Multi-purpose Splicing Tool

[TeeDee]

I got a 1/8"x3' Ti rod at a price I couldn't afford to turn down. My problem then became what to use it for.

Ideas slowly came and went until last week as I was slowly pulling stitches to rip a seam. Then the first idea germinated: a stitch picker.

I cut a 6" length of the rod and ground and polished a blunt point on one end. Work the point under a stitch and pull the stitch and hence a whole line of stitches. Works great. Speeds ripping a seam a whole lot. And I don't risk poking through the fabric as happens all to often with pointed scissors.

The another idea germinated today: The stitch picker could also be used for picking apart tight knots in 1/8" dyneema rope. Tried it on a few knots and it works great for that also.

As I was undoing the knots, it also occurred to me that with a slight modification, the stitch picker would make a great splicing tool also.

The modification is simple: On the other end, I ground two flats and drilled a 1/16" hole. Then I pulled a length of dyneema strand from some 1.75 mm Lash-It, threaded through the hole and tied into a loop with a Zeppelin Bend. 2 mm Zing-It or the new 2 mm Dynaglide would work also for the dyneema loop.

For splicing, simply insert the rod into the rope and then insert the rope tapered end through the dyneema strand loop and fold over. Push/Pull the rod through the rope, pulling the dyneema loop and rope tapered end with it.

I can make the dyneema loop a comfortable size so that inserting the rope tapered end into the loop is very simple and easy.

So I've now got a splicing tool that works for undoing knots and ripping a stitched seam and field splicing.

Here's the tool:

completed:


end with dyneema loop:


Inserted into Amsteel Blue for a terminal splice:


Tapered end through dyneema loop:


rod pulled through, dyneema loop still inside Amsteel blue (the gray cord at the top is a loop of 1.75 mm Lash-It that I put in all loops so that I can undo the splice if needed):


The size of the rod works well for all three applications. If the rod was any smaller it wouldn't work on knots since it would bend too easily and would be hard to hold and use for seam ripping. Any bigger and it would not work as a splicing tool on 1/8" rope.

The smallest rope that can spliced with it though is 1/8". For smaller rope or guy line a blunt needle works better.

I used the Ti rod, but polished stainless steel would work well also.

[opie]

Well done TeeDee.

Anytime I go out Im on the lookout for something to make splicing easier.

Believe it or not, right now the doubled over length of wire is still working. I just picked up some 20 gauge to make it easier to split the strands of the dynaglide.

Ive got some Zing It and a magnifying glass on the way to try and splice that.

[TeeDee]

Well done TeeDee.

Anytime I go out Im on the lookout for something to make splicing easier.

Believe it or not, right now the doubled over length of wire is still working. I just picked up some 20 gauge to make it easier to split the strands of the dynaglide.

Ive got some Zing It and a magnifying glass on the way to try and splice that.

Yes the wire works very well, but the price on the rod was so low that I had to make some use of it.

I've been borrowing my wife's stitch picker for a long time, but her's is ivory (she got it from her seamstress teacher who got it from hers who got .... ) and she has always been afraid I would lose it - she doesn't have to worry anymore.

The 1/8" rod is the best I have found yet for working out those tight knots in 1/8" dyneema.