Page 211 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

a firm grip on the subject. A vise won’t help you with
calves and babies, but even the occasional splicer
will find it worthwhile for greatly reducing setup
time and effort while improving splice quality.
The third basic ingredient is a spike. For this
size wire, a Snap-On scratch awl (#7ASA) is perfect,
once you file a flat, rounded tip on it (Figure 6-19).
You’ll also need some nippers to trim the splice,
a mallet (see Figure 6-37)—preferably of hardwood,
brass, or lead—to fair it, a bit of seizing wire, and
safety goggles. One more item: an unlaying stick
(shown in Figure 6-21B). It’s a stick with a braided
rope tail that is used to untwist the wire slightly,
making it easier to enter the spike into the wire.

Setting Up
The first step in making a splice is to put a wire
seizing on the wire rope near the rope’s end (Figure
6-20). It will keep the wire from unlaying too far
and will make it easier for you to put an even strain
on all strands. The formula for the seizing position
is: 1 foot of splicing length for every inch of wire
circumference. The ⁄16-inch wire you are using for
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Figure 6-19. A spike made from a scratch awl. practice is about 1 inch in circumference, so put the
seizing on 1 foot from the end. Half-inch wire, to
nized wire rope with a fiber heart. The construction use another example, is 1 ⁄2 inches in circumference,
1
1
to ask for is 6 x 7 or 6 x 19 (Figure 6-17); both so its seizing would be 1 ⁄2 feet from the end.
are readily available at hardware or marine-supply Clamp your vise in place at elbow height, and
5
stores. This type of wire is low-cost, supple, and easy clamp the wire in the vise around a ⁄16-inch thimble
to handle. with the seizing at the end of the thimble and just
Speaking of ease, use a rigging vise, shown in outside the jaws. Be sure that the tail is on the far
Figure 6-21. Manufacturers advertise in the boat- side of the standing part, as shown in Figure 6-21.
ing-magazine classified sections. As in branding or Tighten the vise jaws to hold the thimble snugly
diaper changing, the trick with wire work is to keep against the wire, then lead the standing part out

Figure 6-20. Beginning the Liverpool Eyesplice (con-
tinued through Figure 6-38). Put a wire seizing on the
wire rope about 1 foot from the end of the wire . . .

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