Page 90 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 89

Baggywrinkle

AGGYWRINKLE – now there is a word to ponder. Just what is
Bthe origin of this term that describes the shaggy collection of
rope yarns applied to parts of the standing rigging in order to
stop chafe (the enemy of sails and running rigging)? I cannot
find any reference to the use of this word, or any of its variations
(Bag-a-wrinkle, Boogy Winkles, Baggy Winkles, Bagy Wrinkles),
until the 20th century, yet chaffing gear of various sorts has
been around for a very long time. Perhaps it came into being
with the advent of wire standing rigging as it is possible that ear-
lier chaffing gear was fixed to masts and spars, rather than hemp
standing rigging which would tend to rot under a moisture
retaining collection of rope yarns. Whatever its origins, it does
the job.
Due to the way that it is made, Baggywrinkle is sometimes
called ‘railroad sennit’. Indeed it could be said that Baggy -
wrinkle is made from this material.
Making it in useful quantities is quite time-consuming. Why
not call a party and get your friends to race one another to
obtain a decent quantity of the stuff?

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