Going to the link and reading it, I find:

"This is our densest dvd, packed with almost 3 hours of clear, easy-to-remember instructions for splicing every commonly used rope. Splices covered include:
Double Braid Eye Splice
Sta-set X Eye Splice
3-Strand Eye Splice
Regatta Braid Eye Splice
Double Braid End to End Splice
Spectra Eye Splice
Naked Spectra Eye Splice
3-Strand to Chain Splice
Arborist Rope Eye Splice
Featuring Brion Toss' Splicing Wand and the Point Hudson Phid. 140 min."

Given that tapering is an important part of completing a splice... yes, tapering is included.

Dave,

Tami's right: you do want the Brummel splace:
http://www.neropes.com/SPL_12Strand_EyeSpliceBrummel.aspx
. The instructions are as clear as one could hope. Note that the resulting eye is secure even without the buried tail, but you should still bury and stitch for full strength.

You really don't need a splicing wand for easy single-braids like vectran, though I do covet the small Brion Toss splicing wand. The wands were available through West Marine for a while, or on his website. I never got one because of the price, and I already had a complete set of Samson fids and a pusher, but I'd recommend the wand over conventional fids any day.

Tami's also right that the Brion Toss splicing video is awesome. I don't recall it covering the single-braid splicing (at least not the version I saw) but it is awesome, covers double-braid splicing, creating a continuous loop, splicing laid rope, arborists (super tight braid) rope. The man is a splicing machine!

--Glenn

Thanks guys and gals, you probably saved me from a disaster or two. I also appreciate the encouragement, I'm pleased to be developing a skill that will stay with me for the duration of this obsession. Stay tuned, I'm sure more questions will surface.

dave

dave

Video of 12 strand eye-splice

double braid eye splice

12 strand rope splice