Misc Little Projects

[ljensen]

Here are several pictures of a couple of my latest little projects. I have just been working on my knot tying skills using rawhide lace that was already cut. The first couple pictures are of a shoo-fly that I made, just cause I always wanted one. I did notice though that the knot slides up and down on the horsehair, so I need to find a solution to that dilemma.

The picture below shows the progress with some scarf slides. They go from left to right with corresponding amount of practice.

After doing the middle one, I realized the reason for a beveler. So being low on greenbacks, I built a beveler out of a wooden dowel. The one on the right I was also experimenting with dying the strings with coffee grounds.

Since this is still in the early learning stages, I would appreciate any comments and constructive criticisms.

[KnotHead]

Hi and you're comin along really well with the knots.

But your bevel is on the wrong side of the string, or you have braided the knot with the wrong side of the string facing out.

Otherwise, the knots all look correctly tied. Great job.

Brian...

[ljensen]

Hi and you're comin along really well with the knots.

But your bevel is on the wrong side of the string, or you have braided the knot with the wrong side of the string facing out.

Otherwise, the knots all look correctly tied. Great job.

Brian...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that for rawhide the bevel was on the hair side (so looking at a imaginary section of lace, the width of the hair side would be less than the width of the flesh side).

One other note, my homemade beveler is not something that I would brag about, so the beveling on the strings were not as consistent as I would like. At least I have a starting point and can work up from here.

LJ

[KnotHead]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that for rawhide the bevel was on the hair side (so looking at a imaginary section of lace, the width of the hair side would be less than the width of the flesh side).

One other note, my homemade beveler is not something that I would brag about, so the beveling on the strings were not as consistent as I would like. At least I have a starting point and can work up from here.

LJ

Correct. I guess with the raw hide in the above photo the bevel looks to be inside out. Maybe it is my eyeballs.

Whatever bevel you can do that gets the job done works.

[ljensen]

Correct. I guess with the raw hide in the above photo the bevel looks to be inside out. Maybe it is my eyeballs.

Whatever bevel you can do that gets the job done works.

After looking at the pictures some more I can see where you were coming from. It was my first beveling attempt and it took more off the hair side than it should have.

[KnotHead]

Well I know from experience that beveling makes all the difference in the finished project. Even with a tool designed to bevel, the worker has to practice with that tool to get the bevels right and consistent. I know that one from experience also. I am still getting to know my tool that does exactly that. I am not all the way proficient with my tool yet, but I will be with some more time. Still you did a nice job on the knots. For instance take the chevrons in your knots, they are all straight and not twisted and off center.

I myself still have that problem when doing long Pineapple knots. But I found a new trick to that, when I tie my long ones now, I use bee's wax on the mandrel. Yep, I still use a mandrel for one reason. I like to watch my knots go together part by part and bight by bight. I have found with experience, that keeping the base turks head straight, the rest of the knot will be straight also. My braiding mentor has been tying and braiding for years. He can tie a pineapple straight and true on just about any object. I can only hope to be that good some day.

[8thsinner]

In response to your problem with the horse hair not gripping fully the leather knot, heres a little trick which I am surprised knot head didn't share...

Grouping for example 10-20 hair bunches all along the outer covering of horse hair, tie a crown/wall knot combination of any type you see fit, in the area which would be the centre of the leather knot. This will provide an anchor for the leather knot to grip around.

Crown and wall knots are easy to do, even a four strand one would work, but I suggest at least 8 strands.

Also if you search this forum for turks head finishing knot you will find some excellent information.

I am not someone who uses a beveler due to money constraints but I have found it easy to spilt leather using a hand made tool which has improved my own knot work tremendously. Though I have not worked directly with rawhide so not sure if that will help you.

[KnotHead]

I've never used horse hair before. So I could offer up any advice on that one. Sorry...

[ljensen]

I've never used horse hair before. So I could offer up any advice on that one. Sorry...

Thanks for the advice for all. I appreciate all the great insights and tips I get from this forum.

In response to your problem with the horse hair not gripping fully the leather knot, heres a little trick which I am surprised knot head didn't share...

Grouping for example 10-20 hair bunches all along the outer covering of horse hair, tie a crown/wall knot combination of any type you see fit, in the area which would be the centre of the leather knot. This will provide an anchor for the leather knot to grip around.

Crown and wall knots are easy to do, even a four strand one would work, but I suggest at least 8 strands.

Also if you search this forum for turks head finishing knot you will find some excellent information.

I am not someone who uses a beveler due to money constraints but I have found it easy to spilt leather using a hand made tool which has improved my own knot work tremendously. Though I have not worked directly with rawhide so not sure if that will help you.

I will have to try that. Thanks.

Edited February 19, 2010 by ljensen