LASHINGS, SEIZINGS, SPLICES, ETC.
Almost any one can lash a rope more or less satisfactorily, but a
knowledge of how to do this properly and in the manner best suited to
each case is of great importance to seamen and others having occasion
to handle ropes, rigging, or in fact any cordage.
The varieties of lashings, seizings, whippings, and servings are
almost innumerable, but a few of the best and most frequently used are
the "Wedding Knot" or "Rose Lashing," the "Deadeye Lashing," the
"Belaying-pin Splice," the "Necklace Tie," the "Close Band," and "End
Pointings." The rose lashing (Fig. 97) is used to join two eyes or
ropes finished with loops. The deadeye lashing (Fig. 98) is frequently
used on ships' standing rigging and is a familiar sight to every one
who has seen a sailing-vessel. It consists of a small line reeved back
and forth through the holes in the "deadeyes," _A_; the ends are then
seized to the standing rigging to prevent slipping. This lashing
admits of easy and rapid lengthening or shortening of the rigging and
is particularly useful in connection with wire cable. A similar method
may be used with loops instead of deadeyes (Fig. 99). The belaying-pin
splice, shown in Fig. 100, is a quick and handy way of fastening two
ropes together and is of great value when rigging is carried away and
some quick method of joining the severed ends is required. Pass a
belaying-pin or similar toggle through an eye or loop in one end of a
rope and pass this through a loop or eye in the broken rope end. Form
a loop in the other broken end, slip the free end of the lanyard
through this and around another toggle or pin and haul taut; then
fasten by half-hitches around standing part (_A_, Fig. 100), or by
seizing (_B_, Fig. 100). This is a strong, reliable fastening and can
be tightened up or instantly thrown off at will.
[Illustration: FIG. 97.--Rose lashing.]
[Illustration: FIG. 98.--Deadeye lashing.]
[Illustration: FIG. 99.--Loop lashing.]
[Illustration: FIG. 100.--Belaying-pin splice.]
The necklace tie is useful in holding two ropes, hawsers, or timbers
side by side (Fig. 101). The lashing is passed around and around the
two objects to be joined and the ends secured by a square knot passed
around the band lengthwise. The close band is used for the same
purposes as the last and is made in the same manner, but the ends are
fastened by drawing through beneath the turns (Fig. 102).
[Illustration: FIG. 101.--Necklace tie.]
[Illustration: FIG. 102.--Close band.]
End pointings are very useful as well as ornamental, for while an
ordinary seizing or whipping will prevent the strands from
unravelling, the ends are broad and clumsy and oftentimes are too
large to pass through a block or eye large enough for the rest of the
rope. The ordinary way of pointing a rope is to first whip as
described (Fig. 4), and then unlay the end as for the Flemish eye.
Take out about two-thirds of the yarns and twist each in two. Take two
parts of different yarns and twist together with finger and thumb,
keeping the lay on the yarn and thus forming left-handed stuff known
as "nettles." Comb out the rest of the yarn with a knife, leaving a
few to lay back upon the rope. Now pass three turns of twine like a
timber-hitch tightly around the part where the nettles separate and
fasten the twine, and while passing this "warp" lay the nettles
backward and forward with each turn. The ends are now whipped with
twine or yarn and finally "snaked," which is done by taking the end
under and over the outer turns of the seizing alternately. If the rope
is small a stick is often put in the upper part to strengthen it or
the tip maybe finished with a small eye. If properly done a pointed
rope is very handsome and appears as in _B_, Fig. 103. Another simple
way of finishing a rope end is to seize the end, as at _A_, Fig. 104,
and open out the strands, bring the strands back alongside the rope,
and whip the whole (Fig. 105).
[Illustration: FIG. 103.--Pointing a rope.]
[Illustration: FIG. 104.--Ending rope.]
[Illustration: FIG. 105.--Ending rope.]
