Tools of the Trade: rope working and rigging
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- In this video expert Des Pawson looks at the tools and methods used to work rope and make rigging such as the marlinspike and fid.
This film was produced by Social History Curators Group in association with funding from Arts Council England.
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#museum #history #socialhistory #ropework #knots #sailors
Watching in 2021 and this is an absolutely delight. As much as technology has made it easy, we should also try and remember the old tried and true methods.
What a pleasure to watch a man who knows his trade.
Very clear voice . Terrific presentation. Plastic ropes have no character. Old natural ropes have personality. Thanks Master Rigger. Dave
Just purchased my first riggers knife and marline spike. Happy to see this video.
What a rare gem of information, great presentation.
I was interested in marlin spikes, my father used the tool as a pipe fitter when I was a child. This video is gem. Thank you for sharing. The man is well spoken.
They used ropes to fit pipes back in the days?
I enjoyed this video thank you!
That shack is a museum and the gentleman is its curator and one might say a professor of nautical history to boot. Very intereting!
The master in action! Thank you Mr. Pawson!!!
Des Pawson, a legend! have the german version of his handy small book of knots, it's always with me when I'm outdoors!
With the advent of synthetic materials, chains and metal cable these old ways are pretty scarce today - nice to know that any body keeps learning these skills as there will always be a use for them at some time or place! Thanks for sharing this video!!
Very interesting. I'd like to see more.
Excellent presentation by a very knowledgeable gentleman. Thank you from Indiana, US.
Well done. Very great presentation.
thank you for the info. I have enjoyed working with rope and always keep a bit about me. never knew about the seafaring techniques to preserve rope.
Like to know more about uses of rope and reasons for different habits surrounding life on old ships(or even new ships!)
I enjoy listening and watching your video. This is very interesting and would like to know where I could find the book you were showing the pictures from. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and skills with us!
Actually In México's war Navy, this traditional knowledge is a mandatory asignature for every new sailor
The Cuauhtemoc is such a beautiful ship
That was informative and fun to watch.
bravo grand father
God save you and long life Thank you very much
Outstanding
I like antler fids, they give an angled T handle for pushing. So fids are not always wood, in the Crab fishery of the Pacific Northwest they are ubiquitous.
Интересное видео о старом ремесле👍👍👍👍👍
Trelleborg. Tisdag den 3 november 2020.
Nice video. At 7:08 I am a Swede and I hear the Man say “Stockholm tar”. I find I a little funny. Before that he says that it Is “very Smelly”.
To me, as an old Swede with tradition of boats and some contact with old carpenter tradition I understand “very Smelly” as a form of perfume.
Probably “Stockholm tar” is what I as a Swede mention as “Dalbränd tjära” = valleyburned tar.
I try to explain. I come of the method of how to produce it.
A “dal” is a valley. I this case a very small one. Think a cut in the mountain(?) approximately 3 m wide and perhaps 30 m long and leaning approximately 10 to 20 degrees compared with the horizontal plane. They did find it somewhere in the woods.
They filled this “dal” with firewood. Probably it should be pine. The men cowered the firewood with soil and managed to let it burn very slowly. The result was dry distillation and the tar slowly melted down and did slowly float to the lower part where it was possible to collect the tar.
A variant was to build a funnel(?) , a cone. The same procedure.
Such tar contains a lot of preserving substances for natural materials.
Balsamic turpentine comes from conifer. A good product. Therefore perhaps forbidden today. It is the conifers chemical weapon against fungal infestation.
A true sailor do have a pouch for his tools. The pouch shall have seven seams. One seam for every ocean. I do have such a pouch.
I do have such a pouch. I maked it 1965. The pouch have followed me since then. I still use the things when I reinforce, for example, some details in my trousers and so on.
Three-stranded ropes are the best for small boats. But today of polyester.
Notice that the friction is lower on these modern materials. Therefore You need six “put in” for an spliced eye now days.
Best regards from a former pleasure sailor. My stolen boat you can see at tomasgidlof.se/Ofelia03.jpg
Hälsning från Skåne. (Scania.)
