Clothes Stops?

Question

Who can describe them and tell how they were used.
Hint: Old Tars should have no problem answering. Old Salts, maybe.

And if somebody cheats because like me, you've used them, you must also explain the subtle difference between an Old Tar and an Old Salt.

Answer 1

Clothes stops= a small diameter cord about 12 inches long with metal ends to keep the cord from fraying. This short cord was used to tie laundry to a clothes line or other convenient object for drying. Recruits were issued a length of clothes stops in boot camp instead of clothes pins. They stopped to be issued in 1973.

Tar is a slang term used for a sailor. So an Old Tar is an OLD sailor.
An Old Salt is an EXPERIENCED sailor (who may also be old).

Answer 2

This is from U.S. Navy Uniform Traditions and Origins.

Q. What is a clothes stop?
A. A clothes stop is a small diameter cord about 12 inches long with metal ends to keep the cord from fraying. This short cord was used to tie laundry to a clothes line or other convenient object for drying. Every recruit was issued a length of clothes stops in boot camp instead of clothes pins. They ceased to be issued in 1973.


Could you please explain the subtle difference between Old Tar and Old Salt. All I could find out was that they seem to be synonymous.

1 definition for Jack-tar

From WordNet (r) 2.0 :

Jack-tar
n : a man who serves as a sailor [syn: mariner, seaman, tar,
Jack, old salt, seafarer, gob, sea dog]

Old Salt (n)
a man who serves as a sailor
old salt Synonyms gob, Jack, Jack-tar, mariner, old salt,
sea dog, seafarer, seaman, tar.
http://www.wordthrill.com/define/old+salt/