kenneth Report post Posted March 20, 2009 Hello All, I am new to leatherworking. My past projects have been some knife pouches and sheaths on which I have done some edge braiding with good success. I am trying to get into more braiding ( knots, turks heads, and the like ) to add/expand my work. The problem is this ,I have Grants book on braiding, but to put it simply I dont get it !!!. So I am asking you good folks for any referances that might be easier for this redneck to understand. As mentioned earlier the edge braiding I have done has not been hard ( got a good book from the Tandy store with good pictures and instructions) and I dont guess the rest can be that hard provided you have good instructions. So Ladies and Gentlemen ..... I need some help. Thank ya'll kindly Kenneth. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted March 20, 2009 http://www.khww.net Has some very good tutorials on the knotts, I know they helped me. Once you start to get the hang of it Grant's book starts to make more sense. Good Luck and don't be afraid to ask specific questions here as everyone is willing to help. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted March 20, 2009 http://www.hought.com/brinsthp.html She has the best explanation I've ever found. Grants book isn't very good for explanations so don't be to hard on yourself. You will like it once you actually learn to braid. Lost of good ideas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawhider Report post Posted March 20, 2009 Try being a little more specific. What exactly are you having trouble with? Don't get discouraged. All I had to start was Grants book and some cows, and if I can learn from a book, anyone can! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenneth Report post Posted March 22, 2009 Thanks for the info and the kind words.My biggest problem is i need to take a deep breath and learn some patience . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 22, 2009 I got a couple of great books from Martin Combs website http://www.angelfire.com/ak/skateworld/index.html called Introduction To Turks Head Knots. That book has an abundance of illustrations and directions. That book was my 3rd book I bought from Martin. I ordered them with pay pal and they were on my door step within a week and not to mention Martin is a great knot tier to boot. He's a really cool dude and reliable and very helpful also. Another great book is one by Ron Edwards - Round Knots and Braids vol. 2... Now the books are located in Australia and it the cost is $80.00 USD for the spiral bound one and will take about a month or so to get to the USA. That book also has lots of illustrations and the way Ron has wrote the instructions is in a way down to earth, plain and simple English. With those two books you will have a very large knowledge base to work from. Another one that has caught my eye balls is http://www.knottool.com, another great resource to have in your collection. Don't pass this one up. The owner Don Burrhuss is a member of my website and has made a few really great books that you should just plain have on your book shelf. Tell Don that Brian sent you if you order any of his books online. Don is another down to earth kind of guy and ordering his books was reliable and timely delivery. Hope that this helps out a bit. Brian... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LAPat Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Despite alot of information from this site, trying to follow instructions on several sites and in books. I still can't braid a turkshead. I just don't understand any of the diagrams that I see and I don't understand the language of braiding. It is literally a foreign language to me. I figure I have a learning disablity in this regard. Personally I have decided I need to take a braiding class, but I don't think there is such a thing in Southern California. Anyway, don't feel alone. And good luck. Pat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawhide1 Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Pat Gail Hought lives in McKinleyville, California. I have no idea where that's at in relation to you but it might be a option. I know she does classes or did. She ain't cheap but nothing worth a dang in life is. Bryan Neubert lives in Alturas California I don't know where that's in relation to ya ethier but if it's close he might do some teaching for ya.Just a couple of ideas. