Source For Bronze Thimbles

[John Stone]

Hello All,
I continue to practice the Liverpool splice with a modicum of success. Right now I am splicing SS 7x7 5/16." Each splice is a little better than the one before. Another half dozen splices and I should be able to produce a respectable splice. I have learned much and I have found the work very enjoyable.

My question: I have had little luck finding a source for 5/16" (8mm) bronze thimbles. The ones at Port Townsend Foundry are huge. Nearly 4" long--do they really need to be that big--and heavy? I am looking for something smaller. I found some at White Water Marine in NZ but they seem too small--1 3/4" long and not oval shaped (I have spliced around these but they just seem too small . . . it has to be hard on the wire. I need some that are "just right." How big they really need to be I don't know but somewhere between the two would seem about right . . . then again maybe I am mistaken and they really need to be 4" long.

I have a few SS 304 closed thimbles that I have practiced on and they seem like a good size to me. The wire bends around them fine. They are about 2 1/4" long and kind of oval shaped so they are wider than the normal open thimble of the same length.

Thanks.