First post, first double braid splice, lock stitch question

M

Mr Kris

Location
DE
Hi all!

First time posting here, though have been reading a few months.

After 3 unsuccessful attempts, I finished my first splice in a piece of Yale Blaze. I found I like the current New England instructions where the extracted core is buried first.
FirstBlazeSpliceKris.webp

I haven't lock stitched yet- I have the assortment of W Smith& Son sailmakers needles from 13-19, though I already broke the smallest one doing something else. What needle size does everyone use? Also, are you careful to make sure the needle comes out between braids when pushing through, or is that not super important?
 
Mr Kris said:
Hi all!

First time posting here, though have been reading a few months.

After 3 unsuccessful attempts, I finished my first splice in a piece of Yale Blaze. I found I like the current New England instructions where the extracted core is buried first.
View attachment 32686

I haven't lock stitched yet- I have the assortment of W Smith& Son sailmakers needles from 13-19, though I already broke the smallest one doing something else. What needle size does everyone use? Also, are you careful to make sure the needle comes out between braids when pushing through, or is that not super important?
Click to expand...
I don't think it's super important, welcome to the buzz.
 
Nice looking splice. It'll probably be best to use a sailmaker's palm to get those stitches through. It's gonna be tight. Or you can put the splice in a vice and carefully hammer the needle through.
 
Welcome! How long have u been splicing?what do you do for work?

I do try to split strands but, when it's tite fit kinda just take what i can get..
 
Thanks for the advice all!

I'm purely a rec climber. This is my first double braid splice- I've done many splices in HRC and Tenex which were far easier to accomplish haha. Also a few splices in non-life-support kernmantle ropes for accessories.
 
Mr Kris said:
Hi all!

First time posting here, though have been reading a few months.

After 3 unsuccessful attempts, I finished my first splice in a piece of Yale Blaze. I found I like the current New England instructions where the extracted core is buried first.
View attachment 32686

I haven't lock stitched yet- I have the assortment of W Smith& Son sailmakers needles from 13-19, though I already broke the smallest one doing something else. What needle size does everyone use? Also, are you careful to make sure the needle comes out between braids when pushing through, or is that not super important?
Click to expand...

Great first post! That splice looks absolutely gorgeous! I have no knowledge of rope splicing yet, so I can't add to the conversation other than to welcome you to the Buzz, also, and to say I look forward to seeing more of your work.
The fact that you keep hanging in there after three failed attempts is a real testament to your tenacity; way to be.

It seems like rope splicing would take a really large amount of patience, but that as you get better at it it might feel really rewarding. Hopefully after lots of practice it would all come together more quickly, too.

Getting past the frustrating early stages of development as a rope splicer would seem like the hardest part of the whole deal to me.

I would be interested in knowing whether or not you find the process enjoyable, or if it just always feels like really hard work, but rewarding because of the results that you get from it.

Tim
 
What erks me is the fact that all the strands inside aren't getting split ,how important is it to split the cover strands,so with that in mind,think of how quality is your work? I want mine to be top notch personally,so i do split the cover strands as best i can,cause all your work is inside and out of sight; what's visible should be grade A,its kinda easy to back it out 1/2 way and reshoot the needle,sometimes it takes me up to 5 tries for one exit. I also make stuff I don't take in the field so for that i may skimp. I have some items spliced from purchase and they are not up to par imo (as far as stitches go)
 
Tim, I can certainly say that in general I find it enjoyable to do pretty much anything for myself, splicing included, even though I'm fairly new at it haha... I think the next ones I do will be much easier.

I kept getting screwed up at the same spot the first few times when tucking the core back into the cover. I was trying to do it with a standard fid, and it was always REALLY tight. So in trying push the fid through using sheer force, I'd end up pulling the cover back out of the core on the other side of things and my taper would come undone and I'd have to start over.

On the splice pictured above, I ended up making a wire fid out of a coat hanger to pull through instead of push- and that made it WAY easier. Wire fids for that part from now on!

Sgriff, that sounds like the way I approach things too haha- I found the Brion Toss instructions for the "invisible lockstitch" so I'm going to give that a go on the next one.
 
@Tim,i just love finding new tools i can use and enjoy figuring out how to achieve what i need spliced,then once you nail it!! Yeah that's a great feeling,but when you use what you made,man thats just soo bitchin.im always saying to people who can care less bout it,"man i tell ya,it's just soo satisfying using my splices in the field!i don't understand i just love it!" I'm some kind of nerd I suppose
 
Sgriff said:
@Tim,i just love finding new tools i can use and enjoy figuring out how to achieve what i need spliced,then once you nail it!! Yeah that's a great feeling,but when you use what you made,man thats just soo bitchin.im always saying to people who can care less bout it,"man i tell ya,it's just soo satisfying using my splices in the field!i don't understand i just love it!" I'm some kind of nerd I suppose
Click to expand...

Thanks, both Sgriff and Mr. Kris for sharing your mindset with me. It helps to understand a person's motivation; the source of the passion. Thank you both, again.

Tim
 
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