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted March 23, 2009 ... I don't know where that's in relation to ya ethier but if it's close he might do some teaching for ya.Just a couple of ideas. Mike If LA Pat is from LA then Oregon is considerably closer to either than LA is (they are both Northern Cal). Pat, Stick with it and keep trying. Are you using leather, rawhide or string of some type to practice? Leather or rawhide can get very expensive if you still don't even know the knots you are trying to tie. I used mostly para cord for almost a year. Yes the Turk's Head takes some time to get the hang of. Just wait it gets more complicated once you start on pineapples and other interweaves, but you will get there. You might start with this turk's head as it is the simplest if you ask me http://www.troop54.com/knots/TurksHeadKnot/TurksHeadKnot.htm. (3part x 5 bight) From that one you are half way to a Spanish ring and you will start to get the hang of things. I wouldn't even try anything else until you can tie that one without looking at the instructions about as quick as you can move your hands. In other words just keep practicing that knot until you can tie it without really thinking about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LAPat Report post Posted March 24, 2009 Thanks for the encouragement you guys. I can braid a four plait strand in my sleep because it's how I make the dog toys, and I've done braided collars with four strands and no core, but can't do anything that requires weaving. I am thinking of either making a trip to a braiding instructor or trying a phone lesson! Someone at Tandy today told me that there might be a class in Fountain Valley soon. I'm going to check that out as well. Pat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted March 24, 2009 Someone at Tandy today told me that there might be a class in Fountain Valley soon. I'm going to check that out as well. Do you shop at the Fountain Valley Tandy? I stop in there every now and then, mostly when a friend in Huntington Beach has a poker game. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shoes Report post Posted April 28, 2009 Hello All, I am new to leatherworking. My past projects have been some knife pouches and sheaths on which I have done some edge braiding with good success. I am trying to get into more braiding ( knots, turks heads, and the like ) to add/expand my work. The problem is this ,I have Grants book on braiding, but to put it simply I dont get it !!!. So I am asking you good folks for any referances that might be easier for this redneck to understand. As mentioned earlier the edge braiding I have done has not been hard ( got a good book from the Tandy store with good pictures and instructions) and I dont guess the rest can be that hard provided you have good instructions.So Ladies and Gentlemen ..... I need some help. Thank ya'll kindly Kenneth. Kenneth, i struggled with Mr. Grants book for YEARS(insert tears of frustration here!) untill i found Tom Halls books on turks heads. it was like a light went on over my head! Toms way of showing the way you follow the knot is SO simple. i have NO idea where to find Toms books. a friend of Toms got them directly from him for me. perhaps someone here knows where to get them. i cant recommend them enough! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted April 28, 2009 Despite alot of information from this site, trying to follow instructions on several sites and in books. I still can't braid a turkshead. I just don't understand any of the diagrams that I see and I don't understand the language of braiding. It is literally a foreign language to me. I figure I have a learning disablity in this regard. Personally I have decided I need to take a braiding class, but I don't think there is such a thing in Southern California.Anyway, don't feel alone. And good luck. Pat I have a web page here that will I hope help you out Pat. The page is not all the way done yet, but should get your started with the lingo you're expressing to learn. Knotting Lingo For the Beginner Brian... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hedge Report post Posted April 28, 2009 Do you shop at the Fountain Valley Tandy? I stop in there every now and then, mostly when a friend in Huntington Beach has a poker game. Hey, megabit. Next time you stop in at the FV Tandy store, say hi to Rosie for me. I used to teach the braiding class at her shop. Hedge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted April 28, 2009 Hey, megabit. Next time you stop in at the FV Tandy store, say hi to Rosie for me. I used to teach the braiding class at her shop.Hedge Will do, but I don't get in there very often. I do recall them saying they used to have a braiding class, but not anymore. I guess it would be a long commute from the Dakotas. Man I am about tired of SoCal myself, just addicted to the paycheck. I would like to move to somewhere in ION(Id, Or, Nv), might actually be able to swing it in a year or so if I can get work to let me work remote. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hedge Report post Posted April 29, 2009 Will do, but I don't get in there very often. I do recall them saying they used to have a braiding class, but not anymore. I guess it would be a long commute from the Dakotas. Man I am about tired of SoCal myself, just addicted to the paycheck. I would like to move to somewhere in ION(Id, Or, Nv), might actually be able to swing it in a year or so if I can get work to let me work remote. Thanks. Yup, long commute alright. Retired early just to get out of the rat race there. Came back home where the deer and the antelope play, etc. (we won't talk about the winters). Sure has done wonders for me. No stress, horses to ride, lots of room for my dog, fresh air and quiet nights. Good luck to ya. I hope things work out the way you want. Hedge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
