Marlinspike

A marlinspike is a pointed metal tool, traditionally tapered iron or steel, used to open the lay of a rope’s strands for splicing, to loosen jammed knots and shackle pins, and to tension marline when serving or seizing. It gives its name to marlinspike seamanship, the body of rope and rigging skills (knots, bends, hitches, splices, whippings, and lashings). On wire rope the equivalent tapered tool is a fid for fiber rope and a marlinspike or spike for wire; the term covers the small spike on a sailor’s clasp knife.