All the strands are now laid in their proper places with their respective ends passing each other.
All methods of rope splicing are identical up to this point; their variety consists in the method of securing the ends.
[Fig. 121.] The completed splice with ends secured results in a cable with scarcely any enlargement at that point. A few days’ use will make it difficult to discover at all.
The final part of the splice is made as follows:
“Clamp the rope either in a vise or with a hand clamp at a point to the left of A ([Fig. 119]), and by a hand clamp applied near the right of A open up the rope by untwisting sufficiently to cut the hemp core at A, and seizing it with nippers, let your assistant draw it out slowly. Then insert a marlin spike under the two nearest strands to open up the rope and starting the loose strand into the space left vacant by the hemp center, rotate the marlin spike so as to run the strand into the center. Cut the hemp core where the strand ends, and push the end of hemp back into its place. Remove the clamps and let the rope close together around it. Draw out the hemp core in the opposite direction and lay the other strand in the center of the rope in the same manner. Repeat the operation at the five remaining points, and hammer the rope lightly at the points where the ends pass each other at A´, B´, etc., with small wooden mallets, and the splice is complete, as shown in [Fig. 121].”
A rope spliced as above will be nearly as strong as the original rope, and smooth everywhere. After running a few days, the splice, if well made, cannot be pointed out except by the close examination of an expert.
[Fig. 122.] If a clamp and vice are not obtainable, two rope slings and short wooden levers may be used to untwist and open up the rope.
[Fig. 123.] A marlin spike is absolutely necessary in order to separate the strands in making a splice in steel cable.