Splicing is, in many cases, more useful and better than tying or
bending ropes together and a good splice always looks neater and more
ship-shape than a knot, no matter how well-made it may be. A person
familiar with splicing will turn in a splice almost as quickly as the
ordinary man can tie a secure knot, and in many cases, where the rope
must pass through sheaves or blocks, a splice is absolutely necessary
to fasten two ropes or two parts of a parted rope together. The
simplest of all splices is known as the "Short Splice" (Fig. 106).
This is made as follows: Untwist the ends of the rope for a few inches
and seize with twine to prevent further unwinding, as shown at _A_,
_A_; also seize the end of each strand to prevent unravelling and
grease or wax the strands until smooth and even. Now place the
two ends of the ropes together as shown at _B_, _B_. Then with a
marline-spike, or a pointed stick, work open the strand 1 _c_, and
through this pass the strand _A_ of the other rope; then open strand 2
and pass the next strand of the other rope through it and then the
same way with the third strand. Next open up the strands of the other
rope, below the seizing, and pass the strands of the first rope
through as before, 3 _A_, _B_. The ropes will now appear as in Fig.
106, _D_. Now untwist the six strands and cut away about half the
yarns from each and seize the ends as before; pass these reduced
strands through under the whole strands of the rope--the strands of
the left under the strands of the right rope and _vice versa_--for two
or three lays and then cut off projecting ends, after drawing all as
tight as you can. If an extra-neat splice is desired the strands
should be gradually tapered as you proceed, and in this way a splice
but little larger than the original diameter of the rope will result.
The only difficulty you will find in making this splice is in getting
the strands to come together in such a way that two strands will not
run under the same strand of the opposite rope. To avoid this, bear
in mind that the _first strand must be passed over the strand which
is first next to it and through under the second and out between the
second and third_. In the following operations the strands are passed
_over_ the third and _under_ the fourth; but the figures will make
this perfectly clear. A far better and stronger splice is the "Long
Splice," which will run through any block or tackle which will admit
the rope itself; indeed, a well-made long splice cannot be
distinguished from the rope itself after a few days' use (Fig. 107).
To make this useful splice, unlay the ends of the rope about four
times as much as for the short splice, or from four to five feet,
unlay one strand in each rope for half as much again; place the middle
strands together as at _A_, then the additional strands will appear as
at _B_ and _C_, and the spiral groove, left where they were unlaid,
will appear as at _D_ and _E_. Take off the two central strands, _F_
and _G_, and lay them into the grooves, _D_, _E_, until they meet _B_
and _C_, and be sure and keep them tightly twisted while so doing.
Then take strands _H_ and _J_, cut out half the yarns in each, make
an overhand knot in them and tuck the ends under the next lays as in
a short splice. Do the same with strands _B_, _C_ and _F_, _G_;
dividing, knotting, and sticking the divided strands in the same way.
Finally stretch the rope tight, pull and pound and roll the splice
until smooth and round, and trim off all loose ends close to the rope.
[Illustration: FIG. 106.--Short splice.]
[Illustration: FIG, 106 _D_.--Short splice (continued).]
[Illustration: FIG. 107.--Long splice.]
An "Eye Splice" (Fig. 108) is very easy to make and is useful and
handy in a great variety of ways. It is made in the same manner as the
short splice, but instead of splicing the two ends together, the end
of the rope is unlaid and then bent around and spliced into its own
strands of the standing part, as shown in the illustration. A "Cut
Splice" (Fig. 109) is made just as an eye splice or short splice, but
instead of splicing two ropes together end to end, or splicing an end
into a standing part, the ends are lapped and each is spliced into the
standing part of the other, thus forming a loop or eye in the centre
of a rope. Once the short and long splices are mastered, all other
splices, as well as many useful variations, will come easy.
Oftentimes, for example, one strand of a rope may become worn, frayed,
or broken, while the remaining strands are perfectly sound. In such
cases the weak strand may be unlaid and cut off and then a new strand
of the same length is laid up in the groove left by the old strand
exactly as in a long splice; the ends are then tapered, stuck under
the lay, as in a short splice, and the repair is complete; and if well
done will never show and will be as strong as the original rope.
[Illustration: FIG. 108.--Eye splice.]
[Illustration: FIG. 109.--Cut splice.]