It absorbs the linseed oil or other lubricant with which the rope should periodically be dressed, so that as the rope is stretched or flexed the oil is squeezed between the wires, thus lubricating them and reducing the friction between them.
Iphelisa i-oyile okanye ezinye izithambisi ezenza intambo ihlale nawo onke amaxesha isebenza ngokokuko ukuze xa intambo itsaleka phakathi koxinezelelo.