Sunday 28 February 2016

New Shop Items! A Beautiful Hand Braided, Knife, Tool, Wallet or Key Lanyard

How Do All ;-)

I have just added a new item to my Etsy Store

This is a Beautiful hand braided, Knife, Tool, Wallet or Key Lanyard.
Made in Red, 2mm, 16 plait polyester with a small blue fleck in the pattern.
Please see my Etsy Listing. for more pictures and details.


(I can make this lanyard to order, in Red, Blue, Black Fluorescent Yellow or White (see my Dragonfly Brooch listings for actual colours). Also to any length or other custom requirement, please contact me with your request)

The knife, tool, wallet or keys are attached to the end loop with a short tail (loop of cord), made fast with a sheet bend and a doubled wall knot stopper (see pictures), alternatively you can attach whatever you have with split rings or by hitching the item directly to the bottom loop of the lanyard.

The buttoned end can be attached to your belt, belt loops, bag, anything with D-Rings and so on, the uses are only limited by your imagination.

The lanyard is made up from an 8 strand square sinnet, with a 4 strand round sinnet loop in one end, the other end has a button hole braided with two, 4 strand round sinnets, and finished off with a complex rose sinnet knot button.
The button is impregnated with a water proof coating to stiffen the button and make it more durable in long term use.

The total length of the lanyard is 700mm (not including Knife)

A knife / tool lanyard would have been used by a rigger, sailor or any craftsman working at height to attach their tools to their harness, belt, tool bag or other object to save loosing the tool should it be dropped, also possible saving injury or damage to persons and property below.

**Please note: the Dragon Fly Brooch, Leatherman tool, Wallet and keys pictured with this lanyard are not included with this sale, however if you like to buy the matching Dragonfly Brooch you can find it in my store.**

The same design in Blue cord. For more pictures please see here:

Thank you for looking,
Barry ;-)

Friday 26 February 2016

Knotty Bear getting all Knotty again!

How Do All ;-)

So, it's been a while since I did anything new on the knotting front, and when I get the urge to tie something I don't hold back!
I decided to tie a long pineapple knot with a varied pattern, just to make sure I was still on top of my game.

Below is a picture the finished Pineapple Knot being examined by Buddha.
I think he probably approves.


This is a 90 part x 48 bight, 6 Pass, Type 6 Pineapple Knot, with a varied interweave, tied over a beach combed fishing net float which I found on the beach near my old home town of Barrow-In-Furness

There are loops at each end formed from one long length of 10 strand trapezoidal braid U6, O2, spliced and stitched into a continuous strop.

There are two 12 part x 12 bight, 2 Pass, Type 2 Pineapple Knots sitting either side of the main knot, with a foundation of 8 bight, Single Strand Matthew Walker Knots.

All tied in 1.5mm line.

The braiding of the 10 strand trapezoidal braid in my braiding clamp.

The total length is 190 mm (7.5") x 45 mm (1.75") This would make one very large and very buoyant key fob for your boat keys, or a very nice light or fan pull handle, or the grip on a dirty bag, etc. etc..

The main Pineapple Knot is actually made up from 6 separate 15 part x 8 bight Turk's-Head knots, these are all interwoven into one single knotted covering. the fact this has a varied pattern makes it that much more special.

If you are a Knot Tyer and wish to try your hand at this interweave, or at least one very similar which is easily altered to make this interweave, bearing in mind you should be at least able to tie a standard multi pass Pineapple Knot, then please check out my help tutorial here: Pineapple Knot interweave tutorial. please note, this link will open a new window!

A close up of the finished Pineapple Knot, being examined by Buddha and in my hand for an idea of size

Thank you for looking,
Take care,
Barry ;-)