1. THE METHOD OF TIPPING A THERMOPLASTIC LACE COMPRISING THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (A) FEEDING SAID LACE TO A POSITION OF ALIGNMENT BETWEEN A PAIR OF OPPOSED DIES, (B) MOVING SAID DIES TO A CLOSED POSITION SO AS TO APPLY PRESSURE TO A PORTION OF THE LACE, (C) HEATING SAID DIES WHEREBY THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND PRESSURE CAUSES THE PORTION OF THE LACE WITHIN SAID DIES TO FUSE TO A PREDETERMINED CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION, (D) SEVERING SAID FUSED LACE PORTION INTERMEDIATE ITS LENGTH WHILE SAID PORTION IS STILL IN SAID CLOSED DIES, AND (E) PULLING THE TIPPED LACES LATERALLY OUT FROM BETWEEN THE DIES WHILE THE DIES ARE STILL CLOSED.

2. APPARATUS FOR TIPPING THERMOPLASTIC LACES COMPRISING A PAIR OF NORMALLY SPACED OPPOSED DIES, MEANS FOR HEATING SAID DIES, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DIES TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN A THERMOPLASTIC LACE HELD THEREBETWEEN IS FUSED AND MOLDED TO A CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION DETERMINED BY SAID DIES, ONE OF SAID DIES HAVING A BLADE WHICH SEVERS SAID MOLDED AND FUSED LACE PORTION WHEN THE DIES ARE CLOSED, AND MEANS FOR PULLING THE SEVERED LACE LATERALLY OUT FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CLOSED DIES.