That first thing is not a marling spike.

I believe its called a "fid". A tool for working with heavy rope.

A fid is the same thing as a marlinspike except that "fid" is a very old word and dates to when they were mostly made out of wood and "marlinspike" generally implies being made out of metal.

If you search online for antique fids, you will see that, like marlinspikes, they generally have a much longer, thinner taper than the item in the original post.

It’s a dibble.

Yes, it is.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
A fid is the same thing as a marlinspike except that "fid" is a very old word ...

Nope. A marling spike is used to help deal with tough knots. A fid is used for splicing rope. And not just heavy rope. Any rope that can be spliced. The word "fid," while an old word, is far from archaic.

I have a set of fids--two of which were custom-made for me, to my specs, by a machinist. I never did get around to acquiring a marling spike. Never found the one that was "just right."

Oh, and it's not a fid, either.

quote:

Originally posted by ersatzknarf:

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Planting dibble

Agreed.

Exactly!

Dibble.

Marlinspikes are much pointier.

in Spanglish its called a chingadera

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
A fid is the same thing as a marlinspike except that "fid" is a very old word ...

Nope. A marling spike is used to help deal with tough knots. A fid is used for splicing rope. And not just heavy rope. Any rope that can be spliced. The word "fid," while an old word, is far from archaic.

I have a set of fids--two of which were custom-made for me, to my specs, by a machinist. I never did get around to acquiring a marling spike. Never found the one that was "just right."

Oh, and it's not a fid, either.

The crummy little marlinspikes you sometimes find on folding knives are pretty much only useful for untying knots, but real marlinspikes are used for splicing, knot tying, and all the same sorts of things fids are.

From Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 68th Edition's glossary:

"fid: A tapered, pointed tool used to separate strands of rope, as in splicing."

"marlinspike: (1) A pointed steel tool for splicing line. (2) That portion of seamanship devoted to the use of lines, knots, and related matters."

From the section on tools required for marlinspike seamanship:

"A large fid or marlinespike, for separating the strands of laid rope when splicing. You can usually splice small sizes of laid line, if it's fairly soft, using only your fingers. But a fid (usually of wood or plastic) or metal spike, used to separate the strands and to get the strand you are working with through quickly and easily, makes any splicing easier and is usually a necessity for larger sizes of rope."

I will note that there seems to have been some definition creep, and now there are very different tools that look like hooked needles or long, thin metal rods, used for splicing braided rope, that are sold as fids (as well as things that look like traditional fids). Chapman mentions this:

"Special fids will be needed for splicing doublebraided rope, different sizes matched to the diameter of the rope. Several types of hollow fids and other special tools are on the market."

In case you need another one...


https://smile.amazon.com/A-M-L...id=1625594680&sr=8-7

quote:

Originally posted by HK Ag:
in Spanglish its called a chingadera

Thats it!

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
I never did get around to acquiring a marling spike. Never found the one that was "just right."

Myerchin makes nice marlin spikes, and knives with a marlin spike as one of the "blades". I use this marlin spike, nice length and shape and a good heft in the hand. I also have one of their knives with the marlin spike in it.

Thanks for the lead, @henryaz, but we no longer have any boats, so the need is no longer there.

since it was mentioned that it was from a collector that had knives, I was thinking Sheath or scabbard for a Middle Eastern or Persian type blade, or dagger,

but my be too much of a bend to work

Thanks for all of the information. I never knew what that smooth thing on a knife was for.

If the Davis stainless Hobie Cat tool was made in USA, I'd probably buy one for its coolness factor.

---

So here's another question: Why do old saw handles invoke a fish image, along with wheat stalks?

Visual pun on "loaves and fishes"?

I don’t see a fish. I see form following function. Designed to fit the hand as closely as possible without being custom made for a specific hand.