Page 466 - The Ashley Book of Knots

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EYE SPLICES (MULTI-STRAND LOOPS)

2794. A SASH UmD EYE. Open the cord and comb out the threads

for twice the length of the eye. Divide the threads into two equal

legs and form the eye by double half knotting the ends at half length

with a CONSTRICTOR KNOT at the bosom and serve both ways toward

the throat with sail twine or fishline.

2795. An EYE SPLICE in sash cord or other hard braided rope.

Open the end for a length equal to four or five diameters of the

rope. Drive a sharp marlingspike through the rope where the throat 21«l4

of the eye is to be, and stick one quarter, one third, or one half, if

possible, of the end through the hole. Scrape and tease both parts

of the end and serve over tightly or, for a neater job, graft over.

This splice is often made without sticking any part, but the method

described is more secure.

2796. SPINDLE, ARTIFICIAL or MADE EYE, often inaccurately called

a FLEMISH EYE. Steel gives "MADE EYE" in 1794, Lever "ARTIFICIAL

or SPINDLE EYE" in 1808. Dana, in 1841, says, "This is now usually

called a FLEMISH EYE," but Luce in 1862 prefers "ARTIFICIAL EYE."

Formerly, this eye was put in the ends of stays but it is well adapted

to braided tope. Seize a rope at a distance from the end that is a

little longer than twice the length of the proposed eye. Take a billet

of wood, the size of the eye, to serve as a spindle. With strips of

canvas, spun yarn or adhesive tape raise two ridges around the 2 1 'J 5"'

spindle, about the diameter of the rope apart. Lay five or six pieces

of marline lengthwise across these ridges and stop them in place with

rope yarns.

Open the rope to the seizing, and proceed to half knot opposite

yarns around the spindle. Scatter these HALF KNOTS well around the

spindle. When all have been half knotted, seize the ends to the

throat. Remove the stops and reef knot the short lengths of marline

firmly around the knotted yarns. Remove the structure from the

spindle, scrape the ends to a nice taper and serve over both neck and

eye.

2797. A SPINDLE EYE for a jib stay is made of shroud-laid rope.

The heart is cut out. One fourth of each of the four strands is laid

out for a wortning. Each worming is brought over the spindle

and half knotted to an opposite one. Bring the ends down and seize

them at the neck; worm them into the rope and seize them again.

Open the remainder of the strands and reef knot the yarns at widely

scattered points around the spindle. Cut off the ends, parcel, tar and

serve over the eye. Put in the thimble and serve over to the end of

the worming.

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