Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Two bight turks head knot paracord hat band...

This paracord boonie hat band has a single pass of a two bight turks head knot(2 bight 49 lead), with a doubled up 30 foot long length of paracord. It still looks similar to the last hat band project I tied, but with more crossings facing outward. There was just enough cord left, after one pass of the knot, to work the remaining paracord under the knots, around the hat one time. Any more cord, and it might get a bit bulky.

I like the knot with the open pattern as it is for a hat band. This also keeps the paracord more easily removable, if it's needed for something else, where a tightly worked knot may have a lot of kinks in the cord, and take considerably longer to unravel.

Tying this is a bit awkward with the branch loops of the hat being sewn in place every inch or two, especially since you can't see the back side of the knot as you do the overs and unders to finish the knot.

It helps to imagine tying the knot around a long cylinder, and once the knot is tied, then bring the ends together at the back of the hat, except with the boonie hat branch loops, you're tying it directly onto the hat. Of course if you want to tie a two bight turks head hat band for a hat that doesn't have branch loops like a boonie hat, just tie one around a long cylinder first, so you have something like this paracord bracelet I tied a couple of years ago. That method would need the knot secured to the hat, and a couple of safety pins would probably work well. If tied on a boonie, the hat band would sit outside the branch loops, like this example...

This was the knot that I'd intended to tie last summer with a previous paracord hat band. At that time, I started making a two bight turks head knot, but after making the first couple of crossings, with the knot being done halfway, I finished with coiling the paracord around the hat, under the knots.

9 comments:

Da Curly Wolf said...

SD..you're back. Awesome. missed your posts the last little while. Like everyone else I suspect real life got in the way.

Dan said...

Yes Storm, to echo Da Curly Wolf, it's been to long since my last knot fix. Glad to see you back in the saddle! This paracord hat band is one of the more attractive styles I have come across. Very nicely done!

Stormdrane said...

Thanks all!

@Denear, the paracord two bight bracelet was shown in a Sept '09 post.

Sakamoto_Mio (aka Deth) said...

Greetings ~

Good to see you back ~ :)

I *like* this new design....

This may sound (redundant) but, is there a way (that) you can do a visual? (I guess) on the proper knotting of it, like you did with the previous one? ~ it always seems easier when I have a visual/instruct on these..

I also have a question, for a project that I am working on, I *think* I have the correct idea, I guess I just need the conformation...

Is there a way to contact you or do I just ask here?

Let me know...

~ Respects

Stormdrane said...

@Deth, There's really not a way to show the tying of the turks head knot on the boonie hat, because the branch loops are segmented/sewn in place. You cannot see the back side of the loops and have to know the knot, feeling with your fingers, where the cord goes over/under on the backside of those loops.

I just started the turns for the knot, once around each branch loop, as if I were tying it around a long cylinder/mandrel. Going from the center back of the hat, all the way around, then back for the first crossings, back again, then the final over/under sequence to finish the two bight turks head knot.

The ends of the knot could be kept separate, where the start and finish ends are on the back center of the hat, but I kind of overlapped them at the back on the one I made. I did not add a photo, since I believe it would have just confused folks as to where I started and finished the knot.

I can receive email at Stormdrane at hotmail dot com, and try to answer knotting questions if I can. If it's something I'm not sure about, I usually suggest trying the KHWW.net website forums, where there are knowledgeable knot tyers that are glad to help. :)

Unknown said...

Great site. Love your stuff. A bit of constructive criticism though: you have your leads and bights mixed up. Also, I can't see behind the band, but it looks like you may have more than 2 leads. Looking forward to your next post.

Tobbe said...

Nice work as always!

Anonymous said...

Love the stuff you do stormdrane.
Keep it up.

Home on the Range said...

Glad you are back!. That is a very nice touch on a basic hat. Well done!