Page 20 - The Knot Bible

THE BASICS

rule of thumb, the length of the fid later, more fiddly knots in Chapters Above A rigger’s knife and marlinspike (or,
should be 21 times the diameter of 4 and 7. The regular type available strictly, a fid). You don’t need much else
for 90 per cent of the knots in this book.
the rope, eg the fid for working with from most DIY stores will do the
3
10mm ( /8 in) rope would be 10 x 21 trick nicely. If you’re worried about
= approx 210mm (8in). Nowadays, damaging the rope, wrap it with a Beeswax is another traditional
the so-called Swedish fid – with its piece of cloth before using the pliers. material used by the marlinspike
hollow metal blade and wooden For the finer, detail work, such sailor. Draw a thread trhough a small
handle – has mostly supplanted the as whipping, you’ll need a set of block of beeswax to close the pores
marlinspike and is often the only three-sided sailmaker’s needles and keep the moisture out. It can
dedicated rigging tool that is stocked and some waxed whipping twine. also be used as a lubricant when
by chandlers. The twine comes in many colours, drawing a stitch through canvas
which can be useful to create fancy or leather.
Non-essential tools effects. It can also be used to make
An ingenious modern invention, miniature knots for jewellery, such
once the province of the professional as monkey’s fist earrings or
but now increasingly targeted at the pendants. Alternatively, a ball of Essential tools
amateur, is the hot knife. Essentially tarred twine does the job very Knife
just an electrically heated blade nicely, and smells wonderful too! Marlinspike or fid
mounted on a gun or stand, it has A palm is the sailmaker’s
the advantage of sealing the ends equivalent of a thimble, except that Additional tools
of the rope as it cuts it, thereby it’s held by a leather strap and is Various fids
preventing the strands from designed to sit in the palm of the Pliers
unravelling. Use only with synthetic hand. This means that greater Mallet
ropes, never with traditional hemp. pressure can be exerted on the Palm
Unless you’ve got strong hands needle as it’s pushed through layers Needles
and impervious skin, a pair of of sailcloth – or, in this case, strands Whipping twine
long-nosed pliers will make life of rope. Its only application within Ball of twine
much easier when it comes to the contents of this book is for Beeswax
tightening a knot, particularly the making whippings.

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