THE STAFF
The flagpole is composed of the following parts: The pole ball, spindle, truck, sheave, cleat, brace and halyard.
The halyard is the rope with which the flag is drawn up to the top, and it is never used for climbing purposes. The art of climbing a flagpole with ease and performing that which is to be done upon the pole will be explained in detail later on.
The ball on the top of the staff plays no important part. It is used more for ornamental purposes than anything else.
The spindle is the rod that runs from the ball through the truck into the pole.
The truck holds the sheave.
The sheave holds the halyard.
The cleat is for the purpose of tying the halyard to a few feet from the base of the pole. The majority of poles have iron braces for support connected about six (6) feet up from the base of the pole.
From experience I find the steel pole the most dangerous. In my opinion it is more dangerous than the wooden pole for the reason that rust forms inside of the steel pole and around the bands where it is connected, and in the winter time it is easily broken by the cold weather if any weight is put on it, whereas the wooden pole can be tested by sounding it as to its condition.
If the wooden pole has the dead sound it is in all probability dry rot, and with a pole of this kind I would advise you to be extremely careful. Never sway such a pole any more than you absolutely must, and take plenty of time in climbing it. A pole in this condition gives no warning before it breaks, but a pole with plenty of sap gives a cracking sound before it gives way, which gives the man working on it a chance to slide to a more secure position.