To Splice Or Not To Splice

[woodslinger]

I am looking at ordering a 9/16 Sterling Atlas rigging line (unless there is sufficient argument for something else) and I don't know if I should get a splice on it or not. I figure I'll be retiring my climbing line this summer and can use that as a rigging line (close to 1/2") so i'm going a tad heavier with this line, which will be my main rigging line for a while. What are the pros and cons to having one or both ends spliced?
Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions and comments

 

[candoarms]

Woodslinger,

There are arguments for both sides of this discussion.

A splice is stronger than a knot. Splices make for rapid connections to your hardware, and they also provide for a knotless rigging system that allows for less training time with your ground crew.

The downside of a splice is that should your rope become damaged, or worn, the spliced end may have to be cut off. You'll lose a few feet of rope, but your rope will be useable again. Now you're back to knots, unless you can splice your own ropes.

One splice is OK. I don't like using two spliced ends. You'll find that the outer sheath of your rope will milk down with use. This milking process results in a giant gob of sheath of rope all bunched up at one end of your rope. If you leave one end alone, you'll be able to work the extra cover off of the end of your rope, where you can then first tape, then cut and melt the bare end of your rope. This will make your rope like new again.

I have two Sterling Atlas 9/16" rigging ropes. I really like the stuff. I'm sure you will too.

Hope this helps.

Joel

 

[woodslinger]

Thanks Joel, that was exactly the advice I was looking for. Without the splice I would still loose a few feet of rope and be using knots if it got damaged, so no issue there, The ease of use and strength of the splice while I have it definitely seems worthwhile. And the 1 end vs 2 was the kind of info I needed, and the thumbs up for the rope itself is very assuring as well.
Thank you

Chris

 

[NickfromWI]

Being a splice addict, almost all my ropes are spliced. A while back, we got a ½"x200' Double Esterlon rigging line. I spliced one end of it. I used it a few times, for the heck of it, but found that for me, I preferred the non-spliced end. I don't work on the crew these days, but I can tell by looking at the ends of the ropes that the spliced end basically never gets used.

If you do splice it, only splice one end.

love
nick

 

[pantheraba]

I would get a splice...my climbing lines are eye spliced...very useful, quick on/off with biners.

I have some 3 strand I use for rigging sometimes...I put eye splices in one end and find that very useful, too.

But splicing Poison Ivy, Sterling or other modern lines...I have pro's like Nick, Nick or Nick do that.

 

[Altissimus]

Anti splice here (except safeties) ... Wear is evened and both ends pull through crotches and rigging easily. Bulky stiff splices hang up.

 

[flushcut]

Splice one end. My sub has some atlas and the cover has milked 8" since he bought it in December. I have a 200' stable braid spliced on both ends for speed rigging larger silver maples where we switch ends often from the same high rig point.

 

[woodslinger]

I would certainly not be splicing it myself, I will probably learn that at some point but it is not on my list yet. It sounds like having one end spliced is a safe way to figure out if I like it or not. Thank you all for the comments and advice, I think I'll order it with one end spliced.

 

[Raj]

+1 for a one end splice on double braid. I love splicing, all my ropes hav'em, even my parent's, my brothers, GF's parent's....

 

[candoarms]

I personally shy away from spliced ends. Learning how to tie reliable knots is a skill that should be learned and practiced. Starting out with knots is something that you can always go back to, should the need arise.

What I'm trying to say here........learn how to tie knots. Once you have mastered the many knots used in climbing and rigging, you can then move on to spliced rope ends......but keep your knot tying skills sharpened.

Joel

 

[Mick!]

No splicing for me, just knots. On my rigging line I use a captive eye Krab on a bowline.
If it's heavy just put a half hitch in front of it.

 

[woodslinger]

I'm confident with knots, I'm sure there are more to learn but I have a good base from boy scouts, rock climbing, the tee climbers companion, and Ger's Fundamentals. Tree work has taught me the usefulness of some knots that I learned but never saw a use for.

 

[ruel]

I really like having splices on climbing gear, but I think its totally unnecessary for a rigging line. A bowline, running bowline or running bowline with a half hitch do anything you could need and are quick to tie

 

[Gauge]

I am going to ad 1 end splice to my next climbing line. And I am trying to get the boss to order the next set of Samson Stable Braid ropes with 1 end splice. Some groundies will not learn the right knots regardless of how many times they are shown. This will help keep the climber and the groundies who cant compute safe imo. I hole heartily agree everyone should know the basic and rigging knots by heart though.

 

[Sgriff]

Did your employer order spliced stable braid yet?just curious if you got to give it a go with the spliced eye