Not Climbing : Marlin Spike

As a kid I was the one the family would turn to, to undo knots. Having played with various cords & ropes recently, after loading with a middle-aged man, just nope.

But coincidentally, YouTube videos on knots, came across the Marlinspike hitch. Is a really useful thing, how to easily attach a cord to a stick or whatever to get the ability to pull much better. Naturally, Wikipedia, is derived from fishing stuff. Hemmingway innit. And Marlin Spike is a thing fisherman use to free knots. Basically a spike with a rounded end, often curve-diamond shaped that you can stick in to free the knot.

There is a whole community of paracord weavers (both creative and survivalist) and obviously a product range on this.

Ok, I have a hacksaw and bench grinder, fashioned an 8-inch nail into that shape. (Nine Inch Nails is boastful).

Bit inconvenient, spike. Need a loop in the end.

Now the fun starts.

Last blowtorch I had, mishap. Had run out of fire lighters, so propped little blowtorch up agin logs. Back was turned literally seconds (think I was cooking, in clear sight, just not noticing).

Oops. But luckily no boom!

New blowtorch, great fun.

Really good tip I learnt from my school metalwork (yes, I went to a school that had a forge, aside from that was a shithole), to make a loop, bend it straight 90 degrees first, then bend back.

Starts wonky –