Rope splicing

Stages in splicing the end of a rope, from Scientific American, 1871

Rope splicing in ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent joint between two ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands. Splices can be used to form a stopper at the end of a line, to form a loop or an eye in a rope, or for joining two ropes together.^[1] Splices are preferred to knotted rope, since while a knot typically reduces the strength by 20–40%,^[2] a splice is capable of attaining a rope's full strength.^[3] However, splicing usually results in a thickening of the line and, if subsequently removed, leaves a distortion of the rope. Most types of splices are used on 3 strand rope, but some can be done on 12 strand or greater single braided rope as well as most double braids.

Types of splices

Examples of splices in different stages of completion, from the Nordisk familjebok: a) long splice b) tapered short splice c) eye splice d) short splice

back splice (also called an end splice) – A splice where the strands of the end of the rope are spliced directly back into the end without forming a loop. It is used to finish off the end of the rope to keep it from fraying. The end of the rope with the splice is about twice the thickness of the rest of the rope. With nylon and other plastic materials, the back splice is often no longer used; the rope strands are simply fused together with heat to prevent fraying.^[4]

An unfinished cut splice

cut splice (originally called cunt splice) – A splice similar to the eye splice. It is typically used for light lines (e.g., the log-line) where a single splice would tend to come undone, the rope being frequently wet.^[5] It makes a very strong knot. A cut splice is a join between two ropes, made by side splicing the ends slightly apart, to make an eye in the joined rope which lies shut when the rope is taut. Its original name was bowdlerised to "cut splice".

A line eye-spliced to a snap shackle.

eye splice – A splice where the working end is spliced into the working part forming a loop.
ring splice – Attached the working end of a rope to a ring or clew.^[6]
chain splice – Attached the working end of a rope to a chain.^[7]
figure-eight "splice" knot- A splice-like bend knot used for joining two ropes.
horseshoe splice – A cut splice where the two sides of the loop are of unequal length.
long splice – A splice used to join two rope ends forming one rope the length of the total of the two ropes. The long splice, unlike most splice types, results in a splice that is only very slightly thicker than the rope without the splice, but sacrifices some of the strength of the short splice. It does this by replacing two of the strands of each rope end with those from the other, and cutting off some of the extra strands that result. The long splice allows the spliced rope to still fit through the same pulleys, which is necessary in some applications.^[8]

A short splice, with ends whipped

short splice – Also a splice used to join the ends of two ropes, but the short splice is more similar to the technique used in other splices and results in the spliced part being about twice as thick as the non spliced part, and has greater strength than the long splice. The short splice retains more of the rope strength than any knots that join rope ends.^[9]
side splice – A splice in which the end of one rope is joined to the midsection of another. For example, the cut splice (above) is composed of two side splices, with each line's end side spliced to the standing part of the other.

Splices are often tapered to make the thicker splice blend into the rest of the line. There are two main types of tapering, the standard and the "West Coast Taper".

Standard tapers progressively remove a portion of each remaining strand—one-third at a time is typical, resulting in a taper of two additional tucks beyond the splice—thus making each successive tuck produce a narrower splice. This is only practical with laid-lines, i.e., those made up of numerous strands laid side by side.
West Coast taper (also known as a Fisherman's Taper) is effected by extra-tucks of entire strands, such that the second strand is interweaved one more time than the first and the third is interweaved an additional time after the second.

Splicing tools

A fid is a hand tool made from wood, plastic, or bone and is used in the process of working with rope. A variety of fid diameters are available depending on the size of rope being used. Styles of fid designs include:^[10]

Swedish fid is conical instrument with a somewhat long taper.
Tubular fid aid in splicing double-braided rope.
Uni-fid needed to splice braid with a parallel core.

A Marlinspike is a tool, usually made of steel and often part of a sailor's pocketknife, which is used to separate strands of rope from one another. They can range in size anywhere from 3 inches to 5 feet long, with a round or flattened point.^[11]

References

↑ Beech, Frank (2005). Splicing Bell Ropes Illustrated (first ed.). Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. pp. 1–32. ISBN 0-900271-82-5.
↑ Neil Montgomery, Single Rope Techniques (Natl Speleological Society, June 1982), p. 1.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. p. 1. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. p. 31. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.
↑ William Falconer, Universal Dictionary of the Marine (London: Thomas Cadell, 1780), 1243.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. p. 27. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.
↑ Toss, Brion (1998). The Complete Rigger's Apprentice. International Marine. p. 89. ISBN 0-07-064840-9.
↑ Toss, Brion (1998). The Complete Rigger's Apprentice. International Marine. p. 94. ISBN 0-07-064840-9.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. p. 29. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.
↑ Merry, Barbara (2001). The Splicing Handbook (second ed.). International Marine. p. 13. ISBN 0-07-135438-7.

