serving mallet

A serving board or serving mallet can be used to help get the outer twine as tight as possible.

Despite the name (arising from its shape) the serving mallet is not used to hit anything; it forms a kind of guide and tensioning lever for applying the twine to the rope.

- by referring to line drawings and specifications, - by tying knots, bends and hitches, and splicing wire and cordage, using a marline-spike, serving mallet and other tools, and - by melting and pouring zinc to form rope fittings.