I tried eye splicing double braid

[Rational Root]

It's 8mm Liros top Cruising.

It seems to be pretty much bog standard braid on braid, the core does not appear to be anything unusual.

I followed the liros instructions (http://www.liros.de/spleissanleitungen.aspx) and came up with a passable result. But this only really uses the core, the cover is not really part of the splice.

I tried to follow the marlow braid instructions (http://www.marlowropes.com/public/pageManager.cfm?page_id=206), which looks like a better splice, but the abomination that I managed was did not look much like their end result.

Anyone from the boards here in Ireland who knows how to do this that would trade knowledge for beer / wine ?

[Ian McColgin]

I couldn't open either of the sites but all the various double braids and sheath and core braids I've worked splice nicely using Brion Toss's method and especially his splicing wand. I started in the early days of Sampson braid with what amounted to knitting needles and the wands make the pull through really work.

G'luck

[capt jake]

It took me several tries to get an acceptable splice. There are several techniques out there that all vary slightly suing th process, but all take you to the same end result. I find this one to work for me http://www.neropes.com/SplGuide_CategoryLandingDoubleBraid.aspx .
The other one that I use is Brion Toss, but I don't see that one line. I actually found a Toss splicing wand! Their company sent me the instructions free of charge. I still have to have the instruction right in front of me for each and every splice. I can't do it from memory, a little too complex in the numbers and measurements.

Good Luck!

[Rational Root]

I couldn't open either of the sites but all the various double braids and sheath and core braids I've worked splice nicely using Brion Toss's method and especially his splicing wand. I started in the early days of Sampson braid with what amounted to knitting needles and the wands make the pull through really work.

G'luck

I have Selma Fids. They seem to work just fine.

It's when I try to pull the whole thing together that it all goes west....

[Rational Root]

That looks worth a try. Many thanks
Dave.


It took me several tries to get an acceptable splice. There are several techniques out there that all vary slightly suing th process, but all take you to the same end result. I find this one to work for me http://www.neropes.com/SplGuide_CategoryLandingDoubleBraid.aspx .
The other one that I use is Brion Toss, but I don't see that one line. I actually found a Toss splicing wand! Their company sent me the instructions free of charge. I still have to have the instruction right in front of me for each and every splice. I can't do it from memory, a little too complex in the numbers and measurements.

Good Luck!

[Ian McColgin]

One thing that helps is to knot the line a good 15' from the splice. Gives lots of room to shove the sheath around and then milk it down. Some line can be a real chore. I was splicing some 1-1/2" kevlar stuff around stainless eyes for mooring pendents. What a pain. My forearms ached the next day and I almost pulled a lollycolum out during the milking.

It is like magic when the wierd mess actually works and tucks into place. The measurements and tapering are really quite critical to getting it to fit in cleanly and not leave a bit of plain empty sheath on one leg right near the throat of the splice.

By the way, I'd not want to trust an incomplete eye like that on a mooring or for a rigging sling on a crane but for a halyard it would be fine - each leg of the eye only takes half the strain so it's certainly strong enough.

Eyes I've seen fail or start to fail - almost broke one in a tow just yesterday - are in the line a bit away from the splice due to a combination of wear, improper taper of the core, and inadequate milking. The sheath is too bunched near the throat and pulls against the core wrongly, producing an unbalanced strain that usually, in older line, causes the sheath to break, exposing the core.

After the splice is milked completely, take out the retaining knot, hand the eye on something, and milk to the end. You may end up with 1/2" or so of extra core to lop off before burning and whipping the end.

G'luck

[Rational Root]

<snip>
After the splice is milked completely, take out the retaining knot, hand the eye on something, and milk to the end. You may end up with 1/2" or so of extra core to lop off before burning and whipping the end.

G'luck

In all the instructions they conveniently assume that you will simply have a perfect result :D, and no need to lop off extra core or sleeve :eek:. That's well worth knowing.

Thanks

D

[Draketail]

If at all possible, get a copy of Brion Toss's DVD or Video on eye splices. Watching Brion's hands illustrates very well how to get rid of the "bit of empty sheath" at the throat of the eye that Ian mentions above. Brion both explains the process and demonstrates. A picture is worth a thousand words. And a video is worth a thousand pictures! Very helpful.

[capt jake]

I have also noticed that once you get one proficient at one way of doing it, it is hard to use another style. Even with the instructions . It is hard to change to another way of doing it, at lest for me.

[dreyer]

A few tips:

Ensure your fid is correctly sized for the application
Use new or VERY clean rope. If it is heavily salt logged then pulling through is pretty difficult.
Tie your stopper knot well down the line (15') and it never hurts to pull out more core than you need. Trim it off and you will have a nice excess of casing to milk back down at the end.

[Rational Root]

Many thanks all.

I am making progress.

Drawing the line through is easy enough, I have a set of selma fids and I have brand new rope.
I bought a lot extra of 8mm double braid to practice on.

I now have a respectable looking eye-splice, but just a little too much cover in the loop compared to the amount of core.

Since the outer core bunches up more than the inner core, it would seem that you need to start your splice by pulling out an extra 2 inches or so core. Any thoughts on this ?