If your gonna splice your rigging go with Colligo. Dynex Dux is easy to splice never corrodes and is a fraction of the weight of wire....
http://www.colligomarine.com/
We rigged a 50' schooner with the stuff a few years back and it is holding up great. My buddy's doing a westsail 32 with it now.
Speaking of "dynex dux" here is a link to a current thread on another sailing site with photos and info about synthetic line for standing rigging.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227113
Check out the photos in reply #19.
The times they are a changin' (albeit slowly...)
LB