Splicing???
 

I must be doing something very wrong, but I can't figure out what. I'm using a splicing wand and the instructions from Brion's video on double braid splicing. I'm having good luck with Samson XLS but no luck at all with Sta Set. 3 attempts in 3/8" new and one attempt in 5/16" slightly used have all failed with the same issue. The cover doesn't have enough slack to run all the way home. I end up with 1 - 2" that will not bury. It does not seem to be a problem with a sloppy crossover.

Can anyone help me pull my head out?? I'd really appreciate it!

Quality
 

Hi there,
The biggest difference between the two brands, in my experience is that New England's is tougher, and therefore tougher to splice. So you have to get everything exactly right, including tail length, mark locations, and especially tapers. What taper are you using on the cover tail? Let's look at the details, and find out how to get that splice home.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Taper as directed on the video
 

Hi Brion,

I'm using the instructions from the DVD. I believe that my measurements and taper are as you specified. I just tried again on a piece of 1 year old Sta Set 5/16" that's never been used. Same results - about 1 1/2" from home. It does seem as though the trouble starts about where the cover taper ends. I'm starting the cover taper about 3 diameters from the point where the core enters the cover, then doing 6 yarns at each tracer from there on. I'm only tapering the last 8 diameters of the core. Is that correct? It also feels like I've run out of slack in the cover, however that's only a guess.

Aha!
 

Hello again,
6 to 8 yarns is what I said in the video, and since we made it I've upped that to 9 at each point; destruction tests showed that a splice tapered this way was at least as strong as one with fewer yarns pulled, and it was easier to run home. But still, it's unlikely to be the sole, or even the primary problem for you.
One other possible contributing factor is slack in the eye of the cover. As you run the splice home it is very easy for this to happen, and you need to get it out repeatedly as the splice goes home. Otherwise the core that has been dragged into the standing part (creating that slack) takes up room that the splice needs. So, is there any slack in the eye?
Finally, be sure to flex the spliced section smartly as things get sticky. Your can also pound that section with a wooden mallet to loosen the fibers.
Your other taper details sound right -- though I don't recall how far I said to bury the core. 14 diameters is right, and that's about 4 tracer lengths.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss