Page 458 - The Ashley Book of Knots

EYE SPLICES (MULTI-STRAND LOOPS)

2751. An eye somewhat similar to the foregoing is. also started as

the FLEMISH EYE, and is stuck as shown by the arrow. Then it is

tucked over and under twice full, once two thirds and once one

third.

2752. A FOUR-STRAND EYE. Open the end into two long forks of

two strands each. Knot the two forks at the bosom, taking out a

little of the twist, and lay up both legs as far as the straddle. Stick

them as in the third diagram, both sides being the same, and tuck

the splice over and under. Taper as desired.

215 \

2753. A FOUR-STRAND BACKHANDED EYE. Tie in shroud-laid rope.

Cut out the core for the length of the splice. Form the eye as in

the foregoing and stick as depicted in the first of these two illustra-

tions. The front and back faces are identical. Back and taper each

strand in turn.

A FOUR-STRAND BACKHANDED SPLICE is generally considered im-

practical, but if well served over this will prove satisfactory.

The sailor allows for his EYE SPLICE to weaken the rope by about

one eighth. Some of the rope manufacturers say that the loss of

strength is as much as one half. It would seem to me that, if an EYE

SPLICE is well made and the yarns are afterwards wormed, teased,

and served over for a distance greater than the length of the splice,

such an allowance is excessive. In fact I think such a splice should

not prove weaker than the rope.

The sailmaker waxes his strands, the rigger greases his with tallow

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but the sailor does neither.

The sailmaker taps his finished splice with a fid, spits on it and

burnishes it with the handle of the fid. The rigger pounds his with

a marlingspike or a mallet, while the sailor rolls his underfoot on the

deck.

The point of a fid, pricker or marlingspike should not be too

sharp or it will snag the yarns. A small fid of greenheart, with a

diamond-shaped cross section at the tip, and no sharp edges, is the

handiest tool I know. It is illustrated on the opposite page. Green-

heart is recommended because it is slippery without being greasy.

A good working fid may be made from a hickory hammer handle.

It should be sandpapered with the grain, and soaked in linseed oil or

even boiled in oil to make it hard and smooth.

In tucking splices, the overlaid part of a strand should be flattened
2152.

somewhat by the removal of a certain amount of the twist or lay;

the method was described near the beginning of Chapter 34. Rigger's

splices have the fewest tucks and sailmaker's the most.

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