I'm just posting on the foiling forum, because I know a lot of the racing guys are making up their own line sets and thought this would be the most appropriate forum.

I have a racing line setup that is starting to look a bit ragged at the connection points, and I want to re-splice them to ensure they don't fail on me. As they are the racing lines, they are pretty thin, so I just wanted to ensure whatever I bought would work with them.

I've done a bit of research and found:

kiteboarding.com/proddetail.asp?prod=fmk_micro_hook
www.awindofchange.com/product/fid.html
d-splicer.com/d-splicer-set-kit/
d-splicer.com/d-splicer-with-fixed-handle-f-series/

I also found a few sailing focused ones - but they wouldn't be suitable because of the size (minimum 2-4mm).

So the questions:
* What do you guys use?
* Do the above look suitable for this type of racing line?

Here is a photo of the lines I want to re-splice (you can see they were already done that way). From left to right:
* Steering line
* Front line
* Sacrificial connector
* Standard line from an Old Naish bar for comparison.

Select to expand quote

Jonesey32 said..
I'm just posting on the foiling forum, because I know a lot of the racing guys are making up their own line sets and thought this would be the most appropriate forum.

I have a racing line setup that is starting to look a bit ragged at the connection points, and I want to re-splice them to ensure they don't fail on me. As they are the racing lines, they are pretty thin, so I just wanted to ensure whatever I bought would work with them.

I've done a bit of research and found:

kiteboarding.com/proddetail.asp?prod=fmk_micro_hook
www.awindofchange.com/product/fid.html
d-splicer.com/d-splicer-set-kit/
d-splicer.com/d-splicer-with-fixed-handle-f-series/

I also found a few sailing focused ones - but they wouldn't be suitable because of the size (minimum 2-4mm).

So the questions:
* What do you guys use?
* Do the above look suitable for this type of racing line?

Here is a photo of the lines I want to re-splice (you can see they were already done that way). From left to right:
* Steering line
* Front line
* Sacrificial connector
* Standard line from an Old Naish bar for comparison.

Splicing larger gauge Dyneema is much easier than small diameters I find. I use the fid for 3-5 mm which I got from Whitworths. I made up the other splicing tool myself which is just a copy of the D splicer. The ease of splice will depend on how open or tight the braids are. I had a lot of trouble the only time I've tried to splice small gauges but that may have been just the particular line and other types may be much easier. I think any of the tools you've listed will be fine. Locking splice is easiest but hand sewing is easy too.

Those micro hooks are crap. They catch on the lines and make a mess.

I use a D-Splicer for most things, and an old guitar string for really thin stuff. A darning needle works well too.

By thin, I mean bridle lines around 1.1mm diameter. I have not succeeded in splicing anything thinner (I tried 0.8mm and it was too hard to get anything inside the core).

My favourite splicing tool is the D-splicer scissors. d-splicer.com/d-16-scissors-2/ by far the best method of cutting spectra and the like.

Awesome. Thanks for the replies. I'll get one of those D-Splicer kits and see how I go.

+1 for D-Splicer.

For thin ones like the FSer lines in the OP, I use an embroidery-type latch hook thingy similar to the one in the following picture. I have one about 25cm long, and the shaft is round rather than flat... Was about $5 too.