Page 244 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 6-50. A serving iron can substitute for a board
and is the preferred choice for use with seizing wire.
This one was cobbled up from the junked bronze
stempiece of an old sailboat.

ing, or you can rip up polyester bed sheets (they’re
no good for sleeping on anyway) into inch-wide
(25-mm) strips and tar them. This is a good time
to check the condition of the wire under the parcel-
Figure 6-49. A typical serving board (top) and the ing. Retar as necessary, particularly if the service is
tool in use (bottom). over stainless steel, as the tar (or anhydrous lanolin)
excludes both air and water, preventing crevice cor-
rosion.
under the turns, then tighten the turns by working When the parceling is set, make up a hank of
them around with the spike. Hitch onto the end and twine. If the area to be repaired is a long stretch,
pull all slack out, then give a few sharp jerks to snug calculate how much twine you’ll need as follows:
things completely down before trimming. Lightly serve a 1-inch (25.4-mm) length, then
If you’re using a serving board or iron, stop as remove this service and measure how much twine it
in the finish of the Eyesplice service, below (Figure took. Multiply this by the total number of inches (or
6-56). mm) to be served, and add a couple of feet (or 0.6
m) for the tails at the finish (see below).
Mending If you are working aloft, thread the end of the
The oldest rigging afloat is not stainless steel, which twine through the lanyard hole in the end of your
has a lifespan limited by fatigue, but parceled and serving iron or board. Once you get started, this will
served galvanized wire, which is less susceptible trap the iron, so you can’t accidentally drop it.
to fatigue and can be completely sealed from rust. Using a spike, serve over the end of the new
Here are instructions for the service mending that twine with the upper tail of the old twine (Figure
chafe occasionally necessitates. 6-51A); this anchors the new twine’s end. Then
Unwind the service from the affected area and twist the two pieces together, lay the old twine’s end
trim the ends to about 2 feet (0.6 m) in length. down on the wire, and begin serving over it with the
Inspect the parceling and replace as necessary. Plain new twine, using the iron or board. Start carefully,
old friction or athletic tape makes excellent parcel- so there’s a minimum gap where the two pieces are

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