External links

David Steel, Explanation of the terms used in rigging (1794), The Maritime History Virtual Archives
A. Hyatt Verrill, Knots, Splices and Rope Work from Project Gutenberg
Eye splice instruction with braided rope, ropeloft.co.uk
Eye Splice Animation Using Rope – with Discussion, Animated Knots by Grog
New England Ropes Splicing Guide, a division of Teufelberger

Knots

By type

Bends	Adjustable bend Albright special Alpine butterfly bend Ashley's bend Basket weave knot Beer knot Blood knot Carrick bend Double fisherman's knot Fisherman's knot Flemish bend Grief knot Halyard bend Harness bend Heaving line bend Hunter's bend Nail knot One-sided overhand bend Racking bend Sheet bend Shoelace knot Shroud knot Simple Simon under Single carrick bend Surgeon's knot Surgeon's loop Triple fisherman's knot True lover's knot Water knot Zeppelin bend Zeppelin loop

Binding	Boa knot Bottle sling Constrictor knot Corned beef knot Granny knot Ground-line hitch Jamming knot Miller's knot Packer's knot Reef knot Strangle knot Thief knot Transom knot

Climbing	Alpine butterfly knot Autoblock Bachmann knot Beer knot Bowline on a bight Directional figure eight Double anchorman knot Double bowline Farmer's loop Figure-eight knot Figure-eight loop Figure-of-nine loop Friction hitch Klemheist knot Munter hitch Overhand loop Prusik Trident loop Yosemite bowline

Coils	Alpine coil Butterfly coil

Decorative	Carrick mat Chinese button knot Celtic button knot Diamond knot Fiador knot Friendship knot Matthew Walker knot Turk's head knot Wall and crown knot

Fishing (angling)	Angler's loop Arbor knot Bimini twist Blood knot Fisherman's knot Half blood knot Improved clinch knot Knotless knot Nail knot Palomar knot Snell knot Trilene knot Triple fisherman's knot Turle knot Uni knot

Hitches	Adjustable grip hitch Anchor bend Axle hitch Bachmann knot Bale sling hitch Barrel hitch Becket hitch Blackwall hitch Blake's hitch Boom hitch Buntline hitch Cat's paw Clove hitch Cow hitch Double overhand noose Falconer's knot Farrimond friction hitch Friction hitch Garda hitch Gripping Sailor's hitch Ground-line hitch Half hitch Halter hitch Highpoint hitch Highwayman's hitch Hitching tie Icicle hitch Improved clinch knot Killick hitch Knute hitch Lobster buoy hitch Marlinespike hitch Munter hitch Ossel hitch Pile hitch Snuggle hitch Swing hitch Taut-line hitch Timber hitch

Loop	Angler's loop Artillery loop Bale sling hitch Bowline Bumper knot Carrick bend loop Cowboy bowline Diamond knot Double bowline Dropper loop Eskimo bowline Fiador knot Fireman's chair knot Friendship knot loop Halter hitch Handcuff knot Honda knot Jury mast knot Overhand loop Portuguese bowline Rigid double splayed loop in the bight Slippery eight loop Span loop Spanish bowline Tom fool's knot Trident loop Triple bowline Triple crown knot Water bowline Yosemite bowline Zeppelin loop

Running (slip)	Hangman's knot Running bowline Running highwayman's hitch Slip knot Tarbuck knot

Shanks	Catshank Dogshank Sheepshank

Stopper	Ashley's stopper knot Button knot Double overhand knot Monkey's fist Overhand knot Stevedore knot

Whipping	Common whipping Overhand knot with draw-loop Portuguese whipping Sailmaker's whipping West Country whipping

Lists of knots
Related topics

Lists of knots	Bends Bindings Decorative knots Hitches (friction) Macramé Mathematical

Related topics	Chinese knotting International Guild of Knot Tyers Lashing Rope splicing Seizing

Category
WikiProject
Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, January 29, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.

Rope splicing

Types of splices

Splicing tools

See also

References

External links