Stinkin' Rotten Marlinspike! need some help!

[Oldschooner68]

Anybody have a better guide on how to properly use a marlinspike knife? I got this one for my birthday but this guide doesn't really give me good instructions: How to use a Marlinspike | Best Sailing Knife Reviews

Something with animations would be super useful. I feel like I'm the old dog trying to learn a new trick. I guess it's not new to most of you though!

[cwyckham]

I mostly use mine to undo stuck knots and open shackles. I think you need to start the other way around. What do you want to do that the marlinspike will be required for?

If you want to do a lot of fancy knots, then the "Marlinspike Sailor" is a classic.

[Oldschooner68]

You got it --looking to make some interesting splices. I'll look into that booK!

[SaltyMonkey]

I used mine to tighten lines as well

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

I used mine to tighten lines as well

How does that work?

[SaltyMonkey]

[cwyckham]

That's a really neat little hitch. Thanks. Mine tapers so much that I've never thought of using it that way, but it is on a knife, so I could just angle it so it slides towards the hilt.

[SaltyMonkey]

I hate marlinspikes on a knife. They are way too small and its very easy to hurt oneself.

[cwyckham]

Yes, but with both the knife and marlinspike deployed, you have a great zombie killing weapon.

[Jammer Six]

This is the best book I ever saw about all matters relating to line:

Toss, Brion. The Complete Rigger's Apprentice: Tools and Techniques For Modern and Traditional Rigging. Camden, Me.: International Marine, 1998.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I mostly use mine to undo stuck knots and open shackles. I think you need to start the other way around. What do you want to do that the marlinspike will be required for?

....

Originally Posted by Oldschooner68

You got it --looking to make some interesting splices. I'll look into that booK!

As cwyckham says, the spikes on most combo knives are best suited to loosening knots and such. Very handy to have close at hand (I wear mine everyday aboard), but not ideal for doing fancy work or complex splices (esp not in low stretch stuff). For that you're going to want dedicated full size spikes and fids, and a good work area. Although, you can still of course read and practice some things without better tools.

For learning basic splicing, start with some new 3-strand. You don't need any tools to splice 3-strand, so you can learn the basics easily.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

Yes, but with both the knife and marlinspike deployed, you have a great zombie killing weapon.

Or more likely an effective way to injure yourself. Always fold one tool up before using the other. I've reminded myself of that a few times by almost self-inflicting wounds.

[tomfl]

I carry a knife marlin spike combo and find it handy for dealing with very tight knots. But for rope work fids are a better choice. Here is a link to what you can find at Amazon. West and Defender also carry them.

fids

[Brob2]

I have a couple of Grohmann knife and fid sets that come with a leather belt sheaf. High quality and handy to have both together but separate.

And yes, start splicing 3 stranders and have some fun with it on a rainy day. It's a handy skill to have.