Introduction
Since a splice is stronger than any knot, splicing an eye in double braid
line is one of the essential marlinspike arts. Using nylon line with its greater
elasticity, dock lines and anchor rodes can be made. Polyester double braid is
the standard for sailboat running rigging.
Double braid line is made of two braided tubes, an inner core and an
outer cover. When the tubes are streched along their length, their
diameters shrink, grabbing each other like "Chinese handcuffs."
Whenever possible, use new line to make eye splices. Used line has probably
shrunk enough to make the process difficult, even if it has never been used. I
saw an attemt to splice a thimble onto the never-used end on a 7/8-inch nylon
rode. Apparently, the repeated soaking and drying caused the line to loose its
elasticity so that the eye spice was impossible. Line that has been under a
strain is worse -- the working of the line causes internal heating from friction
which "locks" the strands and fibers together.
Tools -- Certain items should be available, including:
-
masking tape
-
a sharp knife
-
a marking pen
-
Sailmaker's, or other large needle and seizing twine
-
needle-nosed pliers may be handy
-
a stiff rod to push the line and fid through the core and cover
-
the appropriate-sized fids
Standard fids are the most frequently used. They are sized for the
appropriate line diameter. Wire fids are shaped like a modified bobby pin, with
the ends pointed in to hold the line. They are typically 1/2 the length of the
standard fid. There are also several new designs available.
Standard Fid sizes. Modified from "Spicing Guide for STA-SET X and
PCR" New England Ropes, 848 Airport Road, Fall River, MA 02720.
All measuremnts in inchers.
| Rope Diameter |
Fid Length |
Short Section Measure |
Long Section Measure |
| 1/4 |
5.25 |
2.000 |
3.50 |
| 3/8 |
7.75 |
3.000 |
4.75 |
| 1/2 |
11.0 |
4.000 |
7.00 |
| 3/4 |
16.0 |
4.750 |
11.25 |
| 7/8 |
19.0 |
5.000 |
14.0 |
| 1.0 |
21.0 |
5.25 |
15.75 |
Splicing the Eye
 |
In this version, the links in the text with go to a "still"
of the operation being explained. Use your "back" button to
return.
- Begin by placing one layer of masking tape around the line near
its end. Cut the line there to expose a fresh end which hasn't been
melted to seal it.
- Next measure one full fid length from the end of the line and put
a mark on the line there.
- Form the size of the desired loop using this mark as a start and
make a second mark where the loop will join. STILL.
- Tie a slip knot, or cleat the line 4-5 feet from the end. This is
needed to prevent too much shift in the the core and cover.
- The core is extracted from the cover at this second core mark.
Bend the line sharply and use the needle to tease apart the cover
strands and gradually start working the core out. Needle-nosed
pliers may be useful. STILL.
Tape the end of the core once extracted.
- While holding the core, push the cover down toward the knot or
cleat, exposing more core. STILL.
- Next work the cover back up and mark the core where it exits the
cover. This process re-aligns the cover and core after movement.
- Now push the cover back toward the knot again exposing about 3 fid
lengths of core past the mark. From the mark on the core, measure
one short fid section toward the knot and place a second mark on the
core. Then measure 1 full fid length PLUS 1 short fid section
more and put a third mark on the core. STILL.
- Insert the fid into the core at the 2nd mark aimed in the
direction of the 3rd mark. With new line, you should be able to get
the fid to exit at the third mark without losing the end. If not,
you will need to use the push rod after inserting the cover. STILL.
- Insert the cover end into the hollow end of the fid (or attach the
wire fid.) Use the push rod to shove the fid and cover out of the
3rd mark on the core. Keep pulling more cover out of the core until
the 1st orginal mark is exposed. Count eight strands (or sets of 2
or 4 strands) down toward the end and put a 3rd mark on the cover
there. Remove the tape from the cover.
- At this stage, you can optionally taper the cover to produce a
better looking finished eye. Details
on tapering.
- Pull the cover back out of the core until the 3rd mark is just
exposed (8 strands past the 1st cover mark.) STILL.
- Now, starting at the 2nd mark on the cover (where you originally
extracted the core), measure 1/2 fid length toward the knot or cleat
and put a 4th cover mark here. Next insert the fid into the cover at
the 3rd mark (8 strands past the 1st cover mark, where it exits the
core) and work it past the second mark to exit at the 4th mark. STILL.
If you are making a large eye, you may have to exit the cover before
the 4th mark, pull up the slack, re-enter the cover through the
exact same hole and continue.
- Insert the end of the core and push it through using the push rod.
Pull out the core until the 1st core mark in seen (where it was
originally extracted from the cover.) STILL.
- Next, taper the core from the 1st core mark to the end by cutting
and removing every other strand.
- From the point where the cover enters the core and the core enters
the cover, smooth the line in both directions. The exposed end of
the cover should dissappear into the core.
- Now, put some serious tention on the core at this point. You may
want to put the slip-knot around a fixed object so you can pull hard.
What you are doing is stretching the core so that its diameter where
the cover is inside of it is reduced.
- Now, start "milking" the cover back down over the core.
You may want to keep a lot of tension on the core.
- As you continue, beat on the area where the core is going into the
cover to soften the line. Also try putting a stick (hammer handle or
large fid) into the eye and give some sharp, strong tugs. STILL.
- Keep going until you very 1st cover mark dissappears, or the eye
is snug around the thimble.
- Finish the splice by sewing through the splice part of the eye for
at least 4 diameters, then do it again with the stitch line 90
degrees off from the first row of stitches.
- Well done.
|
Contact: Shooting Star's Knots
© Copyright 1998 Bruce Tetzlaff. Use permitted with credit.
|
