When faced with a splicing job where a fid won’t work I, like most innovative sailors, will reach for a cable tie, or bent wire and electrical tape to find a solution. The D Splicer fid offers a more professional approach in the form of four different-diameter wire needles with an interchangeable handle designed specifically for splicing narrow-diameter ropes; and it works.

Although recommended for ropes smaller than 4mm, the larger needles without the handle are man enough for bigger jobs, though undoubtedly this would bend them in time.

The needles are flexible, effective and simple to use – I did not bother with the handle most of the time as with small jobs there really is no need and I can’t imagine I would bother to change it over. However, the handle design has been given some consideration – it is textured, a comfortable size to grip and has a rope hoop on the end, meaning that for those ‘harder to pull through’ jobs you have something to heave on and a lanyard point if working over the water.

The D-Splicer range also includes a pair of high carbon stainless steel scissors (sold separately for £34.99) which slice through 6mm Dyneema in one clean action, but anything over 10mm requires a bit of ‘chewing’ and the handles start to flex.

Perhaps unintentionally, this Dutch company has created a very handy universal tool, coming in very useful for all manner of hook and grab jobs – including fishing mousing lines out of masts or wires from cable trays. Personally, I found the handle a little superfluous so might not chose to buy the whole kit but would, without a doubt, include one of the single replacement needles (£5.50) in my own tool box.