Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living Fence Splicin'

So, is this a "Western Union" splice? Took it off bad section today.

That is a fancy splice! That wire ain't even half rusty yet. The cows at wabigoon land, and cattle, and travelin' circus would not know how to act in such plush surroundings.

Sweet. Did you use the same splice to mend the fence? This would make some good videos!

An old timer who lived next door to my place had a tool that would do that kind of splice. They sure look good but my experience has been that a tight turn on fence wire can weaken it and allow it to break when it is stressed by a cow pushing through to get at the grass on the green side.

Kind of the fence fixin' version of the blood knot.

Yes. I know what you mean about stressing a bend. Looking at this splice really doesn't put the stress on the bend. The wraps are in a stress free spot and there for reenforcement. This section of fence has had its fair share of pine down falls and elk jumping it. A mess. Hope to get into fixed before I have to head home. Do you remember what that old timers tool looked like? These splices seemed to have held better where the others popped.
Love to find a tool.

Richard, al the old ranchers I was ever around didn't do fancy stuff like this either! Most fences were rudimentry at best.

Here's the section I'm working this week.

I have heard it called a Bell splice, you can do it with fencing pliers

Looks like Great country! would love to be there giveing you a Hand!

Thanks Blanket! More I study it, more I think your right. Fencin' pliers looks Like what they used in it and a standard stretcher!

Thanks!

How old are those fence posts??

Greetings Keystoneben!

They really aren't that old. Most are pine stays you see leaning, with treated post and steel post. Deal is the dead falls (pine beetle kills) and dang moose are hell on the fences. NF land to the right and I've heard they are going to clear cut a strip along the fence as a fire break. Just lots of breaks in the wire. Most post and stays are still good.

Édit! I know of some old rotten fences back home That the post ( Ashe juniper) gotta be 80 years old or older. Wire pretty rotten too!

Bob that's the way I always try to splice fence. Doesn't work well on old rusty wire but it takes the stress off the splice itself. That also works good on electric wire. Gives you more surface contact and reduces resistance. If you are using barb less or barbed wire for electric fence that splice works better. On copper wiring just cover with shrink tube and you're good to go.

Mooremaker fence pliers have holes in the end that make it easier to make that splice. The tool in the video also works well.

you can bend the wire 90to the run and put the wire thru the top hole in a standard pair of fencing pliers with the head laid flat on the wire and twist. I have a couple pf those tools somewhere but always have a pair of fence pliers

Back in about 1966 I was fixin fence just west of Jackson, Wyo. Damn cow Moose with a calf snuck up behind me and woofed at me, scared the crap out of me so I threw my hammer at her and hollered, here she came and run me around a big spruce tree, I finally grabbed a limb and climbed up about 10' I threw my pliers and my nail apron full of staples and my hat at that old bitch, she kept me up that tree for a long time doing a war dance right under me.

fixin fence can get interesting every once in awhile. Rio7

Rio7 that story creates quite the mental picture.

did you get the fence fixed?

YEP Rio7

Thanks to all! Gonna watch that video later. Blue! Had a cow moose standing in the middle of a break in the fence last week! She finally decided to leave.

Thanks Blanket!! This is what I've been doing. Getting better at it !!!

Moose don't jump or climb thru fences, they just push until the fence gives away if their not in a hurry when they are they just tear it down. only critter that worse here in the U.S. is Bison, they don't even slow down for a 5 strand barb wire fence.

Rio7

Sounds like you have experience with bison too...

That parallels mine.

Bison weren't meant to be fenced. They prove it often.

Yup! From the looks of things here that's very true.

Blanket,

Yes fences I started are all done. When I can I need to get back up here and fix lots more. Leaving for home in morning. Gotta check things out since we had like 16" of rain from thet hurricane.

Home. Went out and found my old 40+ y o pair of fencin' pliers. They were right there in my fence repair bucket. They are marked "Craftsman. England". Remember when I got em. Gonna see me up a leather scabbard for my belt. Gonna havta practice that splice now! Thanks compadres for all the input. Also gonna watch for some old antique tools too!

I have 4000 acres of 50-60 year old fence. Come practice all ya want.......

Two years ago I went north of Punkin Center and help fence a full section of state leased land.That was enough practice for me.When I splice, I take the two ends and over lap about 18" so I have 36 " of wire .I clamp in the center with a set of vise grips and then twist one end tight wrapped over the opposite wire for the18"and repeat on the other end the opposite twist That way,the wire is not doubled back on itself. In my old age, if the fence breaks,I buy a turnbuckle, put it on each end of the break, twist the wire back a few turns and tighten the turnbuckle. Smaller place than a lot, but the 4 strand I put up 40 years ago is still tight except I had to replace a few post so far

Kaywoodie if you want a handy leather pouch for your fence pliers check out the case that Mooremaker sells. It is leather and you can slide it up the back bullet on your saddle. Real handy!

Huntsman! LOL! I've still got lots of fence to mend or rebuild. Not near as old as your stuff! Lots of deadfall in the NW corner! But I sure appreciate the offer!

Saddlesore, thats basically what I started to do. Like others stated. Does take stress off the bend! Makes for a better splice too!

45_100, thanks. Was looking at their stuff again other night. Got lots Of leather here. Gonna try to fabricate something!

The vamp, or top of an old worn out pair of western boots makes a very good fencing tool bag, I hang mine on the handle bars of my 4 wheeler or in my jeep, beats the hell out of carrying all your tools on a belt, and you can hang it on a fence post were you are working. don't know how to post pic's or I would post one. Rio7