Covering handles for crops and other items

[Ravenquille]

Turkshead! I'll let you decide what kind you want to use. Mine are always this one (the only one I figured out) and are made using 3/16" beveled lacing and the end is super glued when finished and tucked.

Drac,

Thanks so much for the pics and tutorial!

One question:

How do you make the Turks Head?

3/16th beveled lacing:.....but what do you do with it? How do you get it to look like your photo??

Ravenquille

[Drac]

you're very welcome! the tutorial for the turkshead starts on page 2.

[flyingcuda]

aaarrrggghhhh! i tried again...wanna rip it all apart and forget about it! there..done ranting. i can get the front to look good..but around the back is a mess! doesn't look good at all...i have no clue what i'm doing wrong, i am left handed but i only eat and write left handed...everything else is done right hand...i'm wondering if i am conflicting with myself..you know..left and right brain trying to dominate each other ...i'm sure my stubbourness won't let me give in yet...sorry..just needed to get that out of me.

[Drac]

as you're going along, rotate the handle around so that whatever part you're weaving is facing you.

[OTKentucky]

I have been trying for years to learn how to do a diamond braid...never quite learning how from the many braiding books that just can't quite explain how. Your pictures are great, I think I can finally do it now. Many thanks!!! )

Bill

[BlkDougal]

Using Drac's instructions, a few tips from The Better Build Bondage book and a few tips from a local craftsman, I managed to put together two floggers:

Tips I'd pass on to others

- Drac is absolutely spot on about braiding the Turks, make sure after three 'loops', that the front and back line up VERY well. Otherwise, the whole thing will be off. Small adjustments are possible.

- If you want to weight one end of the handle, I found that 5x 1/8oz egg type fishing sinkers hammered into a 2" deep, 5/16" hole works well. Seal the end with epoxy.

- The handle braid should be fairly tight, otherwise you get some slack when wielding the flogger and the leather may tear.

- It's fun, do it! You can make one in about a day when you have all the materials together, less time once you get more comfortable. The turks take me about an hour each now.

Cheers!

[WolfCoug]

2010 - Thanks to Drac! Great tutorials - This is turning out to be even more interesting and fun than expected. Bumped into this site just looking for leather braiding to enhance the toys and build a bullwhip - boyhood fantasy. Braided a few turks back in the 70s on various toys. Believe it or not, I went to the Boy Scout handbook for a refresher. Sidney Woods over on KHWW really made my head explode anticipating all the Parts x Bights. Recently made a few quickie leather items for playtime but nothing this nice. Time to step it up a notch and make something that looks as good as it feels.

[WolfCoug]

Drac,

Your tutorial is great! The handle in the tutorial does not look like your tutorial handle. Do you also have a more elaborate style? BTW - this thread was the best read so far. I was planning to build a turks mandle tonight but you are more interesting.

[Drac]

wolfcoug

glad you enjoyed the tutorial and are inspired by it. the reason the handle I used for the turkshead tutorial section looks different from the handle braid tutorial section is that it's braided stainless steel instead of leather. other than the stainless steel and some stitched and laced ones, all the styles I do on a regular basis are pictured on page 2 as templates. there are examples of the others on me myspace page if ya wanna see those.

[Drac]

just posting this post so peeps will look and get the views on this topic to 10,000 on me birthday.