Lanyard Help Requested, Please...

[megabit]

One way to deal with the difference in lace on the buttons is on a pineapple use the smaller lace for the interweave.

[bucksnort]

I usually am working with larger stuff & in the braid, a little difference in the string size isn't a big deal. For buttons, even a slight difference will throw the size off which makes it hard to match from button to button. Megabit has the best suggestion & this is another of those areas where it will get easier with experience. I still find myself going back & redoing buttons that don't match up. I think in the beginning, I would try a button pattern that doesn't require matching button to button as well. Your doing a good job of hanging in there, which is the key.

[bucksnort]

I ran across a site called "Bullwhip making with a box cutter" you might want to check out as well as a topic I posted here on how I bevel rawhide (same system works for leather). It is possible to do nice work with out expensive tools (it is harder & requires more practice, but is kind of rewarding). PeterT does super work & cuts his strings with a notched stick (check out somef his entries on this site). Splitting is probably the hardest & you can make a certain amount of adjustment by beveling to remove some of the bulk. Buck

[TXAG]

Here is what I did this weekend...

I know there are a couple of errors...I will keep working on my knots. One thing I found is that when I do the three-pass gaucho knot (http://www.khww.net/...p?article_id=56), I end up with parallel strands in a couple of places every time...and not where they should be. I need to figure out what I'm doing that causes that. Or find another tutorial for the 3-pass gaucho that I can follow better as apparently I am having trouble with that one.

Haven't figured out what I want to do with the ends on the terminal knots there...might add a couple of Spanish ring knots there...or try to tuck them into the braid...not sure yet...

Thanks for the encouragement, Buck...

Edited September 16, 2013 by TXAG

[bucksnort]

Looks good. Braiding is pretty nice. With the terminal knots take each strand over the one next to it & down, snug that up then take each strand around the one next to it & up thru the center of the knot. You'll end up with all the strings together in the center. you can cut them off even as a tassel or flush with the knot. The problem you have now is your hooked & there's no going back. Buck

[TXAG]

Yeah, I'm doomed now...haha...I really liked making star knots, multi-strand MW knots, etc., but it's neat to be able to make something you can wear. I have some rawhide on the way so I can try working with that too. The roo lace is really nice, but very expensive. I really need to look into making my own lace soon.

I'm having trouble making Spanish ring knots with flat lace...the lace tends to want to stack on top of itself instead of sitting nicely next to other strands when I tie it. Any suggestions on that? I don't know if I'm just leaving too much slack when making it or what...

The main body of the bracelet is a 6-plait...I made sure to roll it when I got it to the length I wanted. It helped even it out and quite a bit and made it smoother.

[megabit]

You got good advice on the terminal knots. One other thing I have done is braid out past the length I want and then push two strands through where I want it to end. You then use the four ends to make a 4 strand Spanish ring and cut off the excess.

You might want to practice the single pass gaucho until you can do it without the instructions based on 5x4, 7x6 or more. Then you can work on learning how to make the long turks head base knot to interweave into a gaucho. This stuff is really hard to do trying to follow step by step instructions (go look at some of my early post to see how I know that. ). Once you start understanding how to build up the knots by looking at where you are and can size them up or down things get easier. It just take sometime to get there.

Mike

[TXAG]

Found a great diagram for the Spanish ring knot on plate 161 of Grant's Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding. Yay...bracelet looks much more balanced with these knots added.

[bucksnort]

I think I know what the problem your having with the parallel strands is. I hope I can explain it so it makes sense. When you expand a 5x4 turkshead to a 7x6 you create parallels. This is the only case I can think of where you don't split pairs. Your next pass will go in between these & go opposite the strands on each side of it (under when they are over ect.). The same occurs if you expand the length of a TH. In both of these cases when you come to a parallel you go over or under 2(the parallels) just like the strand you are following. Once your base knot is the size you want, then you start the guacho & split your pairs. Hope that makes some sort of sense, if so you may want to consider therapy. Buck

[kytim]

Never give up!!

[TXAG]

Thanks, kytim...

Ok, new question -- So I am using this video to make my terminal knots, but they weren't turning out how I thought they should...

So I have been watching and rewatching that video (dozens of times now) and still cannot seem to get it right. I can do the initial crown, then the wall, then the next crown (all with no problems)...and the step after that is where I get stuck...where you go to tuck the strands back in. The way I am seeing in the video (it doesn't help that I don't speak spanish), it makes the strands just go over top of the ones that were already laid there from a previous step...like directly on top of them.

Any ideas what's going on there? I am doing this with six strands and the video is for four, but the method shown should work fine with six strands, I think...or at least I don't see any reason why it wouldn't...

