3 strand splice

[slawosz]

Hi,
I am trying to do 3 strand splice, but most of online resources are not that great. Is there an easy rule to follow? What I understand is after securing loop, what I really need to do, is to keep turning and tucking ropes under 'fresh' rope following '1 up, tuck under' rule, but if someone could explain it easily or give me good resource, I will be helpful.
I am doing this since I need to get mooring rope quite soon...

 

[Spuddy]

I agree about online stuff mostly. My recurring problem is where does the 3rd strand go.
I've got lots of heat shrink tube. I use 3 different colours on the ends of the strands which firstly prevents unravelling and secondly helps keep tabs on the sequence of tucks.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Start with the middle strand, then follow with the other two - one in front, one behind.

 

[Kukri]

The important thing is that all three strands must enter in line abreast with each other at the same point lengthways.

Tuck the top one, then the one to its right, then turn the splice upside down and tuck the third one.

 

[johnalison]

Practising splicing, and whipping, is what a sailors should be doing when they are not sailing, not posting their voyages on Facebook.

I normally fix the centre strand, then the one to the right, and finally the one to the left. The last requires a slight backwards move but once you've done it a couple of times it becomes easy. Sealing the ends somehow is of course essential, as noted. Much of the skill is in getting the loops snug and the whole splice nice and tight. It is necessary to give each strand a twist before tucking it through in order to keep its original twist and thus strength.

 

[dunedin]

https://youtu.be/8OCjM5EXlrs

 

[slawosz]

I normally fix the centre strand, then the one to the right, and finally the one to the left. The last requires a slight backwards move but once you've done it a couple of times it becomes easy. Sealing the ends somehow is of course essential, as noted. Much of the skill is in getting the loops snug and the whole splice nice and tight. It is necessary to give each strand a twist before tucking it through in order to keep its original twist and thus strength.

So after fixing initial first 3 strands, when I would keep rotating loop, it would look essentially the same?

 

[Oletimer]

So after fixing initial first 3 strands, when I would keep rotating loop, it would look essentially the same?

You're getting there, as you practice you will get a feel about how it looks and feels, when you have finished it should feel neat and even. It's hard to describe but remember: if it looks right, it usually is right - but not always.
Also: when you have tucked your strands thru, remember to give them a little tug back so that you keep the whole thing nice and taught, you don't want a loose splice.
Lastly: to finish your splice taper down the ends of the strands so they 'sit or lie' neatly. Good luck.

 

[Spyro]

Once you get the first 3 strands in the right place it's easy to just carry on. get one of them wrong and it just won't be right. For a nice tapered splice you can stagger where you finish each strand. i.e. one strand has 4 tucks one 5 and one 6 or however many you want.

 

[VicS]

So after fixing initial first 3 strands, when I would keep rotating loop, it would look essentially the same?

Yes Getting the first three tucks correct is the key.

"Animated Knots" by Grog is another excellent site for knot tying and splicing etc https://www.animatedknots.com/

 

[johnalison]

There are several fancy ways of finishing but for ordinary jobs like fender lines I just use the extra tucks as above and then burn the cut ends to make a hard disc that can't pull back through, shaped with a knife.

 

[Spyro]

Rolling it on the ground under your foot when finished is another good tip I learned for getting it to lay just right

 

[vyv_cox]

Rolling it on the ground under your foot when finished is another good tip I learned for getting it to lay just right

I remember the first time I ever did that as if it was yesterday. I was 12 years old, 63 years ago!

 

[Spyro]

I remember the first time I ever did that as if it was yesterday. I was 12 years old, 63 years ago!

No new tech is going to change that one.

 

[Hadenough]

Don’t know about that. I’ve just done four eye slices in 12 strand, actually easier to do than three strand

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Two things to remember when splicing three-strand line:
(1) Some (most) synthetic fibres - especially Nylon - are quite slippery and therefore require more 'tucks' than natural materials.
(2) Synthetics also tend to 'uncurl' quite rapidly after you unlay the strands and this leads to a mess. Try to prevent this as much as you can, hence the advice given earlier to give quarter-turn after you make the tuck so that the strand remains tight.

Practise as often as you can, using any odd ends that come your way, of any size. After a short while it becomes second nature.

 

[alan_d]

... when you have tucked your strands thru, remember to give them a little tug back so that you keep the whole thing nice and taught, you don't want a loose splice.

We know from another thread that slawoz is still learning English, so don't confuse him.
Slawoz - it should be " .. nice and taut." Taut means under tension, taught is the past participle of the verb to teach. Both pronounced the same way.

 

[PilotWolf]

Try and find some who can actually show you a couple of times - much easier than trying to watch a video.

I couldn't do it now without a reference but at 16 I was taught to splice wire rope by a guy at the local fisherman's club - cost me 2 bottles of Becks beer! I think in the mid 80's wire splicers were in demand and you could earn around £2 a splice.

W.

 

[fisherman]

Start with a 'crow's foot': the middle strand on top.

 

[bignick]

Try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r

I used to struggle getting hard eyes to stay in place, or end up with a twisted eye. Using this alternative method to start the splice gives much better consistency.