Wingtip nocks can break from banging into rocks or hard objects on the ground, releasing the tension on your leading edge that you’ll notice as a big wrinkle at the lower spreader point. An assortment of nock styles and sizes are used in sport kites and in many cases you can simply pull off a broken nock and press in a new one. If nocks are glued on, they can be carved off using a hobby knife.
One older nock style comes in two parts, a conical plug (insert) that glues into the wingtip and a female nock that glues onto the cone. If the nock breaks off, simply glue a new one onto the conical plug. If the plug itself breaks, you’ll need to carefully drill it out using a size “B” or “C” drill bit, then replace with a more modern single-piece nock. Drilling out the plug is a little fussy but can be done with patience and a steady hand.
In a pinch, you can make a serviceable nock with a standoff fitting. Fit the standoff hole over the wingtip and then use a bit of bridle-sized line to tie off the wingtip.
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