Cordage swivel problemo

[Thenihilist]

If you don't have Mors Kochanski's book you probably won't have a scooby what i'm on about but.

On page 148, the small diagram illustrating how to make a swivel, well i can't seem to get it to work.

Where the end of the round reduction on the piece with the hook is meets the pieces that hold it in place has to much friction so that instead of turning the hook it's just turning the whole swivel on the string attached to a tree.

If i enlarge the end of the round reduction it still doesn't decrease the friction enough to stop the string turning instead.

Does anyone know how to rectify this?

 

[Elines]

I recently bought the book - Bushcraft - as part my year's 'great leap forward' in improving my bushcraft, and have just started reading it - best book on bushcraft I have seen - contains lots of stuff that I haven't seen elsewhere, but he certainly has more material to play with than we have in most of the UK!

As regards the swivel. I haven't got that far in the book and I can't quite work out what it is doing anyway, so ?is it too simplistic just to use a (natural) lubricant of some kind?

 

[Thenihilist]

A swivel speeds up ropemaking as it'll effectively twist from both ends instead of one, the carved one is better than using a long string as if you do it with a long string that will eventually twist and kink itself unlike the carved one that won't.

 

[stuart f]

When using the swivel,are you keeping pressure on the line all the time? if yes then you will need to ease off the tautness of the line,so that the swivel can turn when the cord spins. The reason for the swivel is that the cord has to turn all the time or it will untwist itself. When making cordage myself of 20 feet or more i just coil the cord so it can free spin whilst i make it longer,because if you leave it in a heap on the floor,it will begin to unravel itself.

I hope that makes sense.

Cheers Stuart.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

From what I gather... Looking at the picture the 'swivel' is a section of thin rope, larks footed (or tied) around a tree and then attached to the cordage.

Its purpose is to stop the rope/cordage kinking as you form it. Allowing for a margin of twist.

Hope that makes sence!

 

[Thenihilist]

The round reduction is smooth and i have just enough pressure on the line to get it to twist, the wood on wood has more friction than the cord used to attach it to the tree, so instead of the hook turning the whole swivel does.

 

[Thenihilist]

Eureka!

If i let the cord that attaches the swivel to the tree twist up it no longer turns and the hook does!

 

[Thenihilist]

Thanks for your help guys.