Shop Note

Rigging: Seizing

Mike Graff

Figure 1.

The seizing shown in Figure 1 was accomplished with a variation on the basic procedure for 'whipping' the end of a line.

I use a variety of cotton and cotton-polyester threads. I treat all of them with beeswax in a three-step process. First, I pull the thread across a block of beeswax several times from end to end and going from one end towards the other and then reversing the thread and doing it again. Second. I slowly draw the waxed thread over the top of a lighted light bulb. The heat from the bulb melts the beeswax so it can soak into the thread. Third, I repeat the first step with a couple of passes of the thread over the beeswax block again in each direction.

Beeswaxing the thread accomplishes several things. The beeswax acts as preservative for the thread. It also works to control the 'fuzzies' common to many threads, making the line look clean and sharp. It serves to stiffen the thread without making it brittle as can happen with painting or coating thread with diluted white glue. It helps work twists out of the line and stretches it to reduce springiness. Beeswaxing the thread also gives it some weight and heft that can contribute to a more realistic 'hang' on the model. Finally, the beeswax makes the thread just a bit tacky which helps to hold it in place and to 'lock' snugged down knots.

Two threads are needed to make the seizing shown in the first photo. One thread is the one representing the rigging - the forestay in the photo. The other is thread that will be used to actually make the seizing. As a general rule, the thread used to make the seizing should be about half the diameter of the thread used to make the rigging line. Using the same thread for both rigging and seizing lines tends to make it look bulky and clunky.

Figure 2.
Figure 2 attached shows the basic whipping used to secure the end of a line and keep it from unraveling. That image is from A. Richard Mansir's book, How to Build Ship Models, A Beginner's Guide, Moonraker, 1983, ISBN 0-940620-00-6, page 42.

Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows the basic whipping adapted to seizing an eye in the end of a rigging line. The source is Edwin B. Leaf's book, Ship Modeling from Scratch, International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 1994, ISBN0-87742-389-X, page 104, Figure 9-25. Leaf says,

"Tie a square knot around the two lines to be seized, leaving long ends. Loop end #1 back on itself as shown in Figure 9-25. Wrap the lines and the loop together with line #2 until the seizing is as long as needed. Then pull the end of line #2 through the loop of line #1, and pull on line #1 until the loop pulls line #2 into the seizing. Secure with tiny drops of glue, and cut off the ends."

I have found that a simple overhand knot works as well as a square knot and is less bulky. Note that while the diagram shows line #2 wrapped loosely around the rigging line and the line #1 loop, you should snug the wrapped turns down as you go. 7-10 turns of wrapping will usually suffice. When finished, the loose end of line #1 will protrude from one end of the seizing and the end of line #2 will protrude from the opposite end of the seizing. Trim off those ends. Depending on how tightly you wrapped the turns of line #2 to make the seizing you might still be able to adjust the size of the eye by sliding one part of the rigging line inside the seizing. Once tiny drops of glue have been applied such adjustments will no longer be possible.

Figure 4.
Figure 4 shows a variation in the seizing technique. It is seen most often securing the end of the lanyard used to join shroud deadeye to chainplate deadeye, and to secure the end of the shroud that encircles the dead eye. The source is John Leather's book, The Gaff Rig Handbook (2nd Ed), Woodenboat Books, 2001, ISBN 0-937822-67-1, pages 23 and 25. The racking seizing tends to yield a flat seizing by intentionally keeping the seized lines separate yet side-by-side.

Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows some seizing techniques that can be employed by modelers to simulate real world seizings. The source is Ben Lankford's book, How to Build First-Rate Ship Models from Kits, Model Expo Inc., 1999, page 62.

Suggestion 1: Practice making the seizing a couple of times before going to work with the technique on your model. The first few times you make such a seizing you'll feel a bit clumsy and uncertain, but that sensation disappears with practice.
Suggestion 2: Do as much of the rigging work, including seizing lines, as you can off the model. It is much easier to work with rigging on a table top than it is do such work 'up in the air' on masts and yards already in place on the model. Some 'up in the air' work is unavoidable, but the amount can be limited by planning ahead and looking for opportunities to complete steps before a mast is stepped.

{Mike Graff}

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