First little project

[ksadz]

Hi. I'm trying to learn braiding and knots to eventually make my own rawhide horse gear. I almost gave it up a few times when I just couldn't figure out how to tie a basic turk's head with the books right in front of me! Something kept me going and I owe a big thanks to you guys on this board for all the information.

Anyways I finally made something...

It's an 8 strand braid with 4 bight gauchos for those little bands a 6 bight over the combined terminal knot of the braiding. Any suggestions and feedback are more than welcome. I plan to keep plugging away, learn some more knots and start playing with rawhide soon.

Hobbles, bosals, and romal reins are the ultimate goal. Gear for myself because it's so expensive to buy.

Thanks for lookin,

Kevin

[megabit]

Looks like you are off to a good start to me. Very nice first project. I know what you mean about a)gear is expensive b)learning the turkshead/pineapple being hard. I know it took me a long time and I almost tossed in the towel a few times. I have found working with paracord is good for learning the knots and prototyping things you want try.

Can't see anything to pick at on your bracelet. Lines are straight, shape of the knots look good. Very good job.

Mike

[ksadz]

Looks like you are off to a good start to me. Very nice first project. I know what you mean about a)gear is expensive b)learning the turkshead/pineapple being hard. I know it took me a long time and I almost tossed in the towel a few times. I have found working with paracord is good for learning the knots and prototyping things you want try.

Can't see anything to pick at on your bracelet. Lines are straight, shape of the knots look good. Very good job.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I'm not the brightest bulb with knot tying so the closest I've got to a pineapple is just staring blanking at the book. Will try learning it soon.

Just curious. Did you go straight from paracord to rawhide? I'm using the lace from tandy and hope the change to rawhide won't be too steep. I plan on getting a cutter soon to make string.

[megabit]

Yea, I pretty much just jumped from paracord to rawhide. Oh and by the way unless I am mistaken that is a 6 bight pineapple (herringbone interweave) on your project, so you are already doing them. ;D

Mike

[ksadz]

Yea, I pretty much just jumped from paracord to rawhide. Oh and by the way unless I am mistaken that is a 6 bight pineapple (herringbone interweave) on your project, so you are already doing them. ;D

Mike

huh? i learned it as a 6 bight 7 part turks head with a herringbone interweave as you said. so is pineapple another name for turk's head?

[jerryrwm]

Pineapple knots are basically a turks head with a turks head interweave. The basic 6 by 7 turks head is interwoven with a 6 by 5 turks head.

[entiendo]

What a lovely first project. Is that kangaroo? I might do that plaiting a little tighter and/or bevel the string. It's not as smooth as it could be...but that's just for future reference, it's a lovely piece.

I learned the names of the knots same what you do. I don't understand the difference between a pineapple and a herringbone. I just think of pineapples as longer.

[KnotHead]

Hi.

Well the end button knot you have there is a Pineapple Knot. Since you got 2 rows on your pineapple interweave you started with a 7part 6bight Turks Head. You do have a good start for sure. Way better than I ever did. As you learn more about the turks head knot, it will get easier. But remember, practice, practice and more practice... Don't give up, just step back for a bit and think on somethin else for a bit, or do somethin else for a bit and then come back to it. I have gotten so many good laughs out of myself, if I was paid for it, I'd be as rich as Billy Bob Gates... LOL...

Keep practicing and look for the gaps in the knots. You'll also learn a lot about quality roo hide. The best lace to braid with is roo lace that has been beveled at a 45 degree angle. I am still working on a braided dog leash. I keep plugin at it each day as much as possible. It'll get done one of these days.

Anyway, good job...

Brian...

[LBbyJ]

It has always confused me that there are the same braids and knots called by different names. An 8 strand square braid is a herringbone braid if done over a core but it is the same under 2, over 2 braid. The herringbone interweave knot is essentially the foundation knot for the pineapple knot much like the turks head is the foundation for the herringbone. I had a real love / hate relationship with my Bruce Grant books the first couple of years.

The main thing to learn on these knots is how to scale them up say from a 7 part / 6 bight to a 9 part / 8 bight. Then how the interweave creates parallel strings on one pass and then splits the pairs on the next while adding another parallel string.

Your doing some nice work, keep braiding and don't be shy to ask questions, John