Fid

A fid is a conical tool traditionally made of wood or bone. It is used to work with rope and canvas in marlinespike seamanship. A fid differs from a marlinspike in material and purposes. A marlinspike is used in working with wire rope, natural and synthetic lines, may be used to open shackles, and is made of metal. A fid is used to hold open knots and holes in canvas, and to separate the "lays" (or strands) of synthetic or natural rope for splicing. A variation of the fid, the gripfid, is used for ply-split braiding. The gripfid has a jamming cleat to pull a cord back through the cord split by the fid's point.

Fid in use on a rope aboard a ship

Modern fids are typically made of aluminum, steel, or plastic. In addition to holding rope open to assist the creation of a rope splice, modern push fids have markings for precise measurements in a variety of sizes of rope. The length of these fids is typically 21 or 22 times the diameter of rope to be spliced. A one-half-inch (12.7 mm) diameter rope would have any accompanying fid 10.5–11 in (266.7–279.4 mm) in length with hash-marks denoting the long and short fid measurements. A short fid is 13 a fid length and a long fid is 23 the overall fid length.

Modern major rope manufacturers such as Yale Cordage,[1] New England Ropes,[2] and Samson Rope Technologies[3] each have full sets of published splicing directions available on their websites. Typically, all splice directions measurements use fid-length as the unit of measurement.

Below is a chart that shows exact measurements of full fid lengths, short fid lengths, and long fid lengths, using 21 times the diameter of the rope.

Rope
Diameter (in or mm)
Rope
Circ. (in or mm)
Short Fid
(in or mm)
Long Fid
(in or mm)
Full Fid
(in or mm)
332 in or 2.3813 mm 932 in or 7.1438 mm 23 in or 16.933 mm 1+13 in or 33.867 mm 2 in or 50.8 mm
18 in or 3.175 mm 38 in or 9.525 mm 78 in or 22.225 mm 2+38 in or 60.325 mm 1+34 in or 44.45 mm
532 in or 3.9688 mm 1+1532 in or 37.3063 mm 1 in or 25.4 mm 2+15 in or 55.88 mm 3+27 in or 83.4571 mm
316 in or 4.7625 mm 916 in or 14.2875 mm 1+13 in or 33.867 mm 2+58 in or 66.675 mm 4 in or 101.6 mm
732 in or 5.5563 mm 2132 in or 16.6688 mm 1+18 in or 28.575 mm 3 in or 76.2 mm 4+35 in or 116.84 mm
14 in or 6.35 mm 34 in or 19.05 mm 1+14 in or 31.75 mm 3+12 in or 88.9 mm 5+15 in or 132.08 mm
932 in or 7.1438 mm 2732 in or 21.4313 mm 2 in or 50.8 mm 4 in or 101.6 mm 6 in or 152.4 mm
516 in or 7.9375 mm 1 in or 25.4 mm 2+15 in or 55.88 mm 4+38 in or 111.125 mm 6+47 in or 166.9143 mm
38 in or 9.525 mm 1+18 in or 28.575 mm 2+58 in or 66.675 mm 5+18 in or 130.175 mm 7+78 in or 200.025 mm
716 in or 11.1125 mm 1+14 in or 31.75 mm 3 in or 76.2 mm 6+18 in or 155.575 mm 9+15 in or 233.68 mm
12 in or 12.7 mm 1+12 in or 38.1 mm 3+12 in or 88.9 mm 7 in or 177.8 mm 10+12 in or 266.7 mm
916 in or 14.2875 mm 1+14 in or 31.75 mm 4 in or 101.6 mm 7+78 in or 200.025 mm 11+45 in or 299.72 mm
58 in or 15.875 mm 2 in or 50.8 mm 4+38 in or 111.125 mm 8+34 in or 222.25 mm 113+18 in or 333.375 mm
1116 in or 17.4625 mm 2+14 in or 57.15 mm 4+45 in or 121.92 mm 9+38 in or 238.125 mm 14+49 in or 366.8889 mm
34 in or 19.05 mm 2+14 in or 57.15 mm 5+14 in or 133.35 mm 10+12 in or 266.7 mm 15+34 in or 400.05 mm
78 in or 22.225 mm 2+34 in or 69.85 mm 6+18 in or 155.575 mm 12+14 in or 311.15 mm 18+38 in or 466.725 mm
1 in or 25.4 mm 3 in or 76.2 mm 7 in or 177.8 mm 14 in or 355.6 mm 21 in or 533.4 mm
1+18 in or 28.575 mm 3+12 in or 88.9 mm 7+78 in or 200.025 mm 15+34 in or 400.05 mm 23+38 in or 593.725 mm
1+14 in or 31.75 mm 3+34 in or 95.25 mm 8+34 in or 222.25 mm 17+12 in or 444.5 mm 23+14 in or 590.55 mm
1+516 in or 33.3375 mm 4 in or 101.6 mm 9+15 in or 233.68 mm 18+38 in or 466.725 mm 27+47 in or 700.3143 mm
1+12 in or 38.1 mm 4+12 in or 114.3 mm 10+12 in or 266.7 mm 21 in or 533.4 mm 31+12 in or 800.1 mm
1+58 in or 41.275 mm 5 in or 127 mm 11+38 in or 288.925 mm 22+34 in or 577.85 mm 34+18 in or 866.775 mm
1+34 in or 44.45 mm 5+12 in or 139.7 mm 12+14 in or 311.15 mm 24+12 in or 622.3 mm 36+34 in or 933.45 mm
2 in or 50.8 mm 6 in or 152.4 mm 14 in or 355.6 mm 28 in or 711.2 mm 42 in or 1,066.8 mm
2+18 in or 53.975 mm 6+14 in or 158.75 mm 14+78 in or 377.825 mm 29+34 in or 755.65 mm 44+58 in or 1,133.475 mm
2+14 in or 57.15 mm 7 in or 177.8 mm 15+34 in or 400.05 mm 31+12 in or 800.1 mm 47+14 in or 1,200.15 mm
2+12 in or 63.5 mm 7+12 in or 190.5 mm 17+12 in or 444.5 mm 35 in or 889 mm 52+12 in or 1,333.5 mm
2+58 in or 66.675 mm 8 in or 203.2 mm 18+58 in or 473.075 mm 36+34 in or 933.45 mm 55+18 in or 1,400.175 mm
2+34 in or 69.85 mm 8+12 in or 215.9 mm 19+14 in or 488.95 mm 38+12 in or 977.9 mm 57+34 in or 1,466.85 mm
3 in or 76.2 mm 9 in or 228.6 mm 21 in or 533.4 mm 42 in or 1,066.8 mm 63 in or 1,600.2 mm
3+14 in or 82.55 mm 10 in or 254 mm 22+14 in or 565.15 mm 45+12 in or 1,155.7 mm 68+18 in or 1,730.375 mm

See also

References

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