Ok, so here are a few questions, # 1 how long is a fid length. If you watch a splicing video all measurements are done by fid length. I have a homemade fid, so I do not really know what length my measurements should be.# 2 Is Poison Ivy done with a class 1 splice? What makes it a class 1 splice? Is there a difference between the splice done for say a 12, and 24 strand rope? If these are silly questions I am sorry, I am just new to this.
Thanks
Jeff
1 Fid = 21 or 22 rope diameters. I like to use the 21 diameter measurement because a short fid is a third of a fid, so a short fid is 7 rope diameters and a long fid is 14 rope diameters. If you look at the wikipedia for FID, you can see a chart I nerdily put up there a few years ago so that you can get the measurements without actually using a fid.
Yes, the splice for 12 and 24 strand ropes are very different. Technically speaking, you should be using the Industrial Double Braid directions from Yale, because you are splicing a Yale double braid. However, I'm sure that every splicer would agree that the differences between Yale, Samson, NER and Brion Toss are so subtle that you should just use the one that makes most sense for you. For most people, Brion Toss's directions or the Samson directions are the easiest to follow.
My PI splice took me a good hour and a heck of a lot of pulling to get the final bury. I had to resort to tapping it with a soft malet, massaging the throat, and picking at it with a fid (meyerchin marlin spike) to loosen it up.
You say "resort to" like it's a bad thing! You did what you're supposed to do! Well, except for that "picking at it with a fid thing. You did RESORT to that part!
But massaging the throat by flexing it sharply in all directions and even whaling on it with a soft mallet are both good techniques that can make the difference between finishing and not finishing a splice.
Jeff, regarding the size of the eye, I like to measure my eyes in strand-length. Meaning, how many strands are there between these two pink arrows in your splice"
If you can get a higher res pic, I could be more specific, but I find that getting in close and counting the exact number of strands is the only way to reliably repeat eye size. I know that a Poison Ivy tight eye, for me, should be 24 strands long. I have a chart for every rope. I could just share it, but you might do the splice a little different and the numbers would be off. Each person really needs to make their own notes.
Also, do what fids do yall use? I have looked at a bunch, not sure which ones are best, and for those of you that have done PI what size? 11.7mm is somewhere between 7/16 and 1/2, do I go up or down in size?
Leon is right. Stick with a wire fid. Don't spend money on fids right now.
Adam, thanks for the Amazon link! I never thought to look online to buy piano wire!
Jeff, another piece of advice that comes to mind right now is to not be afraid to chop the splice off and start over. You're starting on a hard rope, and it looks used, so you've got a fight ahead of you. New splicers tend to not do the first parts of the splice very smoothly, so that makes running the splice home very tough. I consider myself to be a champ at running splices home. But I've been in splicing classes where a student has told me they just couldn't get the splice finished. I cockily tell them to step aside and watch how a master does it...only to find myself struggling as much as they were. It's not because I'm a pro at running the splices home....I think I've been doing the setup part more smoothly so it makes it SEEM like I'm good at running it home.
Another tip (my wife figured this one out): Anchor the knot overhead and put a harness on and clip in to the half done eye and you can get a lot more pulling power by jumping into the splice. This needs to be done with caution. You need to flex and massage the splice more, but when you are down to that last 1/2", bouncing on it is a good way get a little more oomph.
Another tip: I once spliced a used rope- I think it was 11mm Velocity at the Rendezvous in Mississippi. The rope belonged to Carl (lumberjack). It was used. It did not want to bury. We tag teamed that mofo. Anyone that has met Carl knows that he is not what you would call "dainty." We put a fid through the eye, had him pull on it while I grabbed the throat and pushed it and with that combo, we were able to easily accomplish what I thought was going to be extremely difficult. So yeah- use help. In fact, my wife has helped before and she IS dainty (maybe weighing HALF what Carl weighs!)
OK- I think that's it for now. Keep trying and bringing us more questions. I love seeing that everyone is chiming in and helping out!
love
nick
But I may be able to find a sailing shop around one of the lake here. I see where a wire fid can be easy to use, just not my wire fid. It sucks!! I have to go back to the drawing board with that for sure. I will try to find a shop here a bouts , thanks. Adam, I never thought of making a wooden one, but that seems simple enough. Thanks!
