Page 103 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

CHAPTER 4

Friction, Part 2: Splicing

“Nothin’ don’t seem impossible once you’ve clapped eyes on a whale.”
—Elizabeth Goudge

Basic ropework can sometimes seem anything but quick fix for raveling, too narrow to be an effective
basic—all those turns and twists, in dizzying vari- stopper but too bulky for reeving through chocks or
ation. But at least you’re working with whole line. for passing lashings. About the only place it’s much
Now we’re going to start taking it apart and reas- good is as a comfortable handhold, say at the end of
sembling it—it’s the only way to get the maximum a deck bucket’s lanyard. But there are a couple of
strength out of a rope. Mysterious at first, and chal- very useful variations.
lenging, but wonderfully satisfying. A Tree Surgeon’s Backsplice (Figure 4-2) is iden-
tical in structure to the above, but after the strands
THE END OF YOUR are unlaid and before Crowning, two-thirds of each
ROPE REVISITED: strand is cut away. When tucked, the one-third-size
MULTISTRAND SPLICES strands do not greatly increase rope diameter.
The Shackle Splice is a Backsplice with the
Splicing is ropework that joins two ropes by inter- Crown Knot made through the eye of a shackle
weaving parts of each rope, which forms a semi-per- (Figure 4-3). This can’t be beat for compactness and
manent joint. Splices can also form a loop, stopper, or distribution of strain. The same splice can be used to
eye in the rope. In the following section, you’ll learn attach an appropriate-sized rode to an anchor chain
how to make Backsplices, Eyesplices, Stoppers and (see “Chain Splices”).
Buttons, and Chain Splices with multistrand rope.
Eyesplices
Backsplices It’s a simple step from a Backsplice to an Eyesplice;
The most complex end-of-the-line work is done with the body of the knot is the same, and only the
the line’s component strands. To start with, there’s entrance differs (see sidebar on page 87, “Round
the Backsplice (the real thing, no butane as in Fig- Eyesplice Entry”). I should mention that my pre-
ure 3-42). To make a Backsplice, unlay the strands ferred entry is not the standard one—some might
8 to 10 inches, make a snug, counterclockwise even consider it heretical—but it snugs up to a
Crown Knot, then tuck each end in sequence under thimble better and is smooth on both sides (see the
one and over one, against the lay (Figure 4-1). Make comparison in Figure 4-4). It is sometimes known
three or four rows of tucks. as Lever’s Eyesplice, but if anyone gives you guff
The Backsplice is a lousy knot. Oh, it’s handy about it, call it by the name towboaters do: the
when there’s no twine or knife, but basically it’s a Pro Splice.

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