I am trying to make a strop [continious loop] out of D12. At the moment I am doing a double bury and stitching it to stop creep.

is there any way to do a brummel type splice to lock the loop?

Not that I know of. You can take a look at Liros endless splice instructions for inspiration if you want to add more drag to the splice, but it is still not a locking splice like a brumel.

I can put a locking brummel in a double loop, but I haven't been able to make one in a single loop.

Regards,
Eric

What do you call a double loop? Pics?

Here is a double loop. The first picture shows the two loops laid out flat in a figure-8 pattern. You can see the pattern of the line passing through itself. The second picture is with the loops pulled taut and the brummel locked. The third shows the completed double loop with the ends buried. I was lazy and didn't taper the buried ends (which I would have done for a loop intended for use).

I hope that helps,
Eric

I should go on to say I've found two ways to form a single loop, but neither is really good.

You can make a double loop as shown previously and pull one loop out through the center brummel. This yields a single loop, but there's a big twist in it. It's where the line is doubled, but my guess is that's still the breaking point.

You can also make a big locked brummel eye and then fold each tail back onto the loop for burial. That works well enough for flat braid, but is a bit bulky for hollow braid. It is also weaker than a straight bury because the tails have a sharp bend in them.

So far, my best (slimmest and strongest) solution is to take a couple of non-locking brummels, and then taper, bury, and stitch the ends (basically what liros shows in Pepin's link above).

Regards,
Eric

Thanks That pretty much what I am doing. I can't help thinking that there is clever 'turn it inside out' way to lock it off.

Yeah, because of you I spend an hour with a piece of dyneema trying to find a way to turn stuff inside out to make it I'm pretty sure someone with more mathematical knowledge than me can prove it is not possible...

That's pretty much the point I'm at too (except someone would need a LOT more math than me). I've fiddled with the problem for a while, and everything I try ends up either: (1) not locking, (2) as an eye splice, (3) as a double loop, or (4) unsatisfactory in some other way (bulk and/or strength).

Regards,
Eric

You've started me at it again!
I like that double one, it's strong. I guess that you could just use half the strength d12 on it

You doing Weston this weekend? It's the Nacra Nationals, you could clean up on the 5.2

Considering that my 5.2 is half in my front yard, half in my back yard, with the mast on the side of the house and the rest of the parts on the rafters in my garage, I don't think so

I've never been to Weston, maybe I should convince the wife I can go away and pack the Stealth... Mmm...

How do u create that double loop, can't seem to do it lol, is it really obvious?

Just out of curiosity, what are you using the loop for?

its a double brummel... so you have to turn it inside out (i think)

Look at the first pic. Make a hole at your tail length, pass the non tail through. Make a hole at the same tail length on the other side, pass the other loop through until the tail is on the new side. Bury the tails, done. There is nothing to turn inside out, it's really straightforward.

I did it slightly differently. Start with a length of line long enough for the two loops (plus a little bit) and the two tails. Pass one end through at the base of the other end's tail. Pull it all the way through so that the hole inverts. Now pass the other end through the first end at the base of the tail. Pull it far enough that the inverted spot goes through. Now un-invert that spot. You wind up with the figure-8 as shown in my first picture.

Topologically speaking, this is the same as passing a loop through, except that you get by with a smaller hole that doesn't distort the line as much.

I hope that helps,
Eric

I am sailing an i20 this weekend and i am pretty sure that the mainsheet is too short. I need to be able to make up a strop to put between top block and boom.

Ok, a few possibilities come to mind. You could make a pigtail with an eye in each end. If that would be too long, you could use the double-loop in it's figure-8 form. Or, consider the loop below. I made it by creating an eye and then burying each tail back into the loop (instead of one into the other). You don't need this splice to run through a block, so its bulk isn't a problem. 3mm Samson Amsteel Blue (Dyneema SK-75) has a minimum breaking strength of 1000kg. Even doubled back on itself (let's guess 75% strength) and taking a 50% safety margin, it should be up to the task. If you're worried, go with 5mm, which is more than twice as strong.

Regards,
Eric

Paul - do you need to be that tidy, couldn't you just use a strop attached on with a bowline aka Spitfire / Shadow?

Pepin - Weston usually a good call PLUS you get to see the relaunch of one MR TEAMVMG, last seen fixing an Infusion trapeze adjuster at Pevensey in 2007.......

YES I could also go and buy a longer mainsheet

BUT I DON'T WANNA!

Now go away and take the piss somewhere else