Page 130 - Barbara Merry "The Splicing Handbook"

THIRTEEN
Whipping and Seizing

Both whipping and seizing are methods for binding rope, but whipping prevents
the end of a rope from unlaying, while seizing binds two pieces of rope together,
side by side. A traditional whipping is a tight winding of waxed or tarred small
stuff; the more modern alternative is an application of one or two coats of a
specially formulated liquid adhesive. Most marine supply stores carry these
materials, often in kit form.
For seizing, many people now use plastic ties, which provide a quick,
inexpensive way to bundle rope. Traditional seizing, however, looks good and

will not damage or mark the rope.

TRADITIONAL WHIPPING
The width of the whipping should approximate the diameter of the rope. It
is best to have two whippings a short distance apart—one near the rope
end and one a few rope diameters farther up the standing part—with the

small stuff pulled tight on each. If one is loosened, the other should keep
the end from unlaying.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Rope to be whipped
Small stuff: waxed whipping twine
Scissors or sharp knife
Vinyl tape
Hot knife or heat source

Tape the end of the rope or, if it is synthetic, heat-seal the end with a hot knife
or other heat source until the yarns are fused.

Begin whipping at least an inch (25 mm) from the bitter end of the rope. Lay a
loop of small stuff across the rope, leaving a tail of 5 or 6 inches (125 to 150
mm) on the bitter end. You will need to grasp this tail later, so don’t cover the
tail completely with whipping.

With the working piece of small stuff, wrap around the rope from the tail end
toward the apex of the loop, covering the loop until the width of the whipping is
at least as wide as the diameter of the rope.