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Rope splicing tools

Many of the tools used in tree work are the result of a skilled splicer. From climbing lines to rigging slings, there are many benefits to having a splices on your rope products. A spliced eye on your climbing line is more compact than a knot, and a good splice will retain at least 90% of the rope strength, while a knot can result in 60% loss of strength. Whether your goal is repairing your winch line in the field, installing synthetic cabling, or you desire to create all of your own rope tools, it can be confusing to determine which splicing tools you need. We will be looking at the different splicing tools available, their benefits, as well as looking at what is really needed to get the job done.

We will be looking at techniques for certain types of ropes in coming weeks,
but today will be just an overview of tools needed to get the job done.

Wire Fid

One of the most versatile tools in the splicing toolbox is the wire fid. For some rope the wire fid is merely functional, such as larger diameter double braid rope or 12 strand hollow core. Other ropes are nearly impossible without the wire fid, such as 8mm hitch cord, small diameter double braid climbing lines, or the crossover on 16 strand ropes.

Wire fids are simple tools, and can be manufactured easily from welding wire, coat hangers, or piano wire. Wire fids are also an inexpensive tool to purchase if you are just getting introduced to splicing.

Tubular Fids

Measurements for rope splicing occur in fid lengths, which is 21 times the diameter of the rope. Tubular fids can be very useful when splicing hollow core rope or double braid rigging rope. The tapered nose of the fid allows the rope to be pushed through without snagging fibers. It is crucial to properly size the fid with the diameter of rope being spliced.

A fid pusher may be helpful when splicing double braid rope to get the fid out without losing the tapered end of
the rope. A fid pusher is also generally sized with the rope being spliced.

 

Fids and fid pushers are typically specified as being required tools by manufacturers to splice their cordage. Many ropes can be spliced by using tubular fids and pushers. 12 strand and double braid rigging ropes are easily spliced by using fids and pushers.

Swedish Fids

Swedish fids are very useful for splicing 3 strand rope such as New England Multiline or Samson Promaster. Our splicers use Swedish fids for Brummel and locking Brummel splices on 12 strand hollow core rope necessary for whoopie slings and eyes on dead eye rigging slings. Using Swedish fids eliminates the need for removing and re-taping the tubular fid to opposing ends of the rope, overall making the splicing process smoother. The Swedish fid is useful for any rope being spliced with a tuck splice or brummel.

Toss Splicing Wand

The Toss splicing wand is a useful tool frequently used by professional splicers. The wand has a smooth nose that allows you to easily pass through the cover without snagging inside fibers. The snare makes it easy to pull the core through the cover, or the tapered cover through itself when splicing 16 strand rope. The 42” long arborist wand is especially useful when splicing 16 strand climbing lines.

Scratch Awl or Marlin Spike

 The scratch awl and/or Marlin spike are very useful tools for splicing. These tools are great for pulling the tight fibers on small diameter double braid ropes, and for extracting the core on climbing and rigging lines. The marlin spike has a tapered nose, which makes it easier to avoid snagging fibers unintentionally. It also works well for separating the jacket on double braid ropes.

Scissors

A good sharp cutting tool can make the difference between splicing being frustrating task or an enjoyable past time. While just a knife or scissors will work for class 1 fibers, such as nylon and polyester, class 2 fibers like dyneema and spectra will quickly dull a standard cutting tool. For these tough ropes a specialized scissors like the Clauss Kevlar Scissors. While a simple tool, a good pair of scissors is indispensable.     

A properly finished splice requires a lockstitch or to be whip locked.
The following items help with the stitching process.

Splicing Needles

Splicing needles are an essential tool for finishing a splice. Larger needles may be used as marlin spikes, and the smaller needles are necessary for stitching the tight throat of climbing lines.

Whipping Twine

Whipping twine is needed for properly finishing a splice. There are different size whipping twines depending on the rope. Yale Cordage has twine for ropes up to ½”, then from 9/16” up to 13/16” rope, and for 7/8” and larger. For tightly spliced ropes such as 24 strand climbing lines the whip lock serves as an indicator. When the whip lock breaks the splice needs to be retired. Hollow braid ropes, such as Yale’s Optimus, can be spliced with a long bury. The whip lock or lockstitch keeps the splice from coming apart when the sling isn’t under tension.

Heat Shrink Tubing

Heat shrink tubing is a great way to protect the whip lock or lockstitch, as well as the label if you label and date your splice. Dating the splice is helpful to determine when to retire ropes. Ropes should be replaced yearly, and an in-service date on the rope is a concrete way to track rope age.

Heat shrink tubing is available in a variety of colors, and clear is the most common, especially if used to protect a label. A colored tubing may be desired to cover three strand rope or the tail of a rigging line.                                  

Sailmakers Palm

Sailmaker’s palms are very convenient tools for pushing the splicing needle through the tough throat of the splice. The sailmakers palm has a hard surface with indentations for seating the needle to keep it from slipping. While splices can be completed without a sailmakers palm by pushing on a table or hard surface, it is much easier to bring the needle through at the desired spot in the rope when using the palm.

If you will be doing a lot of splicing, or will be splicing a variety of rope diameters, a complete splicing kit, such as the Yale Cordage Splicer kit may be beneficial. This kit includes many of the tools that we discussed here, in a nice case with fid measurements listed on it. This kit is not all inclusive, but with a few minor additions such as a wire fid, Clauss scissors and some heat shrink tubing, you will be able to effectively and efficiently splice a wide array of cordage.

 Next Time: Splicing Techniques.