tap tap tap...

[megabit]

is this thing on?

Boy it sure has be quit on here of late. I've been working on a rawhide quirt and nearly have it done. I've already cut two buttons off and redid them, but I am thinking of cutting another one off too. The knot turned out ok, it is just a little to small for what I used it for and I think I will redo it as a 2 or 3 X pineapple vs a 1.

I'll see about getting some pics up after I get it done.

Mike

[rawhide1]

Mike

The only thing about spring and the great weather is I don't have time for any braiding. Right now I have a couple of projects in the works. But haven't touched them in a couple of weeks. I have a cow Buffalo hide stretched and dried and ready to be cut up. I have a buddie that has three horses for me to put down and skin out for some rawhide. And the list goes on. But I need to catch up on everything else around the place and it's almost haying time. It makes me want to sit on the porch and drink!

So I can't wait to see your quirt because as you said it's been kind of dead. Happy braiding!!

Mike

[KnotHead]

Yep I agree Mike. But something of good news actually. Now, I'm not a big TV News fan at all. But when I heard and saw this video, I had to watch it and stream it to my website. Here's the link, http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5028407n

CBS Sunday Morning News did the Vidcast. Somebody heard about knot tying.

Brian...

[megabit]

Very cool video KH. I enjoyed it.

[HorsehairBraider]

I've just been working... braiding of course, but you know, nothing special, just the stuff I always make, day in and day out. I'm about to start on a special project though, can't wait to see how that comes out.

Also, we're putting one of the fields in hay.

That was a great video! Wouldn't that be a fun thing to attend?!

[megabit]

I worked on the quirt last night, got the knot about 3/4 done and cut it off. I built up some ground work with a piece of latigo and tape at the end where the loop for the popper is. I was trying to put a 3 X pineapple there, but I let one side get to crowded. One end is fairly large and the other is maybe half the size, so getting a nice button might take me a few times. These knots are sure easier on a dowel.

On a plus note I am getting good at cutting things off without causing any collateral damage.

[megabit]

Here is the quirt I have been working on. I think I may add another long pineapple in the handle area still though. What do you guys think?

[rawhide1]

Mike

Not a bad looking quirt at all. IMO I think it would look better with one long knot at the top. And also one long knot at the bottom with maybe some smaller knots spaced along the body. Over all a nice little piece.

The main thing is your braiding and improving. Thanks for sharing !!!

Mike

[megabit]

Mike

Not a bad looking quirt at all. IMO I think it would look better with one long knot at the top. And also one long knot at the bottom with maybe some smaller knots spaced along the body. Over all a nice little piece.

The main thing is your braiding and improving. Thanks for sharing !!!

Mike

Thank you and I think your analysis is spot on. I tried a longer (3X) pineapple at the bottom and it got way to cramped on one side and spaced out on the other. I think part of the problem was that the diameter was way different at each end and I don't yet have the skills to deal with that. So I retied the single X pineapple and put the gauchos around it as a compromise. This is my largest project to date and I am happy with it overall. I still see lots of room for improvement though.

Mike

[HorsehairBraider]

Nice, Mike! It's coming along. Looks like you got that knot on the handle end to close up real nice on top.

What's your next project?

[millwright]

Nice quirt Mike! What did you use for a core? Did you taper your strings that you used on the body? How long did you make the core? Is the handle a long cowboy knot? How'd you go about putting the wrist loop on?

I have a couple of cores twisted and dried and ready for strings, but my string cutting, braiding, and knot tying all are lacking.

Thanks for posting the picture, your quirt looks fine!

[CharlieR]

Mike--good looking quirt. I hope I can do that well one day. It would sure be nice if someone made a tutorial on quirts. Mr Bell did a super one on bosals--one on quirts would really be helpful also.

[megabit]

Nice quirt Mike! What did you use for a core? Did you taper your strings that you used on the body? How long did you make the core? Is the handle a long cowboy knot? How'd you go about putting the wrist loop on?

I have a couple of cores twisted and dried and ready for strings, but my string cutting, braiding, and knot tying all are lacking.

Thanks for posting the picture, your quirt looks fine!

Nope didn't taper the strings. I think the core was about 15". I made that core out of scraps of rawhide that I wrapped in twine and hung to dry with a weight tied to the bottom. It dried way longer than needed like a month or two. I took the twine off and wrapped it in floral tape before I started to braid.

The handle is a long pineapple, can't recall if it was 2 or 3 X. I think it was 2 off hand.

The core was formed around a dowel to make a hole for the wrist loop. I tied a pinapple right over the end and the whole for the lanyard. After the knot was done a forced the dowel back into the hole to move the knot away from it. That seemed to work better than tying around the dowel (I tried both).