SPLICES.
(1). An Eye Splice is formed by unlaying the end of a rope for a short distance, and then, after closing up the end, to form an eye of the desired size. Lay the three strands upon the standing part, now tuck the middle strand through the strand of the standing part of the rope next to it (against the lay of the rope), then pass the strand on the left over the strand under which No. 1 strand is tucked, and tuck it under the next, and lastly, put the remaining strand through the third strand on the other side of the rope (Fig. 82.)
Now tuck each strand again alternately over a strand and under a strand of the rope, and then taper off by halving the strands before tucking the third time, and again halve them before the fourth tuck.
If the strands are tucked with the lay of the rope it is termed a Sailmaker's Splice.
(2). A Short Splice is used to join two ropes when it is not required to pass through a block. Unlay the two ropes the required distance, and clutch them together as in Fig. 83, that is, so that the strands of one rope go alternately between the strands of the other.
Then tuck the strands of rope a into the rope b in a similar manner to that described in an eye splice, and similarly tuck the strands of b into a (Figs. 84 and 85).
(3). A Cut Splice is made by laying two ropes in the position indicated in Fig. 86.
Leaving the ropes between a a to form an oblong loop, tuck the strands of one rope into the other as done in the eye splice. Splices are often wormed, parcelled, and served. Fig. 87 shows the cut splice after this treatment.
A log-line splice is a cut splice, but instead of allowing the loop to appear, the two lines are twisted together.
(4). A Long Splice is one of the most useful of splices, as it permits the rope to run through a block just the same as an unspliced rope.
Unlay the ends of two ropes to a distance about four times the length used in a short splice, and then clutch them together as if about to commence a short splice. Now unlay one strand for a considerable distance and fill up the gap thus caused by twisting in the strand opposite to it of the other rope. Then do the same with two more strands. Let the remaining two strands stay as they were first placed. The ropes will now appear as in Fig. 88.
To finish off, tuck the ends as in a short splice, but with the lay of the rope, that is, so that the tuck will continually take place around the same strand, and taper off gradually by reducing the yarns in the strand.
(5). To Make a Grommet, cut a strand about three and a half times the length of the grommet required. Unlay the rope carefully and keep the turns of the strand in. Close up the strand in the form of a ring (Fig. 89), and then pass the ends round and round in their original lay until all the intervals are filled up (Fig. 90), and then finish off the two ends as in a long splice (Fig. 91).
