Tool handles

[megabit]

Very possible, I stopped when I ran out of room on the mandrel. I would need a larger diameter mandrel to go around anymore than I did.

Tonight I want to give the double gaucho of 2 or 3 passes a try with para cord. Seems like it would make a good handle cover for my flashlights and in a pinch would give you several feet of para cord you could pull off for other uses.

Mike

That's a cool looking knot, I've been practicing with it myself. I can't tell for sure, but it looks like maybe you need to go around one more time. Looks like some pairs still need split. Don't know correct me if I'm wrong.

Rob

[megabit]

Ok, didn't seem to like the 2mb file I just tried, so I shrank it a bit. Here is a double gaucho 2 pass I tied in para cord for my flashlight handle tonight.

Let me know what you think.

Mike

[Alan Bell]

Hey Mike, Rob was right you needed to finish the knot. You can get the knot tighter on the mandrel and there should not be any gaps between strands. You are developing a pattern and should try and correct it now. When tying knots and braiding there are so many knots and patterns and variations that it gets to be partially muscle memory so learning habits should start now. Even with the paracord your "v"s should be tighter and each leg of the v should be the same length. Look back at some of the other braiding in this post. You can go back and finish the knot on the mandrel if you can figure out where you left off before completing the knot, if you look just even with the top of the 3 on your mandrel there are two strands that are parallel running down from right to left that should have strand running up from right to left starting out between them. That is what I see in the picture. When you add the missing lace in your knot will be tighter but not too tight. You can go back and tighten a knot up by pulling the strand backwards and tightening as you go. It is great that you are trying different knots and using different materials to learn just make sure to not leave out he basics.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

If you're tumbling down from above, help the weak if you are strong!

Bob Marley - Trouble

[megabit]

Hey Mike, Rob was right you needed to finish the knot. ...

Alan,

Thanks for the feedback and the little nudge to work harder and pay closer attention to the details. I did put another lap on the 3 pass knot; still not sure it was right though. I untied it last night and will give it another go today at lunch. I'd say this stuff is harder than it looks but I always thought it looked plenty hard to begin with. When I first picked up Grant's book I couldn't make heads or tails of what he was trying to tell me, so I am progressing abate a bit slowly.

This site has been a great help and inspiration to keep pursuing learning this craft.

Mike

[Alan Bell]

Hey Mike, I think every braider should have a little box or something that they keep all those messed up knots and braids in. I was looking at mine and some of the stuff in there it is pretty obvious why I cut it off but there are some that are actually "not quite". There's a Cowboy poem about someone learning from their Dad the difference between a job well done and "not quite". I have a jar full of "not quite". Louis Ortega always said he took on very few students because he could hardly find anyone willing to cut up their work and start over if it was "not quite".

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

Propaganda spreading over my name, Say they want to bring another life to shame

Bob Marley - Bad Card

[Warren]

Well I've said this before and I'll say it again, I'm jealous and amazed by the braiding you guys do an I gotta learn to do this!

[Sidney Wood]

TwoCrow

So far as I can see the math involved in knot theory has nothing to do with braiding a knot.

However there are a couple of things that do help. They are some stuff "Tom Hall" covered in his book about turksheads.

I have covered the way I use them on my site at taylortel.net/stwood. (Just Google The Basic Turkshead for the url.)

The topic titled Run Lists lets you generate the path across a knot with any coding you want.

Sidney Wood

[rawhide1]

Hello all

Here is a little braiding fid I just got done for myself. Mike

[Hedge]

Here's a contribution to the thread.

Long cowboy with Herringbone weave using 'roo.

Gary

[Alan Bell]

Hey Gary that looks pretty good! You could probably add in an interweave where the handle gets wider and eliminate the gaps!

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

No more internal power struggle, we've come together to overcome our little trouble!

Bob Marley - Zimbabwe