Page 453 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

2721. A TAIL SPLICE, that is said to have originated in Bristo~

Rhode Island, was shown to me by Arthur Carlsen.

Seize a one-half-inch (diameter) wire rope at three feet from the

end. Lay back three alternate strands to the seizing and layout one

half of each. Lay in the three remaining halves for nine inches, seize

the rope a second time and layout the three remaining half strands.

Seize the three full strands that remain at nine inches from the

last (second) seizing and layout one half of each strand. Lay up

the three half strands that are left for nine inches, put on a fourth

(and last) seizing and layout the ends. Parcel and serve each

section. There should now remain only a nine-inch core. Taper this

•
to a pomt.

Open a Manila rope end two and a quarter inches in circumference

for about five feet and lay it up tightly over the tapered end of the

wire rope. Each set of wire ends should be divided evenly in thirds

and led to the surface between two Manila strands. Stop the rope

frequently, wherever needed. Seize the ends of the Manila strands

several inches to the left of the protruding wires (second diagram).

Thread several or one of the right-hand wires on a large sail needle

and stick them over and under into the Manila rope, but in a pe-

culiar way. In passing over (which comes first) the wire is pulleo

272'

down completely out of sight between two surface yarns. In tucking

under (which follows) the needle is thrust through the middle of

the next strand at right angles to it. In this way no wires appear on

the surface. Each group is differently led and is sewed from six to

ten tucks, so that the ends are well scattered. The last tuck should

be backed through the strand, and the end trimmed short. Pound

with a mallet. Tease and scrape the ends of the Manila rope and lay it

up around the wire. Parcel it and marl and serve the whole length of

the splice with Italian marline or fishline.

2722. Before the technique just described was generally adopted,

12'2.
much the same splice was made by crotching the two ropes. A

number of wires were taped together and tucked in the regular short

splice manner except that the "over" wires were sunk between two

2.'723 yarns as in the last splice. The wires were cut out at regular in-

tervals.

2723. A somewhat earlier TAIL SPLICE was made as follows: The

wire end was rough pointed by cutting out one strand at a time.

The Manila rope was opened for several feet and the strands were

also opened. The lower half of the yarns were marled down over

the end of the wire, the ends being scraped down. The remaining

yarns were then cross-pointed for a distance somewhat longer than

the wire point, and the ends were then seized.

2724. Drilling cable to Manila cable. Point the end of the wire

cable for about fifteen feet by first cutting out the core and then

reducing the strands, one at a time, until only one is left. If the

Manila cable has a heart it should be cut out for the full length of the

2724

splice. Whip the end of the Manila cable. Seize the tip of the wire

cable to the Manila cable at the point where the Manila heart was

cut out and, with a marlingspike, lay the wire into the heart of the

Manila cable until within a foot of the whipping. Seize it there.

Next with a marlingspike lay the tip of the wire cable into the

Manila rope and remove the seizing. Taper the end of the Manila

cable for a foot and marl it down around the wire rope. Serve over

the whole length of the splice and snake the ends.

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