Page 124 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

A single-braid rope has a hollow center, and this a wedge in instead of a blunt-ended cylinder. A
splice simply consists of tucking the end of the rope tapered splice is also stronger, as there is less of a
into this hollow, to form an eye. stress riser to weaken the rope where the splice ends.
To start, measure 24 diameters from the rope A tapered splice will also last longer, as it has no
end, using the simple formula given earlier. Pull a sharp shoulder to chafe. And if all that isn’t enough,
single yarn (not an entire strand) out of the end of a tapered splice just looks a lot better. This is signifi-
the rope to mark this point. Be very careful to avoid cant, as splices can be as desirable for clean appear-
disturbing the braid beyond this point. ance as they are for brute strength.
It will be a lot easier to tuck the end into the So, have I convinced you to make a taper? Good.
rope if you taper the end first. It’ll be like driving Count about 10 chevrons from the end. Pull out a
pair of strands, one leading to the left, the other to the
Figure 4-14A–C. 12-Strand Single-Braid Eyesplice. right. Count five more chevrons and pull out the fifth
The single yarn marks where the eye will begin (A). pair. Repeat three more times, pulling out every fifth
Bury the tail into the standing part (B). Cut the pair of strands (Figure 4-14A). If you counted right,
laid-out ends off flush as they are about to enter the you will now have eight strands laid out. Finally, go
bury (C). up six more pairs and pull out a single yarn.

single
yarn

103