On Monday, October 6, 2014 12:13:00 AM UTC-5, David Howard wrote:

In woodworking, a spline is a long (and perforce rigid) bar of material
used to join two grooved work pieces (essentially acting as a two-sided
"tongue"), running cross-grain and providing greater strength than a
simple butt joint by greatly increasing glue surface area. I suspect
the same sense exists in metalworking as well.

With that as a starting point, I find the woodworking use of "spline" here.
http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/re...tsWithSplines/
I wonder if the woodworkers know that a "spline" means a curved line?
http://autocadtips.files.wordpress.c...ader.jpg?w=640
http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2...886CB2A345.png

A spline, in caning chairs, etal., is a "reed" used to hold cane in place, as with pressed in cane. It's flexible, so it can be installed in/on straight and curved grooves/runs. A caning spline is usually seen, once installed, so it is part of the "decor" of the caned application.

Sonny