Page 130 - Peter Randall - The Craft of the Knot

Many people rely on a butane lighter to bind their rope end. Partially melting the
rope’s end to keep it from fraying is jovially called the Butane Back Splice. After a knot
is tied and the running end is cut close, some people like to burn the tip, making it swell
in size so that it’s less likely to pull back into the knot. When burning the tip, it’s
important not to let the flame weaken the knot. Stores that sell rope sometimes have a

cutting hot wire that leaves the ends heat-sealed after cutting.

However, using a flame only works for synthetic ropes. Heat will not seal the ends of
natural fiber ropes because the fibers scorch and burn without melting. Thus, a lighter
can also be used to help determine if a rope is natural or synthetic. The only exception
to this is Kevlar rope, which scorches without melting.

Yet another way to bind a rope end is with adhesive tape. When needed, different
colors can be used to distinguish different ropes, and the tape can serve as a writing

surface for labeling them. Or you can use heat shrink tubing and liquid plastic dip.
When you choose a binding method, keep in mind that some serve an additional

purpose. Stiffening the end aids in threading the rope through a decorative knot, much
like the plastic tip on shoelaces helps to thread the tip through the eyelets set in the
shoes.

SEIZING

A seizing is similar in form to Square Lashing as shown in Chapter 5, but is for lashing
two ropes together. As shown previously, often an extra Half Hitch (see Chapter 4) is

put in the running end after tying a knot to help make it secure. For increased security,
a seizing can be used to anchor the running end to the standing end. This takes a little
extra time but is very secure and can make a knotted attachment a permanent one.

In the Great Age of Sail, a hitch (or almost any knot, for that matter) was not
considered permanent unless the running end was seized. Today, many people take

pride in making a neatly wrapped coil or tying a whipping or seizing just right. The
skills of rope management both use and complement many of the other skills of
knotting with rope, and the methods that follow will certainly help round out your
skills.

COMMON WHIPPING

You can use the following whipping technique to bind a rope’s end.

STEP 1 Lay a crossing turn along the end of a rope and start making wraps, working

inward.