Braid on braid is perhaps the most widely used rope construction and although this eye splice appears complicated, it can retain around 85 per cent of the rope’s strength. A purpose-made tubular fid is essential.
First make a tight overhand or figure of eight loop knot 3m from the rope’s end to bind core and sheath together. Next make mark A one fid length back from the rope’s end (using a felt tip marker), form the required size of eye and mark B across the throat from A.
Use the tip of the fid to open the sheath at B and mark the exposed core C.
Now pull the core out so that it is free of the sheath, pull the sheath further back and make mark D one fid length on from C; make mark E two thirds of a fid from D.
Push the end of the sheath into the hollow fid, making sure it catches on the built-in hook, insert the fid at D, push it gently through the centre of the core and pull it out at E. Unhook the fid and pull the sheath back into the core so its end is just hidden.
Fix the end of the core into the fid, insert it into the sheath at mark A and pull it out just past B.
Run your hands up the rope from the knot, milking the sheath towards the eye and also round the eye from B towards A, so that core and sheath settle into each other.
With everything settled into place, pull a short length of the core out again and cut the free part off, then milk round the splice to hide the shortened end. Hook the eye over a strong point and give the whole splice a hard tug to settle it down.
