TXAG

Going to build a couple of keychains next...this is all in preparation to work up to the lanyard... I've read quite a bit about foundations for knots...I figure I need something under my knots because they are very flat right now...need something to give them some dimension. I've read that some people use painters' tape...some use paracord...some use small strips of leather (sounds extremely tedious!)...what would be good for me to use for 1/8" wide roo lace for ring knots and small gaucho knots? I've already started on one...cut it out and stitched it together. Ready to add some knots now...and maybe some tooling/carving...not sure yet...

I have 20/15 vision corrected...I can shoot very, very well!!!

I saw a tv show a couple of months ago that showed a human leather-bound book from a museum...kind of creepy...I think it was on Mysteries at the Museum, in case you want to see if you can find a rerun...

I am not sure about your machine, but on mine I can buy a "leather foot" for it which is just a standard foot with the teeth ground off smoothly so it doesn't mark up the leather. Maybe they make one for yours or you can get an extra one and modify it that way.

Upload your pics to the gallery on here, then post a link directly to them and they'll show up.

Still cannot understand the video, so finished it a different way. Got sick of looking at my bracelet instead of wearing it.

Nevermind. I'll just keep watching the video until I get it.

.

Thanks, kytim... Ok, new question -- So I am using this video to make my terminal knots, but they weren't turning out how I thought they should... So I have been watching and rewatching that video (dozens of times now) and still cannot seem to get it right. I can do the initial crown, then the wall, then the next crown (all with no problems)...and the step after that is where I get stuck...where you go to tuck the strands back in. The way I am seeing in the video (it doesn't help that I don't speak spanish), it makes the strands just go over top of the ones that were already laid there from a previous step...like directly on top of them. Any ideas what's going on there? I am doing this with six strands and the video is for four, but the method shown should work fine with six strands, I think...or at least I don't see any reason why it wouldn't...

Actually, I think I was able to follow almost all of that! Thanks for sharing these tips...this kind of experience is very valuable to those of us starting out. I was stitching a project a while back and the awl kept getting pulled out of my awl handle. I had the collet tighted as tightly as I could, but...the leather won. I also found that it was easier to push the needle through with a palm...mine has a metal plate on it you can use to push the needle through with...and I did end up using pliers to pull it through the other side. I will keep your advice in mind on my next project...it sounds like the way you lace is different than how I learned and your way probably yields a better-looking end product due to the consistancy in each stitch (if done correctly). Thanks again for taking time to share this info with us...

Ashley Book of Knots. Pretty much "the" reference book of knots.

Found a great diagram for the Spanish ring knot on plate 161 of Grant's Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding. Yay...bracelet looks much more balanced with these knots added.

I'd be interested in hearing how you hand stitch the way the WWI Cav soldier taught you...

Yeah, I'm doomed now...haha...I really liked making star knots, multi-strand MW knots, etc., but it's neat to be able to make something you can wear. I have some rawhide on the way so I can try working with that too. The roo lace is really nice, but very expensive. I really need to look into making my own lace soon. I'm having trouble making Spanish ring knots with flat lace...the lace tends to want to stack on top of itself instead of sitting nicely next to other strands when I tie it. Any suggestions on that? I don't know if I'm just leaving too much slack when making it or what... The main body of the bracelet is a 6-plait...I made sure to roll it when I got it to the length I wanted. It helped even it out and quite a bit and made it smoother.

Yeah, you're going to need to buy it. It's copyrighted, so it's not going to be on the Internet. Many libraries have it available to borrow too.

I thought the ABOK has a big section on splices in it...

Here is what I did this weekend... I know there are a couple of errors...I will keep working on my knots. One thing I found is that when I do the three-pass gaucho knot (http://www.khww.net/...p?article_id=56), I end up with parallel strands in a couple of places every time...and not where they should be. I need to figure out what I'm doing that causes that. Or find another tutorial for the 3-pass gaucho that I can follow better as apparently I am having trouble with that one. Haven't figured out what I want to do with the ends on the terminal knots there...might add a couple of Spanish ring knots there...or try to tuck them into the braid...not sure yet... Thanks for the encouragement, Buck...

One thing I've found is if you get stuck, just put it down for a while. I got frustrated frequently and stopped and did other stuff for a while...then when I felt like it, I got back on it and sort of forced myself to sit there trying to understand as long as possible. The terminology got me too...I'd read O3, U2, etc. and never had "over" or "under" explained to me where it made sense. I mean, I knew it meant "over" and "under", but not specifically *which* ones. I finally found a couple of videos (for gaucho knots, IIRC) and it finally clicked once I actually saw what they were talking about. I also constructed a mandrel out of PVC pipe and some screws to help keep the bights in place...this helped a lot, at least for practicing...once I have the knot constructed, I can take it off, transfer it to something else and tighten it up.

I am starting out too...I already knew how to do flat and round 4, 6, and 8-plaits, but need help with the various turkshead knots. What I've found has been helpful is looking around on youtube to find video tutorials of what you want to do. I know you said you've tried that...I would keep at them as I've found some of them are junk and some are great. A video that works well for someone may not for someone else, so there may be some out there that will work for you...but it takes a lot of time to watch them and find (and bookmark) the ones that work for you. Also, searching around on the forum here should help a lot...that way, you can see what others have made and get ideas to incorporate into your projects. For books, there are many that were suggested by others here in my lanyard help thread inside the braiding forum here. A few I have are the Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant, Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding (same author), Gail Hought's books...the Ashley Book of Knots (expensive, but invaluable...many libraries have it available for you to check out if you don't want to buy it). Hope that helps...please check out my lanyard help thread as there are a lot of good resources in there also... Here is the link to that thread... http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=48990

Thanks for that...I will go check it out... I started doing a round 6-plait for my bracelet and found that the thickness of the two colors I was using was different enough to cause it not to come out smooth. That is a pain...so now I have to undo it and do the base 6-plait in all one color and then the knots in another... I may be able to do the knots in two colors, but I'm afraid they'll come out looking weird too due to the difference in thickness of the lace. I tried using a small nylon core to braid over...it smoothed it out a bit, but it is not smooth enough (for me). And before anyone says it, yes...I know...this is why everyone makes their own lace. (If you make your own lace, split it, bevel it, etc., you know it's done right and the thickness is uniform for all of it.) One day, I will make my own lace, but I'd like to build a couple of things first. Looks like I'll be starting over with the single-color 6-plait tonight. Thanks again...

<yawn>

So I managed to learn the three pass gaucho knot today...I uploaded pics to the gallery... Going to start on a bracelet tonight... If anyone can offer ideas for bases for the knots, please let me know...in the books I have, it recommends tape. I've also read to use a small piece of leather stitched into a ring, smooth side innermost...and I've read some use wire. I'd like some good bases for the gaucho knots I'll be putting on my bracelet...I read Spanish ring knots don't need them though...is that right?

So no one on here has any lace at all they'll sell me? Wow... I'd also be interested in other sources of good quality rawhide lace if there's no one on here that can/will sell me some. Thanks.

Hello... I have been learning how to plait (pretty much have that piece down) and tie decorative knots as a hobby and would like to buy some good 1/8" (+/-...maybe a size up and down from there too) rawhide lace to practice with and make some knots for a couple of small projects. I do eventually intend to obtain the tools to cut my own lace, but for now I am focusing on learning the knots. (For instance, I made myself a mandrel w/PVC and some screws last night and it has really helped quite a bit...) Cutting lace, I believe, is another great skill unto itself so I want to dedicate the appropriate time and effort to do it right later on. Please let me know what you have and price shipped via USPS First Class mail via PM...not looking for huge quantities at the moment. Thanks...

Ok, thanks...I will see if I can look it up. I think I finally found a video I can follow for at least one type of gaucho knot. Going to try to find some others... Thanks again...