Sometimes, it's the simplest things.

[Beehive]

Here's a keyring dohicky I recently made.  Needed something to help me from losing my keys.

I don't get it. It's just a braided latigo strap from Tractor Supply Company. It sure does catch people's eyes. I get lots of compliments. This was a 15min project. End nippers and a ring.

 

 

 

 

 

[Johanna]

I have a fob for the car I drive, but this ring of keys lives in my purse. When it was smaller and had my car key I let the braided tail hang out of my pocket to grab it quickly. People noticed it all the time and wanted one, too. Now it’s a 35 year old piece of braided goatskin hidden next to my tissues and epi pen. 🤣 The little things do make a difference. 

[Beehive]

Here's some red Horween. Didn't want to waste a dollar coin. This is going on the household Bic lighter I use to light the lanterns on the patio. 

 

 

[SUP]

@Beehive I have never done braiding although I always mean to. On your keyring dohicky, the symmetry appeals to my OCD brain. What type of braiding is that?

[Beehive]

9 minutes ago, SUP said:

@Beehive I have never done braiding although I always mean to. On your keyring dohicky, the symmetry appeals to my OCD brain. What type of braiding is that?

 

I don't know the name. It's basically cutting slots in a strap and braiding the rear strap through the front. I used 3/4" wide end nippers from harbor freight to cut the slots. 10" end nippers (?). This is Horween cavalier in 4.5/5oz cut at 3/4", using a regular old strap cutter. Works pretty good on chrome. At least on 5 ounce Horween. 

On the dollar coin. That's James Madison. 

 

 

Edited March 8 by Beehive

[Beehive]

It's final destination.  Gotta have some art in your life. 

Even if it's the simple things. 

 

 

 

 

 

[SUP]

7 minutes ago, Beehive said:

Gotta have some art in your life.

Very true. No reason why even the simplest things cannot be artistic and pleasing. It adds color and pleasure to life.

I'm going to try and make that. Thank you for explaining how you made it.

Edited March 8 by SUP

[bruce johnson]

3 hours ago, SUP said:

@Beehive I have never done braiding although I always mean to. On your keyring dohicky, the symmetry appeals to my OCD brain. What type of braiding is that?

The braid is called a bleed knot

[Beehive]

15 minutes ago, bruce johnson said:

The braid is called a bleed knot

 

Thank You. I can see that as a proper name for it.

 

Blood knot.

[bruce johnson]

This is a quick and dirty demo I did for bleeding ties on zipper tabs. Normally I would saddle soap and slick the leather first.  I tap the braid after finished to set and flatten it a bit. Did a lot of these ties on zippers for motorcycle jackets and pockets on jackets. Easy to grab with gloves and the ties don’t turn on the tabs. I did them after that on most everything with a zipper to dress them up. Sometimes matching, sometimes contrasting 

[fredk]

Warning; thread drift; we used to call that a 'spliced knot'.   A 'blood knot' was also called a 'slip knot', 'fishermans knot' or 'Archers knot' - it was made* by turning round or thru the item, 3 to 7 twists of the tail round the main part and the tail end fed thru the loop by the item and the last twist (afair), then pulled tight. Its could be easily loosened. I was told by a St.John paramedic that it was called a 'blood knot' as it was used as a tourniquet knot, and could be loosened and re-tightened quickly

* its so long since I've tied it I probably have it wrong

 

Edited March 8 by fredk

[chuck123wapati]

Things to do with scraps and waste pieces !!

[AlZilla]

15 hours ago, Beehive said:

 

Thank You. I can see that as a proper name for it.

 

Blood knot.

Interesting. Do you see where you went bleed knot / blood knot?

I think leather crafting has been around so long and practiced in such widely spread out places that we'll never really have an authoritative list of terms.

[SUP]

Thank you @bruce johnson for that detailed explanation with photographs. 

Blood knot, spliced knot, slip knot, fisherman's knot, archer's knot.. so many names for one knot.. around the world I guess.

Just a though, it would be fun if  someone who knows knots and makes them, made a list of the different names for knots and put it up on this site. I have not made knots at all, else would have done so.

If photographs were put up as well, people from all over the world could add the names used in their specific areas.

 

[bruce johnson]

we can add slit braid and snake braid to the list of names I have heard it called also.  

[SUP]

I just saw it called a 'love knot' on Etsy, presumably because it looks like little hearts.

[Beehive]

It does look like hearts. I didn't plan to make a red one. I can see the color making the shapes pop out. 

[NatesLeatherGds]

My daily wear. Latigo. Beat to heck. Simple and never get tired of it. 

[SUP]

On 3/8/2025 at 10:46 AM, fredk said:

Warning; thread drift

That is the fun of it all, isn't it?🙂 Learn so much more that way!