Handspike

As hand spoke ( Low German: handspike or Handspoke ) is called in the IWT an octagonal, tapered, lever tools made ​​of hardwood. With a length of about 160 cm and a diameter of 6 to 14 cm it is like in the figurative sense, an oversized crowbar. Hand spoke is required for levering a shearing tree within a cargo space. Also in seafaring - here predominantly on whaling ships - the hand spoke to edit the harpooned and pulled on board whale was indispensable.

She served in doubt as a weapon. As in the inland waterways since the late 60's almost no more ships are built with shear trees, an end to the use of the hand spoke is however foreseeable.

The handspike is known there in similar form in the maritime sector, but as Spillspake. It was mainly made from ash wood and had the lower third of a four -edged profile. The remaining length slightly thinner, but rounded, the diameter was variable, about 8 to 12 cm. The thick part is inserted on sailing ships in the standing on the port capstan in openings provided. Depending on the size of the spills around six or more Spillspaken could be plugged. The sailors heaved in circles constantly around the spill to the Spillspaken and in this way the anchor was eingehievt. Spillspaken were still down in the 1950s on modern ships; they served there for some additional work as a lever or hoists.

In the literature, the hand spoke in various novels, among others, Karl May, CS Forester or Friedrich Gerstäcker (cf. the popular book, After America! ', Chapter 16, life on board ') found their immortal place.

• Inland waterways
• Marine equipment