Alright so today on Repairs101 I thought I’d share with you something that is fast becoming a lost art form. And that is the braiding or splicing of three strand rope.
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Alright, have a look I think you’ll want to learn this. Laid rope, as opposed to braid rope, is made traditionally by twisting three or more strands of twisted fibre together.
You’ll find polypropylene rope like this one rather stiff. And it doesn’t hold a knot very well. So it’s a real benefit to learn how to braid it. And then it becomes quite versatile and can be used any number of different ways.
No matter which splice you use you will want to start off by prepping the ends with tape. And/or by melting the individual strands so that the ends aren’t going to fray apart while you’re braiding them. To splice a rope together separate the strands and interlock them with the strands of the other piece evenly. Hold one side while you feed the ends into the twists of the other side in an over. Under kind of fashion. Each end piece goes over and under a twist. If your strands tend to unwind as you’re braiding. Try and twist them up as best you can as you go.
Braid an end or a butt onto a piece of cut rope to keep it from unravelling. Start an end splice by tying a crown knot in the end. Tie a crown knot simply by weaving each strand over and then under the strands beside it.
It might seem a little confusing the first time you try it. So don’t be afraid to pull it out and start over again. I’ve known how to do this for about thirty years. And I still have to pull it out and start over again sometimes.
If your rope has a tracer running through one of the strands like this one does. It makes a really good starting reference point. Tuck the tracer strand under itself to start the braid. Work the next strand in rotation under the next strand. Which will be itself if you’re going in the right direction. And so on and so on working the ends around the line. Over and under with line running under itself once every three passes.
Does that make sense? It should all look very symmetrical when you’re done.
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