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KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 70

Grommets for Quoits,

Blocks & Sea Chest Beckets

N ENDLESS CIRCLE OF rope called a grommet can be made from
Aa single strand of 3 strand rope just over 3 times the length of
the finished ring. This ring or grommet is the essential ingredient
for a game of deck quoits or a strop for a wooden block. A pair will
make simple sea chest handles or beckets which when decorated
with worming, leather and Turk’s heads, add a great deal of style,
telling the world that this chest belongs to a real ‘marlinespike
sailor’. However they are used, the skill is to get the size correct and
then to make the join in such a way as barely to increase the diam-
eter of the rope. This join is the same as that used in a long splice.
There are many variations of making it, with each one having its
proponents, advantages and disadvantages, each in their way cor-
rect, hence the saying ‘different ships different long splices’.
Whatever the variation of join used, it helps a great deal if the
rope used keeps its form when unlaid. Most natural fibres are
fine, but cotton can be a little tricky whilst among the synthetics,
nylon can give problems. All can be used but the difficult ones
need special care.

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