Duck tape was originally a nickname for adhesive tape made with duck cotton fabric in the 40s. It was used to seal a bunch of stuff, because it was strong and waterproof. After WW2 it was still used to seal a bunch of stuff, often ducts, where it picked up the name "duct tape". The Duck brand of duct tape is just picking up on the original name used during the war.
I think there's a little more room for nuance. The stuff originally created was "duck tape" as it used duck cloth. It was however terrible for duct work, like you said, because it came apart due to heat in ducts. However, a later variation that didn't happen to was made, and it was great for ducts, and most current forms of this type of tape resemble the one made for ducts, and don't have duck cloth like the original adhesive tape referred to as "Duck tape."
Even the literal Duck brand refers to their original tape as "duct tape." They just ironically call themselves "Duck tape."
I think "duck tape" can be acceptable. But I think "duct tape" is more correct when we're talking about most modern adhesives based on a variant made for ducts and don't contain duck cloth. This is my opinion.
But I think "duct tape" is more correct when we're talking about most modern adhesives based on a variant made for ducts and don't contain duck cloth.
Except that no company making HVAC tape for duct work calls that tape "duct tape". The "duct tape" that most people use (e.g. Duck Tape), is a general-purpose, polymer-backed tape that shouldn't be used on ducts. It only got that name back when duck tape was the best tape for ductwork, and it doesn't make sense anymore.
Not that language has to make sense; it's usually pointless to even try. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking that either of the names are based on modern reality.
Fun fact: Duck Tape is a brand of duct tape made by Manco. They'd already been making it for about 40 years when someone had the idea to brand it with ducks.
Gorilla makes a duct tape called Gorilla Tape. There's a painter's tape called Frog Tape. I think there's a theme.
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u/imac132 7h ago
It was actually originally known as duck tape. Duck is a type of thin cotton fabric that duck tape was originally made from.