Page 212 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

A

B

Figure 6-21A–B. . . . then clamp the wire rope
around the thimble in a rigging vise (A). Taking one
or two turns out of the wire’s lay makes it easier to
enter a spike. Wrap a rope tail for unlaying around
the standing part of the wire about 3 feet down from
the splice (B).

horizontally. (Splices can be made either horizon- trying for perfect smoothness. To minimize distor-
tally or vertically; which way is better is a subject tion, use the smallest spike that will make a space
of frequent and earnest debate among riggers—one big enough to tuck in the strands.
of those Ford-versus-Chevy questions that comes Try a few practice entries now. Face the vise,
down to personal taste. Like any sane, intelligent brace your spike arm against your body, and lay the
individual, I always splice horizontally.) Tie or tip of the spike between two standing-part strands.
clamp the wire in place with moderate tension on Using the thumb on your other hand as a fulcrum,
the standing part. lean on the wire, twisting the spike handle coun-
Using the unlaying stick, wrap the tail on tightly, terclockwise just a bit as the tip drops between the
against the wire lay, about 3 feet from the vise. Pass strands (Figure 6-22). That’s it; you’ve just picked
the stick around, against the lay. You want to do this up a strand. Take the spike out and try it again,
just enough to loosen the area you’ll be splicing, but but this time go under two strands; then do it again,
not so much as to make a birdcage out of it. Once or under three. Outwit the wire, guiding the tip under
twice around should do. Err on the tight side, and the strands without snagging the heart.
try it out. Be sure to brace the stick so that it can’t Remember that wire is too stiff to be tucked
whip around and smack you. You’re ready. directly where you want it to go. It kinks. There-
fore you have to tuck it in well down the stand-
A Little Presplice Theorizing and Practice ing part and then “roll” it home. This is the spike’s
The idea in splicing wire, as with cordage, is to other duty, to shuttle back and forth, conveying the
lift one or more standing-part strands just enough strands to their destinations. Practice the shuttling
to pass a strand end underneath. Do this with all motion illustrated in Figure 6-23, keeping the spike
strands in succession, several times, and the ends parallel with the lay for the least wire distortion.
become woven into the standing part very securely Note that as you move toward the vise you have
and very evenly. Only in splices can the strain be to push on the handle to keep the tip in. Likewise,
thus distributed among all of a rope’s component traveling away from the vise causes the spike to
strands. That is why splices are the strongest knots. get swallowed up unless you pull it out a little as
When you work wire, capitalize on this virtue by you go.

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