Members megabit Posted July 20, 2009 Members Report Posted July 20, 2009 Does anyone use something different than the Tandy Perma-lok one? If so what and where do you get them? Quote
HorsehairBraider Posted July 20, 2009 Report Posted July 20, 2009 Tandy also has the two-pronged needle which I've used on thin narrow leather lace, you need to trim the lace so it's thinner where you put the needle on so it will pull through OK. They work fine but wear out. Some people make their own out of a piece of aluminum drink can or tin can. I've done that too. Sometimes another thing I do is take some glue I know will dry hard and fast, and put in on the narrowed end of the lace. When it dries, it sort of makes its own needle. You still use a fid with this but it works great with some things. Quote They say princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his groom. - Ben Jonson http://www.beautiful-horses.com
Members megabit Posted July 20, 2009 Author Members Report Posted July 20, 2009 Some people make their own out of a piece of aluminum drink can or tin can. I've done that too. I may have to give that one a try. What do you do, just crimp them in? Sometimes another thing I do is take some glue I know will dry hard and fast, and put in on the narrowed end of the lace. When it dries, it sort of makes its own needle. You still use a fid with this but it works great with some things. Hey, that is a very good idea. One of the problems I have had is getting thin string to get a bite on the threads of the perma-lok ones. I can see where if I put some glue on the end and let it dry nice and stiff it might get more bite. Thanks for the good idea. Quote
Members rgerbitz Posted July 20, 2009 Members Report Posted July 20, 2009 http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/de...avlocation=left I use the 2 prong lacing needles and have tried the Lok eye needles. Either work just buy a bunch of them. You can go through them pretty quick. Rob Quote http://gerbitzquarterhorses.com/
Members Alan Bell Posted July 21, 2009 Members Report Posted July 21, 2009 I use the perma lok needles on TLF link that Rob sent. I file them to shape. I can get them just like I like them then. I have several different sizes I use depending on the size of the lace or the project at hand. I never had much luck with those lok eye needles. My perma loks are at least 5 yrs old now and that is because I have miss placed the older ones! The lace 'screws' into the needle and it stays there even on the last interweave! Vaya con Dios, Alan Quote
Members whinewine Posted July 21, 2009 Members Report Posted July 21, 2009 For thin lace I use the 2 pronged needles from tandy. I buy them by the hundred (they wear out with the prongs flattening & the quality is not as good as the ones we could get back in the '70s). On latigo & round lace, I use the permalok needles (used to be called life-eye needles). They last forever (if you don't misplace them). I have 1 small one that will fit thin lace, but i don't like it- it pushes the lacing slots too far apart IMO, so I use that with the round lacing only. russ Quote
HorsehairBraider Posted July 21, 2009 Report Posted July 21, 2009 @Megabit on the aluminum home made lacing needle: Take a can, cut it open and flatten, cut a piece that is twice the width of your lace at the base, and make it taper up two inches or so to a point. Then you just fold it in half over your lace. A little dab of glue will help the lace stay in place. One that I use is called "Aleene's Tacky Glue". It will adhere to metal and most other things, and dries fairly quickly. Sometimes these "needles" get crimped fairly tight and hold the lace OK without the glue, but sometimes I really give it a tug, so prefer to cover my bets with a little glue. The perma-lok ones are nice and everything, but I don't like their shape... round. Alan Bell's idea of filing them might fix that. I'll have to try it! Quote They say princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his groom. - Ben Jonson http://www.beautiful-horses.com
Members megabit Posted July 21, 2009 Author Members Report Posted July 21, 2009 The perma-lok ones are nice and everything, but I don't like their shape... round. Alan Bell's idea of filing them might fix that. I'll have to try it! The small ones have a flat tip sorta a duck bill. I have hammered one of the bigger ones and then cleaned it up with a file and that helped. I think I may have to try the tin can deal. Quote
Ambassador pete Posted July 21, 2009 Ambassador Report Posted July 21, 2009 taper the tip of your lace. Screw it in all the way- remove and cut the tip of the lace to where the threads start to show. Then screw it in again- it won't come out and no glue needed. pete Quote
Members Alan Bell Posted July 22, 2009 Members Report Posted July 22, 2009 Russ, there is nothing that says you can't thin the shape of the needle if it is pushing the strings to far apart for your liking. Get out a file and shape it the way you like it. If you screw it up they are cheap enough to get another. I also put a little bend in them so they go under and up and they come out easier without moving the strings so much AND make sure you try and re position any moved strings as you go along. It is much easier to do it right after they have been moved than later. I guess it's like Kirk reprogramming the computer to defeat the Kobayashi Maru test at Star Fleet Academy! Live Long and Prosper, Alan Quote
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