, barbed tape occupies a third of the space and weighs a third as much as standard barbed wire. A double-apron fence constructed with barbed tape is more difficult to breach by crawling through than one constructed with standard barbed wire because the barbs of the barbed tape are closer together. Because of the flat configuration, it is more difficult to cut barbed tape with wire cutters.

DISADVANTAGES OF BARBED TAPE.- At the present time, the major disadvantage of barbed tape is its breaking strength. Standard barbed wire is twice as strong. Installation of barbed tape requires a dispenser. A major problem could arise if the dispenser is not available. The tape is not recoverable to its original condition. However, it maybe recovered on bobbins in a twisted condition. Barbed tape is more easily cut by shell fragments than standard barbed wire. Barbed tape can also be cut with a bayonet.