Tutorial. Stropping of Served Double-Stropped Jeer Blocks. One Continuous Thread. No CA glue.

[Y.T.]

I developed a process that I would like to document here so I do not forget how I did it. It can be useful for someone too. I use Domanoff serving machine for this work. I have quite a few pictures to upload. This will be done trough many posts. Please refrain from comments till I am done with this tutorial. Below is what we are going to use.

 

[Y.T.]

Make a jig to fix the distance between hooks so we can make some identical size strops.

 

[Y.T.]

Tie the thread to one of hooks.

 

[Y.T.]

Wrap the thread several times over the hooks. I did this 6 times. Start serving this from left end. At the start keep thread very tight to the hook. Serve up to right hook. Tie the thread with an overhead not very close to right hook. Cut of the thread from spool leaving long end.

 

[Y.T.]

Remove one end of strop off the hook. Using needle tie the thread through strop little hole and tie with one overhead knot. Remove strop other end off the hook and using needle tie both strop ends together finishing with one overhead knot. Now you should get a complete strop with long thread end.

 

[Y.T.]

Make second identical strop using same technique. On ONE of strops snap the thread off.

 

[Y.T.]

Change for stronger hooks. Put both strops on the hooks. Stretch tight. Tie both strops together with one overhead knot. Make a few turns and again tie with one overhead knot. Take strops off the hooks and wrap them loosely over the triple block.

 

[Y.T.]

Change the hook on the left with my patented double hook block holder. Put block on the hooks as shown. Tighten the strops on the block using overhead knots and some thread turns.

 

[Y.T.]

We are done. Now we have something like this.

THE END

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[Rob444]

Very nice! Thank you!

Rob

 

[Y.T.]

The blocks are 8 mm just for those who may want to ask.

 

[AllanKP69]

Well presented tutorial YT! It brings up a question, hopefully you or another member can help. Were strops, served or not, tarred like standing rigging? I cannot find anything one way or the other. Looking at contemporary models at Preble Hall and RMG, some look to be using tarred strops, and others do not. There is no correlation with the era of the models I looked at. Like so many things maybe it depended on the boatswain on each ship so no two were the same. As well, most, if not all, of these models have been re-rigged since first built so more questioning than answ3ering if they were not rigged as on the original.

Thanks again YT, well done!

Allan

 

[Y.T.]

Were strops, served or not, tarred like standing rigging?

Serving and tarring the strops makes good sense. In fact strops are sort of stationary rigging as it does not go through sheaves. Serving and tarring would provide better preservation.

 

[Y.T.]

Here what Lees says about serving the strops on blocks.