Edited September 19, 2013 by TXAG

[megabit]

Yes, it should work about the same with 6 strands but it will make it a little harder. You could leave 2 strands in the middle and tie the ring with 4.

Have you seen this thread on the same topic http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=49349&hl=terminal#entry313523 ?

[TXAG]

.

Edited September 20, 2013 by TXAG

[megabit]

Isn't this what you are trying to get too

moto_0019.jpg by ss1442, on Flickr

It is the same knot as the video you posted.

[TXAG]

Nevermind. I'll just keep watching the video until I get it.

Edited September 20, 2013 by TXAG

[TXAG]

Still cannot understand the video, so finished it a different way. Got sick of looking at my bracelet instead of wearing it.

[TXAG]

Going to build a couple of keychains next...this is all in preparation to work up to the lanyard...

I've read quite a bit about foundations for knots...I figure I need something under my knots because they are very flat right now...need something to give them some dimension. I've read that some people use painters' tape...some use paracord...some use small strips of leather (sounds extremely tedious!)...what would be good for me to use for 1/8" wide roo lace for ring knots and small gaucho knots?

I've already started on one...cut it out and stitched it together. Ready to add some knots now...and maybe some tooling/carving...not sure yet...

Edited September 29, 2013 by TXAG

[megabit]

I generally use another knot under for a foundation. That 4 strand ring knot with two strands pushed through the braid works great for a foundation that isn't ever going to slide. I learned that trick from Nate Wald (http://www.natewald.com/). There is a thread on here somewhere where I show how to do it.

[TXAG]

If anyone's keeping track, I devoted the entire weekend to figuring out that terminal knot in the video I posted.

I succeeded.

Next will be further keychains...I am currently working on two: One is a folded over strap of horsehide that I've rounded the edges, sewn together, and am adding knots to it...

The other one I began working on is a round 8-plait which has a bronze trigger snap...I'm using burgundy and white roo lace and it makes a nice alternating color chevron pattern. I will be adding a "wear leather" to the looped over part and a gaucho knot of some type to hold it together also. The idea is the wear leather is where the keyring will sit when clipped to the wearer's pants and will keep the metal ring from wearing on the braided part.

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Off-topic -- Am I the only one that cannot use the "enter" key when using the Quick Reply feature? It's mighty inconvenient...I end up having to open Notepad, copy a few carriage returns, then paste them into here to get to the next line. Very annoying.

[TXAG]

Found an online copy of Introduction to Turks Head Knots today and learned how to tie the herringbone interweave...I really prefer the gaucho weave a lot more. Maybe I'll try a few other herringbone variations and see if I like those.

[TXAG]

Are there any good, easy to follow tutorials for how to add a second color interweave on these knots?? I've seen several with a chevron pattern , 'barber pole' patterns, etc. , but I cannot find any decent tutorials for how to do them...

[skyout]

Read it all but post# 12 hits on colors and has a link to a PK tutorial I made.

http://leatherworker...wtopic=26575=

Edited November 9, 2013 by skyout

[TXAG]

Thanks for the reply...tried to go to the link to the tutorial in post #12 on that page, but it just goes to the main webpage (http://myweb.tiscali...nvas/index.html). Tried going to the "tutorials and help" link and couldn't get any of them to load.

I found your link to your tutorial on here, but can't read it on my tablet...will try it from a computer later...

Edited November 10, 2013 by TXAG

[TXAG]

BTW, the extremely short duration we're allowed to edit posts is VERY annoying. If I'd been allowed to, I would've just edited my last post, but since I can't now, I have to post a NEW post and bump it to the top. Really efficient...

Skyout -- I found a diagram for a 9P x 8B 2-pass gaucho knot...would that work for the base to follow your tutorial?

Edited November 10, 2013 by TXAG

[skyout]

Weird, I can't find it here either. KHWW.net had it but their're in a rebuild mode and I can't find it there either.

You may have to resize it???

16 part x 16 bright 2 pass Type 1 Pineapple Knot

This is a grid that will fit on a toilet paper tube similar to many of the fine grids Pat Ducey made for us.

This one is from a base 9px8b Turks Head with a 7px8b interweave,

which gives 3 zigzags in the finished knot. I don't believe there is

a tutorial for this one yet. It will print out to fit a toilet paper tube like Pat Ducey's fine grids.

Print pattern, cut out close (this one just barely fits the TP tube from top to bottom), tape to TP tube,

fill tube with newspaper, use finish nails or T pins at top and bottom apexes (red dots),

and start the first line (doubled black & white) anywhere you like; I like starting at # 4 going up and left to # 8.

The second line (blue) I start at # 2 going up and left to # 5. Solid lines pass over and broken lines go under.

Thanks to Tim and John Allwine for the Grid Maker, this is such a cool tool.

Edited November 10, 2013 by skyout