Page 265 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

I

Figure 6-66H. After two frapping turns, the end will
emerge at the point where the seizing started. Make
a space with your spike or awl under the frapping
turns on that side and pass the end behind those
turns, right to left. Pull smartly to set the wire behind
the turns. Enlarge the hole between the legs at the
bottom of the seizing if necessary, and pass the end
back through, creating a hitch in the seizing wire.
J

(Figure 6-66H), from right to left. Pull the slack
out, being careful not to distort the frapping turns
or let any slack escape under them, then thread
the end back into the hole from whence it came
and snap it tight by hand. Smear a little tallow or
lanolin onto the hitch it forms, hook up your Mallet
de Mer to the standing part, and pull the hitch gen-
tly out of sight, letting up when it is right between Figure 6-66I–J. Set the mallet against the side of the
the two parts of the wire rope (Figure 6-66I). Note seizing opposite the hitch and thread the wire on. Smear
that, from here on, the mallet rests on the seizing, a little tallow into the hitch and take a strain. The hitch
not on the legs of the wire. will slide around the corner and fetch up between the legs
Raise another space under the frapping turns of the wire rope. Don’t force it, just set it in there firmly.
on this side and thread the seizing wire through, The frapping turns should remain undisturbed (I). Make
again from right to left; if this hitch is not made in a second hitch on the side opposite the first one, in the
the same direction as the first one they’ll untie each same direction as the first one (see arrows). Set this hitch
other. Pull out the slack and thread the seizing wire as before, and pass the end through again (J).
back through as before, snap it down, apply a lit-
tle more tallow, and haul the hitch in against the 6-66K) for the coup de grace. If all the turns are
first one. Pull square to the seizing until this hitch in good, snug order, you can just haul tighter and
renders itself around the corner and down into the tighter until the seizing wire breaks off cleanly, right
middle (Figure 6-66J); then set the head of the mal- where it exits the second hitch. Just the sweetest
let onto the right-hand leg of the wire rope (Figure seizing finish you’ll ever see (Figure 6-66L).

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