| On
whalers as other sailing ships, ropework was an ever present and
important part of shipboard life particularly during quieter
periods. Here a sailor is splicing a rope onto an iron whaling
harpoon. The pointed implement in his hand is a tool that opens up
the twisted rope allowing the interweaving of the unwound end of
another piece of rope.
A splice so formed is stronger than a knot, but
much more time consuming a join to make in rope. |
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