Wire splice/Ferrels

[j.sabourn]

Brian you must be accident prone. Good job they didnt have the breathalizer in those days, would probably have been the first thing you would have seen in someones hands. There were always people looking to clear themselves and the poor old drink got the blame many times, most ships were dry in the 50"s and early 60"s, and are once again that way, so they have to look elsewhere to lay the blame. Accidents do and always will happen, regardless of all the hoolabah about Health and Safety. Hope your run of bad luck is now over. Cheers John Sabourn

[Les Woodard]

Anyone seen how they do some of the modern eye splices it seems a crude version of the long splice. Halve the strands so there are three each side with the heart exosed. form a eye then relay the three strands into the opposing three strands to form a six stranded eye. Force the heart back into it (I think that is how. Never done one myself) then put a ferral on. No locking tucks of any kind. Appologies if I got that wrong but it seemed that way when someone showed me. Might as well do the yanky splice LOL.

[Charlie Hannah]

John the machine was called (The Brittlock)

[Charlie Hannah]

The Maritime Stores, (Scruttons) Hackins Hey. If memory serves me right Charlie.

Bill

I was in the Fourth Street Bankhall,store Bill.

[j.sabourn]

Peter when I left the North sea it was getting rare to see the old pelican hook, as the sharks jaws were being introduced and made the job that much easier and safer. The old method of standing on the stern roller and lassoing the rigs anchor buoys was also going out of fashion and were using chasers running down the rigs wire and chain. This I suppose prevented a lot of would be accidents happening on deck. I did quite a few anchor jobs out here but always had the sharks jaws. We had the pelican hooks but doubt anyone had used unless in an emergency. That part of the Industry the same as most changes with the times. Cheers John Sabourn

[Capt Bill Davies]

I was in the Fourth Street Bankhall,store Bill.

Well Charlie, you will certainly know your stuff.

Brgds

Bill

[Tony Geeves]

I forget which ship I was on, but me and the lampy were caulking the ceiling in the lower hold with oakum and pitch, ship rolled and the boiling pitch took out half the lads calf. He never got a penny but was offered a job for life. It may have been one of Vesties. This was mid sixties. Regards Tony Geeves.

[Peter Trodden]

Anyone seen how they do some of the modern eye splices it seems a crude version of the long splice. Halve the strands so there are three each side with the heart exosed. form a eye then relay the three strands into the opposing three strands to form a six stranded eye. Force the heart back into it (I think that is how. Never done one myself) then put a ferral on. No locking tucks of any kind. Appologies if I got that wrong but it seemed that way when someone showed me. Might as well do the yanky splice LOL.

Hi Les,
your describing a Flemish eye, the Yank's call it a Lazy Joe. It was used quite alot Offshore especially on Lay-Barges, if you wanted a quick eye in a wire you threw in a Flemish. No ferrel,if it was to take some weight add a few Bulldog grips in its place. Its murder trying to do a Bowline in wire. As I've said before,a Flemish eye with a ferrel is called a Super Loop.
ttfn.Peter.

[Ken Hitchcock]

Mid 1970, six foremen, including yours truly, were splicing wire in the gear loft of the Southland Stevedoring Company, Bluff, N.Z. Dean Hart, stripped to the waist, had a magnificent tattoo of a leaping tiger across his chest. While trying to bend and place one strand through the lay, it sprang from his greasy hands and whipped across the tatto. He was lucky, it was only a scratch but after first aid, it was said the tiger was on it's back!
Ken Hitchcock. R540166

[Capt Bill Davies]

Excellent posts ! Flemish eyes etc....Keep them coming.

I can smell marline and Stockholm Tar here in the depths of Shroppie.

Brgds

Bill