Märlprim, pryl för instickning av kardelerna vid dubbling av knopar, m. m.

Märlprim eller fid, fig. 20, är svarvad av hårt trä och används vid splitsning av tågvirke till vilket den är bättre än en märlspik. Stora märlprimar 4 tum och mera i storändan kallas tersar.

Märlprim eller fid, fig. 19, är svarvad av hårt trä och användes vid splitsning av tågvirke, vartill den är bättre än en märlspik. Den bästa märlprimen tillverkas av ett oxhorn, vilket värmes över en eld, tills det blir mjukt, varpå det rätas ut och får hårdna i spänn. Sedan det kallnat, förses det med lämplig träpropp i storändan, varpå det med fil arbetas ner till en jämn, glatt spets. Dylika horn, splitshorn, voro vanliga förr och värderades högt. Mörkt oxhorn eller buffelhorn är starkare än det ljusa. Stora märlprimar, 4 tum och mera i storändan, kallas tersar. De användas av segelmakare för att driva ut löddror vid insättning av kauser i dessa.

Fid. Strong wood or metal pin passing horizontally through heel of an upper mast and resting on trestle tree of mast below. 2. Large and conical piece of wood used for opening strands of large rope. Often has broad base so that it can stand vertically when rope is worked over its point.

Fid. (1) A large pin inserted into a hole in a mast, in order to align it with a similar hole in another mast. This is a process necessitated in the construction of masts which consist of several sections. The upper section is slid up through a cap on the top of the lower section, until the hole at the bottom of the upper section becomes aligned with the hole at the top of the lower section. As soon as the holes are aligned, the fid is slid into place. (2) A much smaller pin than (1) above, used for prying apart the strands of a rope to be spliced.

FID. A square bar of wood or iron, with a shoulder at one end, used to support the weight of the top-mast when erected at the head of the lower mast, by passing through a mortise or hole at the lower end of the former, and resting its ends on the trestle-trees, which are sustained by the head of the latter; the fid, therefore, must be withdrawn every time the mast is lowered; the topgallant-mast is retained at the head of the top-mast in the same manner. There is also a patent screw fid, which can be removed after hauling taut the mast rope, without having first to lift the mast. (See MAST.) A fid is also a conical pin of hard wood, of any size from 10 inches downwards, tapering to a point, used to open the strands of a rope in splicing: of these some are large, for splicing cables, and some small, for the bolt-ropes of sails, &c. Fid is improperly applied to metal of the same shape; they are then termed marling-spikes (called stabbers by sail-makers—which see). Also, the piece of oakum with which the vent of a gun is plugged. Some call it the vent-plug (which see). Also, colloquially used for a quid or chew of tobacco, or a small but thick piece of anything, as of meat in clumsy carving.

Fid. A block of wood or iron to support a topmast or topgallant mast by placing it through the fid hole in the heel of the mast and allowing it to rest on the trestle-trees. A conical-pointed piece of hard wood used as a marlinspike for splicing large ropes, opening the eyes of rigging, etc.