Med vänlig hälsning
Tomas. Pappa till ”Fallet Axel, 29 år!" på gidlöf.se
They had tar in Sweden then?
So cool
Good stuff.
Hi Des. Are you the same knot guy that works on Maldon quay ? I think I saw you a month ago at a talk given by one of the engineers who built the Ipswich barrier. Can't mistake that red cap eh. Very intesting videos.
Chears Dave
Wonderful videos showing beautifully how tools from a dying trade were used and keeping this art alive for future use and enjoyment.
P.s. What is the name of the book that you use for drawing reference purposes?
Hi Jezza, it is a tool-makers trade catalogue from the late 19th or early 20thC, but its actual title is unknown. I suggest you check in one of Des Pawson’s own publications.
is Marline the same as bank line? they both appear to have some type of sticky tarlike substance on them.
Genetically, yes, but choosing which depends on how and where it will be used. Best to check with a sailmaker.
Worm and parcel with the lay ................turn and serve the OTHER WAY. This doesnt mean the serving starts from the other end. Serving on his sample went same direction as worming and parcelling only from the other end. He started on his right and worked left , so from his side up over the rope with all three . The serving whether he went from his right to left or his left to right the serving should have gone from him under the rope and then over the top . Against the lay means that as the rope comes under load it wants to unwind so it actually is supposed to pull the serving tighter.
Sounds like you know your rope making!
A Beastey Boy of a Study You
Old Salt !!!!
Deus Vult 😎
What was the catalog being shown excerpts of?
There are a few tool catalogues included, only one with a manufacturer's name mentioned - Perrett's.
You may want to have a look through the resources listed in the Tools & Trades History Society's website:
taths.org.uk/reading
Des Pawson's collection is now in Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, so you could have a look there also:
thedockyard.co.uk/explore/the-victorian-ropery
SIR DID THE MACHETTE ON MR TOUSAINT LOUVERTURE ITS A SPIRITUAL MACHETTE FROM THE CANES LEAF PLANTATION?
"Worm and Parcel with the Lay,
Turn and Serve the other Way."
very interesting
The you for posting
I have two wooden tools that I believe might be for serving a rope. Looks like drawing 940 on your video. They have no markings but I need to find a home for them were they could be useful. If you give you give me a contact I can send a photo if that helps. Your advice please.
Hi, are you based in the UK? If so, Colne Valley Museum has a visiting rope maker that could probably help. If not, you could look for a similar museum near you :)
Hi Alison, Des Pawson’s collection has now been transferred to the Chatham Historic Dockyards Trust.
des we always wormed over the canvas never served over it .
Podge Johnstone
You can't worm over canvas, by definition.
Worming fills the groove of the rope.
……SO GOOD,SIR
The ammount of labor and expense that went into making products way back then! I bet cutting a rope was an unimaginable sin lol. It's amazing that today I can get nylon rope as long as I want, that's completely waterproof, stronger, longer lasting AND cheaper than anything those sailors could have ever imagined! It's truly a miracle. Weird how crude oil replaced everything this guy has and makes...
There are still a few million sailboats around and the need for this kind of rigging and wire rope for larger vessels.
were does he get all his tools from?
Thomas Wilkinson.....from out of the shed !
Small things like this kept britain at the forefront of exploration
Do you think they were better at it than say the French or Spanish?
what kind of pocket knife does he use?
Hi Thomas, sorry I don’t know, but as with all hand tools in regular use, it will be one that the craftsman feels fits best in the hand and pocket and in the case of a knife has a strong blade the keeps an edge well.
He'd know more than me but I thought a sailor got his name a tar, due to the fact they tarred the pony tail in their hair. Hence the square material on the back of the RN sailors uniform, (with the White edge lining), to keep,the tar off the uniform.
He could do with a shave !!! Really can't take people who refuse to shave seriously
Did you just call me a rigger?
No man... I called you my rigga! riggA I swear...
💪😎👍❤️
By God who knew?
His voice doesn't match his face and it confused tf out of me
Your thumbnail matches your comment
i don't know what it means either
How sad that these trades that were more an artform than a job are fast disappearing. Replaced by plastic and mass production.