Splicing

[Melbourne55]

Trying to teach myself to spice double braid line. Anyone know a cheap source of fids?

[GreenLake]

When I first wanted to splice double braid, I didn't have a fid and was
too impatient to wait until the stores opened the next day so I could
look for some. I looked around in my shop and found that it's really
easy to make your own.

Here's what I did.

I located a piece of tubing (aluminum works best) that matched the
diameter of the core. A fid needs a tip, so I cut a notch into one end
and with pliers and a hammer banged out a rough tip. A file and
some sandpaper got it smooth enough for splicing work. It looks
very asymmetric and handmade, but that hasn't impacted its essential
function.

To connect the core in splicing, I use a layer of black electrical tape,
which works because of the matching diameter. I didn't bother
mimicking the fancy half slot at the tail end, and haven't missed it.

My fid ended up a bit shorter than standard length, but it's always
done the essential work, which is to get the core through the mantle
or mantle through the core, which you need for splicing double-braid
rope.

In fact, this "thing" has worked so well, that I haven't ever bothered
to buy any "real" fids, which is why I can't tell you where to get them
cheap.