lacing needles?

[whinewine]

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

Alan:

for the thin lace, I've always used the 2 prongers (curses & all when the lace pulls out)- I'm used to them, with all their faults & I just don't like the small life-eyes for the thin lace. The small permaloks (life-eyes) are great for the round lace & that's what I use them for.

russ

[KnotHead]

Yep. I like the I-Lok ones for doing casa knots. I buy both I-Lok and 2 Prong by the 100 pak.

[megabit]

Those that use the Perma Lok ones, do you have trouble with the small ones getting plugged up? Like if you end up breaking the lace in them or pulling it out and leaving a bit behind. If you do do you have anything better than trying to pick the stuff out with a small sewing needle?

[HorsehairBraider]

Those that use the Perma Lok ones, do you have trouble with the small ones getting plugged up? Like if you end up breaking the lace in them or pulling it out and leaving a bit behind. If you do do you have anything better than trying to pick the stuff out with a small sewing needle?

Stab something fairly thick in there, right in to the center of the leather, and unscrew it. That usually works pretty good.

[Crystal]

Those that use the Perma Lok ones, do you have trouble with the small ones getting plugged up? Like if you end up breaking the lace in them or pulling it out and leaving a bit behind. If you do do you have anything better than trying to pick the stuff out with a small sewing needle?

I think I heard someone say to burn out whatever is stuck. Never tried it though.

Crystal

[Johanna]

Yep. Hold the needle with pliers (it will get pretty hot) and use a lighter to burn out any leather stuck inside. It will smell bad, and you will know when it's out.

I like the life eyes (permaloks) the best. I sharpen them and they glide through the leather. I do not like the hook needles because they tear up my fingers and bend too easily. For a beginner, they might be easier to use because they are flat on the end, and the lace is easier to keep untwisted. But if you follow the "never let go of your needle" rule, you can lace quickly with the permalocks (sorry, but to me they will always be "life eyes!).

If lace breaking off in the needle is more than an every once in awhile blue moon type of thing, consider that the quality of lace you are using isn't good. Pull on a piece. It shouldn't break unless it is dryrotted or you are applying tension right on a splice. Kanga lace will strech more than calf and is less prone to breaking unexpectedly.

Johanna

[McJeep]

Yup, was just gonna mention that - burn it good and then just swirl the remaining ashes around with small needle up inside - works like a charm (says this ham fisted, impatient, pulls too hard on stuff newbie ;0)

apparently it took me almost 5 minutes to type this as Jo's reply wasn't up when I did ;0)

I use permalocks when I can but for real tight edge braiding I tend to use the pronged ones as they leave the braid less disturbed when going back through stitches and I can bend them when necessary for basket weave - I like my braids tight tight tight ;0) That and they are easier to grab with my pliers ;0)

Edited July 24, 2009 by McJeep

[megabit]

If lace breaking off in the needle is more than an every once in awhile blue moon type of thing, consider that the quality of lace you are using isn't good. Pull on a piece. It shouldn't break unless it is dryrotted or you are applying tension right on a splice. Kanga lace will strech more than calf and is less prone to breaking unexpectedly.

Johanna

I mostly have trouble with it breaking off using the small needles with thin rawhide that is tapered down to fit in the needle. Don't have trouble with the larger needles generally, but then again I hardly ever use the larger ones anymore.

I must say I like the burn it out idea. By far the thing that impacts the permalok needles useful life is me loosing them.

[megabit]

Ok, I am using a bit of everybody's ideas. I filed down and polished one of my 1/8 - 1/4 sized permalok needles and it works much better now. I have a 3/32 - 1/8 one that I think the threads are fubar on that I have been super glueing lace into. I just got a shipment of a handfull of the 3/32 - 1/8 and 10 of the lok eye ones.

The lok eye ones seem to work fairly good for small lace.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Mike

[whinewine]

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 some small ones that will fit thin lace, but i don't like them- they push the lacing slots too far apart IMO, so I use those with the round lacing only.

russ

Ok, an update on needle use (& not for my arms, either)...

I just put together the old tiffany lamp kit from the '70s that I got from Timd (Thank you, Tim!). I used my usual flat lacing needles to assemble the first & second sets of panels, but when I needed to lace 2 sets of completed panels to each other, I thought I'd try the small permaloks, and boy, was I impressed! They are great for things with round holes, but I still won't use them for things that have lacing slits, as I still think they spread the leather too far apart for my liking (& I won't shave them down, either).

So it's true- you CAN teach an old goat new tricks!

russ