If your rope is made up of more than three strands, try to distribute excess rope evenly among your three strands. Eye splices are useful for making a stable loop in a line of rope. [2] X Research source This can be useful for towing, pulling, hanging, or pulleys.
Always exercise caution when working with fire. If your rope has soaked up a flammable substance, it could catch fire easily. When dealing with a natural fiber rope, tape may be your best bet for sealing loose ends. However, you should prioritize a smooth, durable tape, like electrical or duct tape. These not only hold up better to wear and tear, but will also make it easier to splice the rope. You might also be able to use a rope-safe glue to attach the end strands of a natural fiber rope together to prevent further fraying.
If your strands aren’t long enough, you may not have enough line to tuck each strand the five times necessary to tie this knot best. [3] X Research source
Keep in mind the purpose for which you intend to use the rope. A big eye may work well for some jobs, but may not be ideal for your purposes.
Divide the now loosened strands at the base of your rope into three strands. If you are using a three-strand rope, you won’t have to do anything, but you may have to gather excess strands together into three for 4+ strand ropes. Separate your three loosened strands at the base of your loop into near (closest to you), middle (in between the two other strands), and far (the farthest strand from you) strands. Feed any one of your end strands above the near and far strands but below the middle strand at the base of your loop. This will pass your end strand through the loosened strands of the main body of the rope.
You’ll want both your end strands and the loosened strands at the base of your loop to be firm and tight at this point in your splice.
Separate your newly loosened strands into near, middle, and far strands, much like you did before at the base of your loop. Take the end strand that fed under your original far strand and bring it over your new far strand and under your new middle and near strands. Take the end strand that fed under your original near strand and bring it under your new near strand and over the middle and far strands. Take the remaining end strand and bring it under and through your new middle strand. [7] X Research source
Your weaving will follow the pattern described, with each end strand tucking around and through the near, middle, and far strands of the rope after loosening.
If your rope is made of many strands, you should try to collect these into three even groups of strands to use in your splicing. A back end splice is especially useful for preventing a rope that has become unraveled from fraying. This splice will securely keep the rope together. You can use this same splice to fasten two different ropes together, too. Simply use the end of a separate rope instead of using one end of the same rope, which is the example provided here. [9] X Research source
You should use caution when applying fire or heat to your rope. If your rope has absorbed a flammable substance, it could start a fire.
Unraveling your rope can also hurt the stability of its weave. By taping the ends, you’ll also provide greater stability to your splice.
The tape at the base of your end strands should encircle the rope completely to create a sleeve or collar that prevents your rope from unraveling more than you want.
Your second strand should not be pulled completely through the loop. Enough line should remain so that a loop is formed by your second strand as well as your first.
At this point, if you were to look straight down on the knot, you should see all three end strands equally.
After you loosen the strands, divide them into one near (closest to you), one middle (in between the other two strands), and one far (farthest from you) strand. This will make weaving your splice easier.
All end strands should be pulled firmly after passing through the loosened strands until no slack remains. Depending on the length of your end strands, you may have to continue this pattern for several twists in the rope until the full length of your end strands is spliced.
