Covering handles for crops and other items

[leatheroo]

drac, my heads still exploding over the turks head

[Drac]

*L* yeah, mine did too. several times. but I was having to figure it all out meself without a snazzy site like this. maybe I'll attempt a tutorial on how I do mine.

and BTW, I've gotten to the point where to do a flogger from start to finish takes me about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. that took me awhile though.

[broncobuster]

very nice tutorial. Im planning on doing a few things. got a biker party at a nudist camp lol so going to make some stuff like this. this campground not far away n they have a lot of this alternative stuff.(just speaking in mild way lol) my mouth is more expressive if I talk at ya in person lol. they are after me to come to all there events. most things dont bother me but im sure i could get a bit red at a couple of these events they hold. I know the owner. so Ill leave it at that lol. thanks again this is a new area of leatherwork for me. sort of :angel_not:

[The Major]

Drac,

Thanks for the tutorial. Good info.

[Spider]

Hey Drac, you read my mind. I was wondering and looking for a book on braiding handles. This seems like an easy but stylish way to do it. Very nice and thanks again.

[Drac]

thanks for the kind words on the tutorial. showing how I do these is much easier in person, I must say. glad i went in depth enough for everyone to understand.

spider

I'll post up pics of the other pattern templates I came up with in a couple of days so there's more handle braid choices.

[Drac]

so here's my templates for handle braids. thought I had one or two more figured out, but here's what I could find. they all use 1/2" wide strips except for the "button braid" which uses 3/4" wide AND 1/4" wide strips. with the "button braid" I usually use just 2 colors so the "buttons" really stand out, but it looks good with 3 colors also. have fun!

button braid

checkerboard

chaos braid

candycane

diamond or enclosed braid

multi-diamond

[Drac]

aaaaaand, here's how I do me turksheads.

things ya need. your handle with the base done and ready, lacing (I use about 7 1/2 feet of 3/16" wide lacing from tandy *item #55006-01*), small needle nose pliers, a fid (mine's an old screwdriver with the tip worn at angle. that comes in handy), gel super glue (more control with the gel type), lacing needle (I like the 2 prong ones) and scissors.

after you've cut your length of lacing, put your needle on one end and trim it at angle on both sides like this

put about 4 or 5 inches against the handle and hold it there, then loop the lacing around the base with the loop being across the top on the backside and crossing over your start on the front. the edge of the lace is usually against the edge of the base on the backside.

make another loop around the backside, crossing over the first loop in the back (I'm lefthanded so my loop goes to the right), then run it under the first strand on the front.

bring your strand around the back like you were doing another lop, but this time run it under the first strand before bring it back to the front.

*photo of backside*

now finish bringing the strand around to the front and go OVER the first strand, UNDER the second strand, and OVER the third strand.

at this point, I hold the piece up and make sure that the "V" that's now created is lined up to the center of the 3 loops in the back. if it's not, I take my fid and adjust the backside until everything's lined up. the previous picture was taken at a slight angle, but they lined up on the piece. that's a secret nobody else will tell ya. if they line up correctly, everything else is cake... mmmmmm... caaaake... *drool*

I find it helpful that as I'm making my loops over the edges to hold it there until I've gone under the next strand. when I go under a strand, I push the needle (before pulling all the way through) against the strand it's going to be right next to and pull through at a slight angle towards it too, sometimes using a finger or thumb to guide it and keep it there. also remember, turksheads are a self tightening knot. you don't have to pull real hard. just enough so your strands are a little snug and won't slide around unless you need to adjust them.

*CONTINUED*

[Drac]

keep going with the over one and under one (since that's the turkshead this tutorial is attempting to teach... and it's the only one I figured out ) until you get to this point. this point being you can only fit one more strand through. by now your turkshead should be tight enough and the strands close enough where you'll need to work your fid under a strand (from the opposite direction that the needle is coming in from) CAREFULLY. the is where that slight angle comes in handy on mine. you can also work the fid back and forth a bit if you need more room for the strand. once the needle is about halfway through you can also grab it with the needlenose pliers and work it back and forth a bit for extra room.

now you've made back around to your starting point. oh no! what to do! turn the page, true believers and find out! or look at the next picture and read the text.

pull the starting end fairly hard and cut it off as close as you can to the turkshead.

heeere's fiddy! I think the picture kinda speaks for itself, so on to the next one.

you guessed it!

*CONTINUED*

[Drac]

run your needle through right across the top of the strand you just cut.

pull it through until there's a loop about an inch to inch and half big from top to bottom.

now put a line of *look! down on the table! it's a bump! no, it's a lump! no! it's stuck to my hand!* super glue on the inside of the loop.

pull it through quickly before it dries...

tune in for the next post of how to make your head explode!