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Crown knot and back splice


JoshS

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Hi all! 

 

So I spent a bit of time this weekend learning how to back splice ropes and doing all four of Tallymae's new ropes in the process. I actually feel like it went pretty well, but one thing I was unsure about was whether to remove the whipping I used to secure the strands before tying the crown knot. I kept the whipping on two and removed it on two, but one of the two I removed it on ended up very loose and I had to unravel it and start again. I'm not sure if it was just bad technique or whether you should just leave the whipping anyway? 

 

Also I'd love to hear all your opinions about why I should or shouldn't have back spliced my ropes in the first place! ? Let's go! 

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I am no expert but If I understand you right you have whipped the loose ends of the rope prior to the back splice?

Personally I don't bother, I use a bit of electrical tape to keep it tidy whilst doing the splice, which is removed on the final tidy up

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Personally I haven't had back splices on any of my ropes for 20 years, I use adhesive heat shrink instead.

The reason I do this is that a back splice can get caught in a cleat and some of my boats have had cleats.

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Bought some new centre lines from Tradline Braunston a couple of weeks ago, came with a spliced loop on one end but plain at the other.

I always put a back splice on my centre lines but never the fore and aft lines as I don't want them to jam anywhere.

 

Instead of whipping I use small cable ties to stop the rope unravelling from the crown, which are then cut off when the splice is complete to my satisfaction.

One tip is to keep twisting the 3 strands in a clockwise direction as you weave them in and out of the main length of rope.

As the splice is progressing I roll it beneath my foot.

The ends are then heat sealed. flat.

 

IMGP4907.JPG.26d84b1a29275d0ec3052b6aea4d6640.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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Either leave the whippings on the strands,  or halve each strand then dog them with the adjacent strands or give the ends of the strands a good heat sealing.

 

Dogging them is strongest, heat sealing neatest and whipping is simplest, but you have to look after the whipping.

 

N

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48 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

I am no expert but If I understand you right you have whipped the loose ends of the rope prior to the back splice?

Personally I don't bother, I use a bit of electrical tape to keep it tidy whilst doing the splice, which is removed on the final tidy up

Nah I mean that I whipped the main rope before I tied the crown knot. The individual strands just got a healthy dose of butane torch because its that fake hemp rope from Tradline (which actually feels pretty nice in my uneducated opinion). 

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7 minutes ago, JoshS said:

Nah I mean that I whipped the main rope before I tied the crown knot. The individual strands just got a healthy dose of butane torch because its that fake hemp rope from Tradline (which actually feels pretty nice in my uneducated opinion). 

Nahh, don't bother with that either, bit of tape until I've set the crown knot if I find it necessary.

 

I agree about the fake hemp rope, it's nice to handle and work with

Edited by tree monkey
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According to the ABOK the main rope and the individual strands are best temporarily secured with a constrictor knot which is more compact and quicker to tie than a whipping.  Also, when making the tucks of the splice the second and third tucks should be made with the strands untwisted so that they lie flat.  On the other hand, Ashley did not have access to Duct Tape, heat-shrink wrapping or plastic cable ties. 

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There are two schools of thought about back splices - on the one hand they are great and they should be used to finish every rope end, and on the other they are a pain and more trouble than they are worth, with the potential for jamming at the wrong time. I belong to the second school and much prefer a good quality whipping.

 

However, each to his(her) own  but it is interesting that many people see the back splice as the one to try first. May I put in a case for forgetting about the backsplice and instead learn to make an eye splice and a common whipping-  just as easy and  far more useful.  Even splicing a braided rope is not difficult, although it does take a little longer,  and it would also then enable you to make your own rope shackles. Who knows, it may lead to a whole new interest in knots and knotting.

 

Howard

 

 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, howardang said:

Even splicing a braided rope is not difficult,

 

I must admit to struggling with braided splicing - even using the correct hollow fids to carry the core.

I have done it but they are not 'things of beauty', with 'stiffening fingers and knuckle joints' I now find it easier to 'buy in' what lengths I need with splicing ready done.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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For what it's worth, I back splice the centre ropes putting tape on the ends until the splice is completed which is then removed and heatshrink fitted. The front and rear lines just have heatshrink.

 

I use red heatshrink so as to find the end easily.

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2 hours ago, howardang said:

I ....much prefer a good quality whipping

Another vote for whipping (help, Matron).

Common whipping is fairly easy to do and looks a lot better than the easier West Country whipping, but the best of them all is a sailmakers whipping. Slightly more complicated, but they never come undone.  Designed for 3 and 4 strand laid rope but  can be made on braided rope if you have a sailmakers needle and palm.

N

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Interesting that the book "Modern Rope Seamanship" by Colin Jarman and Bill Beavis, 2nd Edn. 1980, ISBN 0-229-1177-5, describes and illustrates several different ways of whipping natural fibre and synthetic ropes, but makes no mention of back splicing!  Back splices are probably not much use on yachts, or other applications where ropes needs to be threaded through the sheaves of pulley blocks, but appropriate for mooring and tow ropes where the ends will be subject to regular handling. A back splice wil not unravel accidentally. 

Edited by Ronaldo47
Typo, clarification
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