My splicing attempts

[DrewB]

told ya bro:)

[browncow]

Yeah its funny, the first 4 or 5 splices on 16strand I did, I threw away after cutting them up to have a look, then as I got better I started using the splices and trusting them. With the blaze it all went so smooth I am happy as larry to climb on them all day long. Loads of fun making rope tools - I'm hooked. Cheers for ya advice Drew on those first few I did.

[CraigD]

Nice work browncow.. looks good! maybe try make whipping closer to the eye:001_tt2: I have done the same with my lanyard, some pix are on bottom of page 48 couple back. Blaze is nice to splice! keep it up

[browncow]

Cheers, I was going to whip it closer but am down to my last needle:biggrin: and really didn't want to snap it. I guess there wouldn't be any issue with putting another whipping closer to the eye as well as the existing whipping?

[DrewB]

hey bro, my whipping on blaze is normally about that far down as ive snapped a cple of needles too-amazing how hard the throught of blaze gets for such a soft rope.

[Liam88]

Just wandering how it is possible to break the whipping needles? They're pretty tough old things - still on my first set I bought from my local chandlers and haven't broken any.

 

The ones I use for double braid are pretty small to allow whipping closer to the eye which is very important for preventing slippage at low loads (think about the structure of the splice and where the buries start/finish). They also have a flat point so that when you poke it through with your palm you can grab the end with some plyers (spelling?) and pull it through. Makes life a lot easier. Thinner whipping twine also makes it easier, just double it up to give it some strength.

 

Here are some picks of the needle I used for a double braid splice on a roblon friction hitch cord I'm trying out. The cover on this rope is pretty solid too but the needle held out fine.

[browncow]

The needles I have snapped were on old 16 strand rope that was hard as nails. Maybe I am rough or seeing as I live in Asia maybe they are crap china-made needles:biggrin:

 

I have one of those flat needles like the one in your picture but haven't used it as I was afraid it was a bit too 'chisel-like' and may damage internal strands. Yes I am paranoid:001_cool:

 

Is 'low-load slippage' more a problem with say 16strand constructions and class 2 double braid (straight bury) rather than class 1 double braid. I cant imagine the splices I have done on my blaze going anywhere under low loads?

[CraigD]

Yeah ive snapped a few needles but that was cause i tried going really close up by the eye on some blaze i spliced.. as i was pushing needle through it bent, I dont go as close any more but still try and get as close as possible.

 

Im not to sure about low loads e.g splices pulling out as I haven't had any splices pull out. But as far as I'm aware the purpose of whipping/ lock stitching is to stop the splice moving under low loads. Under high loads, if anything wouldn't the splice get tighter...

 

keep up the good work guys!

[Liam88]

Im not to sure about low loads e.g splices pulling out as I haven't had any splices pull out. But as far as I'm aware the purpose of whipping/ lock stitching is to stop the splice moving under low loads. Under high loads, if anything wouldn't the splice get tighter...

 

Yea that's right. A splice may pull out on low loads if the load is dynamic (on/off/on/off etc.) When the load (big or small) is consistency applied the splice doesn't move (as much) and gets 'tighter.'

 

When you think about this dynamic load action and transfer it to climbing, then you could say that splices on your friction hitch experience this on/off low loading. So you pull down on the mainline - load off, pull in the slack and sit back - load on etc etc..

 

Therefore whipping + stitching is crucial. A straight bury is affected the most by this slipping. But I'd say whipping is equally as important on all splices because of the variable uses of splices in arb in terms of the types of load they experience.

 

Browncow - you could probably get away with whipping that far down on a double braid as long as you have stitched the cross over before you milked the splice in place as well. This stiching stops the burried core and cover slipping (which often happens when you milk the splice in place). See Brian Tosses method.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Liam88
Missed out information

[Liam88]

Also just had a quick look at your photos browncow. If you look at the cover strands they look quite bunched up near the eye. This needs to be milked out before you do the final whipping - for two reasons:

1. When you apply load to the splice that slack has got to go somewhere. It may go towards your eye and seize the eye tight like a slip knot. Or it may go down the rope creating some nasty stresses. Remember, these eyes have to be 22kn or stronger.

2. The bunching up will also make it harder to whip closer to the eye. This could contributing to the breaking of the whipping needles.

 

Keep it up though mate. This is good stuff!