Page 557 - The Ashley Book of Knots
P. 557
THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS
3452. Portuguese wbipping is the quickest of all to apply; the ends
are merely reef knotted together. It is given by Esparteiro in his
Dicionario de Marillbaria (Lisboa, 1936).
3453. SHaking is added to whippings on yoke ropes, manropes and
pointings. On large ropes it is added for security. It is added to a
sailor's whipping ('/I: 3443). With a needle the end is thrusc under and
over the outer turns at either end.
3454. A regular snaking is made by taking a hitch at each outer
turn.
3455. A round tum is sometimes taken about the outer edge, which
is presumably a decorative feature.
3456. A Cow HITCH SKAKING.
\ \ '. \
3457. A decorative snaking. Tie '/I: 3440 with five tur'ls. Thrust
the needle alternately left and right, each time under the two out-
side turns and at right angles to the rope at either end. The initial
five turns should be slackly taken.
3458. West Country '-whippillg was the name given hy Biddle-
combe in 1848 to this particular practice, but most subsequent sea-
manship books, including the British Admiralty Atanual of Sea111iT11-
ship, have modified the name to 'West C Olnlty 'U.'hippi71g. The thread
or yarn having been middled, the ends are passed around the rope
and are half knotted together. Each end is next led one half a turn to
3S'Sb 3 the opposite side and again the two are half knotted. The ends are
again led one half a turn around the rope and half knotted. This is con-
tinued on alternate sides until the required width is reached, when
the ends are securely reef knotted and cut off. I have nor seen this
whipping used but it has this advantage: if any part breaks it ,viii
be a very long while before the whole 'whipping lets go. The break
will be evident and the whipping can be replaced in time.
3459. A liueman's whipping is made of "electric tape." Although
far from handsome, it is very practical. Start with the end Jaid under
one strand of the rope.
3460. Siunet whipping requires a palm and needle. It is used on
the ends of gaskets, points, robands and anywhere where FLAT or
FRE""CH SINNET is practically used. A photograph among the frontis-
pieces shows sinnet whipping tied on an old cat-o' -niue-tails. A
number of turns having been taken, the needle is thrust through
the flat of the sinnet and brought out again at the other side. Gen-
erally three crossing turns are added in this manner, then the end is
buried with one or two invisible stitches.
3461. Cable whipping requires more care than hawser whipping,
because the rope is harder laid. The end of the cable is first stopped
temporarily and then a whipping of marline is clapped on a number
of inches from the end. The turns are taken in a direction con-
trary to the lay of the cable and hove very taut with a marlingspike.
The stopping is next removed and each of the three component
ropes is whipped twice, preferably with a palm-and-needle whip-
3462, ping, but if the ropes are large '/I: 3442 will be found about the best.
3462. Wire whipping is made with a special, soft galvanized iron
wire that is made for the purpose. But if this is not available, galvan-
ized stovepipe wire will serve adequately. Pliers may be used to
tighten but care must be exercised not to score the wire. The first
end is laid under the turns as in , .. :hipping '/I: 345 2, and instead of
knotting, the ends are twisted and hammered flat.
