WIRE SPLICING.
In splicing wire, great care should be taken to prevent kinks getting in the rope or strands.
With steel wire, always before working it, put a stop on at the place to which you intend to unlay, and also put a good whipping of twine at the end of each strand.
Steel wire is six-stranded right-handed, and has a heart of hemp. Flexible wire has a heart of hemp in each strand.
Crucible wire is made in the same manner, except that the strands are wire throughout.
Crucible wire is used for standing rigging and flexible wire for purchases, etc.
In splicing wire all tucks are made with the lay of the rope.
In making an eye splice the rope is handled better if hung up in a convenient position so that when standing up the eye will be at about the level of the chest of the person working.
A long tapering steel marline-spike is required, and after placing it under a strand do not withdraw it until the tuck is made and all the slack of the strand drawn through.
There are several methods in vogue for tucking the strand, but the following is as good as any:—Tuck the first strand under two strands and all the rest under one strand respectively. Tuck whole again, and this time each strand under one strand, then halve the strands and tuck again.
To make a neat splice do not haul the part of the rope that has not been unlaid too close to the neck of the splice, and in tucking the strands never take a short nip but take long lays.
In unlaying for a long splice, always unlay two strands simultaneously, to keep the rope in its original lay. For a fair-sized rope unlay about 9 ft. of each end.
Proceed as in rope splicing, and after the three pairs of strands are in their places, single them, and continue to unlay and lay-in until the six meeting places of the strands are equi-distant.
To finish off the ends properly can only be learnt by observation and actual practice. By using two marline-spikes, the hempen heart is removed and the ends of the wire strands forced into the place it occupied, making a very neat job when finished.
Wire splices should be parcelled with oily canvas and served with Hambro' line.