G L O V E S!
Here's a pair of gloves I bought last month at "Home Despot" for less
than $10.00 USD. The manufacturer, "FG", keeps changing the design
of these all-purpose gloves, but this is not at all a bad incarnation.
The palms are done in a soft leather and the fabric portion is breathable.
You will be doing some heavy pulling and will tend to wear out the
border between the fabric and the leather on the outside of your
little fingers, so I take some "Celotex" or "Transpore" by 3M, which is
a plastic medical tape, and tape wherever I see a wear point developing.
Its not expensive, it doesn't really interfere with your flexibility and a
$3.00 roll of tape from which you'll get thirtyuses is a WHOLE lot cheaper
than several pair of new gloves!
Of course, if you're one of Robert Service's loggers "what stirs his
coffee with his thumb", you'll probably sneer at such "milque-toastian"
Precautions, but lissen up, kids.
I been doing this stuff longer than some of youse has been breathing,
and I USE THE GLOVES.
As always, your suggestions and critiques of the tutorials are encouraged!
Here's a pair of gloves I bought last month at "Home Despot" for less
than $10.00 USD. The manufacturer, "FG", keeps changing the design
of these all-purpose gloves, but this is not at all a bad incarnation.
The palms are done in a soft leather and the fabric portion is breathable.
You will be doing some heavy pulling and will tend to wear out the
border between the fabric and the leather on the outside of your
little fingers, so I take some "Celotex" or "Transpore" by 3M, which is
a plastic medical tape, and tape wherever I see a wear point developing.
Its not expensive, it doesn't really interfere with your flexibility and a
$3.00 roll of tape from which you'll get thirtyuses is a WHOLE lot cheaper
than several pair of new gloves!
Of course, if you're one of Robert Service's loggers "what stirs his
coffee with his thumb", you'll probably sneer at such "milque-toastian"
Precautions, but lissen up, kids.
I been doing this stuff longer than some of youse has been breathing,
and I USE THE GLOVES.
As always, your suggestions and critiques of the tutorials are encouraged!
| COXCOMBING |
| Last updated 2009-09-01 |
| Click on any picture to bring up a larger verzion! |
"COXCOMBING" refers to any sort of fancy work applied to a tubular surface to "dress" it up, provide a
handgrip, act as a chafing guard or just to pass the time while at sea whit nothing else to do. At one time in
the Navy, every rail would be coxcombed with varying patterns and putting it on, keeping it painted and
repaired and replacing it at intervals was a large part of the apprentice deck-seaman's life. It taught precision,
patience, and gave a knowledge of laid rope that would have been unobtainable otherwise for the average
sailor.
Sadly, with the geometric diminuition of ship's crews in the modern Navy, there is little if any time for the sailor
to indulge in this pastime and so it is slowly passing from knowledge, except as a curiosity.
On the following pages, I will show how to do the basic coxcombings and (if I can remember) some of the more
esoteric types of the art.
handgrip, act as a chafing guard or just to pass the time while at sea whit nothing else to do. At one time in
the Navy, every rail would be coxcombed with varying patterns and putting it on, keeping it painted and
repaired and replacing it at intervals was a large part of the apprentice deck-seaman's life. It taught precision,
patience, and gave a knowledge of laid rope that would have been unobtainable otherwise for the average
sailor.
Sadly, with the geometric diminuition of ship's crews in the modern Navy, there is little if any time for the sailor
to indulge in this pastime and so it is slowly passing from knowledge, except as a curiosity.
On the following pages, I will show how to do the basic coxcombings and (if I can remember) some of the more
esoteric types of the art.
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| SINGLE STRAND Simple Coxcomb French (Bannister) Coxcomb |
| TWO STRAND Full Moku Half-Moku |
| FOUR OR MORE STRAND Doubled Moku Doubled Half--Moku |
Supplies: Many people will head for their local "Servi-Star" or Ace Hardware, Home Despot or Lowe's and
look for line to do this..... don't bother. The best you'll find is Mason's Cord and it is neither consistant
enough, tightly-laid or the same colour throughout a single ball at times.
Contact MARTY COMBS for cotton and some hemp lines in a myriad of sizes. He also has MANY wonderful
books and tools on his site as well... damage to your wallet is NOT my problem, d'ye ken?
For radially-woven lines in MANY colours, some excellent hemp (tarred and un-tarred) and a stunning
selection of tools and knowledge, Bob Dollar at R & W Rope is an excellent resource for the knotter.
look for line to do this..... don't bother. The best you'll find is Mason's Cord and it is neither consistant
enough, tightly-laid or the same colour throughout a single ball at times.
Contact MARTY COMBS for cotton and some hemp lines in a myriad of sizes. He also has MANY wonderful
books and tools on his site as well... damage to your wallet is NOT my problem, d'ye ken?
For radially-woven lines in MANY colours, some excellent hemp (tarred and un-tarred) and a stunning
selection of tools and knowledge, Bob Dollar at R & W Rope is an excellent resource for the knotter.
TOOLS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Some are basic and you've already thought of them or bought them in the past, but there's a few....
See below for line suggestions. The quality of your work is directly proportional to the quality of your
materials.
A sharp ( !! ) single-edged knife
A spool of sail or whipping twine for stropping the line to the work.
A sharp and a dull pointed awl.
GLOVES (see below).
A few old pillowcases... seriously!
Saran Wrap (or any clear wrap), to cover the completed work until you can get it varnished / painted /
whatever. This will protect the work from the many handprints and smudges that come when the General Public (or the owner of the
vessel) comes along after having shoveled coal, eaten greasy fried chicken or applied hair pomade to his four remaining strands and
wants to "see how it feels". Strop the saran wrap to the work at six-inch intervals and use the sharp knife to cut hands off at wrists if
necessary. (Bloody civilians!)
Some are basic and you've already thought of them or bought them in the past, but there's a few....
See below for line suggestions. The quality of your work is directly proportional to the quality of your
materials.
A sharp ( !! ) single-edged knife
A spool of sail or whipping twine for stropping the line to the work.
A sharp and a dull pointed awl.
GLOVES (see below).
A few old pillowcases... seriously!
Saran Wrap (or any clear wrap), to cover the completed work until you can get it varnished / painted /
whatever. This will protect the work from the many handprints and smudges that come when the General Public (or the owner of the
vessel) comes along after having shoveled coal, eaten greasy fried chicken or applied hair pomade to his four remaining strands and
wants to "see how it feels". Strop the saran wrap to the work at six-inch intervals and use the sharp knife to cut hands off at wrists if
necessary. (Bloody civilians!)
Before we go further, I should tell you that I know in advance that many of you will want to coxcomb some part
of your boat, your car, your girlfriend (Girlfriends done at a discount.... usually...) or yourselves but simply won't want to
spend the time, effort and skin to learn this.
I do this for a living, and I travel the East Coast of the U.S. I can be tempted to other locales and climes but I
will probably refer you to someone who works (on the West Coast)(in Canada) (Somewhere cold and nasty).
IT IS NOT CHEAP. Please email me for a quotation if you so desire or just to talk about the possibility of
getting this done for your (whatever) and have "Kleenex" handy.
of your boat, your car, your girlfriend (Girlfriends done at a discount.... usually...) or yourselves but simply won't want to
spend the time, effort and skin to learn this.
I do this for a living, and I travel the East Coast of the U.S. I can be tempted to other locales and climes but I
will probably refer you to someone who works (on the West Coast)(in Canada) (Somewhere cold and nasty).
IT IS NOT CHEAP. Please email me for a quotation if you so desire or just to talk about the possibility of
getting this done for your (whatever) and have "Kleenex" handy.