Friday, October 05, 2012

Boot knife handle wrap with Gaucho knots...

This boot knife handle wrap was tied with a single continuous 17+ foot length of 1.4mm black nylon cord.

I first made a 5 lead 4 bight Turk's head knot at the handle guard end, made into a Gaucho knot, then ran the strand up the handle, through the lanyard hole, back down the other side, and around one bight of the TH knot.
 

From there I wrapped the cord up around the handle, going under/over the vertical strand on each side, up to the lanyard hole, then finishing with another Gaucho knot, trimming and tucking the start and end strands.

Here's a previous project link done on another of my boot knives a couple of years ago.  Gutted paracord might also work for this type of project, but you'd lose the fine detail that you get with the smaller diameter cord.  

If you prefer a better knife, there's always higher quality/priced blades with similar handle shapes that may work, like the Zero Tolerance Boot Knife, or some older Gerber models if you can find one.


And a couple more wraps done on Leeds mini pens, one with black 0.9mm cord with Gaucho knots on each end, coiled cord down the center length, with the other done in white 0.9mm cord, Gauchos tied on the ends and a long 4 bight Turk's head knot, doubled, in the center...

Also on my EDC keyring are a Brass Peanut Lighter, a Swiss+Tech Utilikey, and an Inova Microlight.







  


 

18 comments:

Tim from PDX said...

Again, you amaze the masses. Your work is always inspiring. Thanks for all your hard work and postings.

Anonymous said...

Stormdrane:

I seen this wrap the first time you did it on another knife, and I totally loved the way it turned out. This wrap with the Gaucho knots it's also outstanding. After seen this wrap again in your blog; I right of way went and start looking for something in my collection to see if I can replicate this wrap. Unfortunatelly I don't have anything that I can make this wrap, because all handles on my knives are either to round and curved, or they have deep grooves on the handles, but I'll find something one of this days. :-) Awesome work Stormdrane. Did you used a perma-lok needle to go over and under the middle strand? Maybe you only need it to use the needle at the very end of the wrap?? OUTSTANDING Job. As always! ;-)

Peace,
Manny.

Stormdrane said...

@Manny, Yes, those boot knives had a good shape and the lanyard hole to work with.

Handles with odd curves and finger grips can be awkward to wrap with many different patterns, but straight, round, oval, or flat shapes are much more accommodating.

I did use my small Perma Lok needle for the whole tying process from start to finish. :)

smet337 said...

Good Saturday to you Stormdrane,Absolutely beautiful work!!Everything that you do is so perfect and well thought out.I have been looking for a western Cutlery boot knife like the one you have done so many wraps on, but ones that I have found have been really abused.The Mtech that you are showing is in a great price range,will half to order me one.Have a question for you Stormdrane,I remember you dying some cord one time do you have any suggestions as to what kind to use ? I'am shooting for white to black.Have a great weekend!!Scot

Stormdrane said...

@Scot, I've just used Sharpies to color small amounts of cord, but there are dyes for natural and synthetic materials, like Rit Dye and Jacquard Acid Dyes.

I've not tried those myself, but just reading reviews on Google,and someone on KHWW.net mentioned using them too, they do work well if you follow the directions...

Anonymous said...

Hey. I read your blog, there are many beautiful and useful things. I'm new to weaving cord, can you advise me? How to wrap a dankung?

Dan said...

Oh wow SD, beautiful job as usual. Where were you when I was reviewing the TOPS HIT 5? Could have used your para cord skills on that one for sure! :)

Mike said...

Simply magnificent... your work is inspiring!

Anonymous said...

dankung anonymous; with permission of the blog owner. I like to express that dankungs come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Also, they are build with different materials, such as wood, steel, etc., etc., Assuming your dankung has room for some wrapping..... since you are starting out; I would recommend some wrapping with French Spiral Hitching, or Spiral Square Knotting. The square spiral hitching will also prepared you to be on your way of learning the Cobra Stitch if you don't know it allready. You can google the wrappings I mention and you'll get instructions on the net to learn them. If you can and decide to make the French Spiral Hitching for your dankung. I recommend for you to start first with a Constrictor Knot to then fallow with the French Spiral Hitching to then again end with a Constrictor Knot at the end of the spiral hitching to sinch the work on your dankung. I hope I make sense of this to you. If your dankung has loops on the body; keep in mind that once you hitch around them you will reduce the inner size of the loop and can make it difficult for you to stick your finger or fingers for a better grip on the dankung! Some of those loops on the dankung are designed for you to stick fingers on them for a better grip, and some people use them and some don't as they handle the dankung in use. You can use nylon cord, parachute cord, or any other cord you feel might be good for a good strong grip on your dankung. Hope these sudgestions work for you and help you. Adios y buena suerte!! Thankyou Stormdrane for letting me put my two cents on the subject. ;-)

Jeremy said...

Stormdrane,
Just wanted to say I Love your work, Great Job. Was wanting to know where you get the 1.4mm black cord. Thanks, Jeremy.

Stormdrane said...

@Jeremy, That cord came from ebay, the same seller as the cord in the 0.9mm link. It's also sold through mini blind supply sources.

The darker dyes don't take to the cord very well though, so it has a washed/worn look to it after working with it. I imagine the cord could be dyed for a stronger color, but haven't tried that myself...

smet337 said...

Howdy Stormdrane,I had to tie the gaucho knot off the handle first and then tightened it,then ran the cord like you said threw the lanyard hole and back up to a bight but when I did this even with not to much tension it wanted to pull the bight towards the hole?I tried to go around the handle to see how it was going to react and I'am seriously doing something wrong!!If this makes any sense to you can you please give me some advice.I noticed also that the gaucho does not look correct but I'am assuming that is because the handle is rectangle shaped.One last thing,how is it that you keep your middle cord on the handle so straight and tight to the gaucho.As always your the best and thank you so much for all your help!!Have a good one Scot

Stormdrane said...

@Scot, Make sure the crossings on 5 lead 4 bight TH knot are lined up before tying the Gaucho knot, and keep the bights evenly spaced around the handle before tightening.

The cord that goes up the handle, thru the lanyard hole and back down the the Gaucho knot should be a little loose, since you need slack to weave over/under around it, just don't pull it tight after going around one of the bights.

That center cord stays in place when I do the wrapping around the handle. If it is too loose when you wrap, you can go back and work the slack out afterwards to straighten it out, before tying the last Gaucho knot... ;)

Unknown said...

Stormdrane, the wraps all look great. For the pen with the long Turk's head, is that using a single strand of cord? I'm having trouble figuring out how you would do the coil on both ends of the Turk's head because doesn't the Turk's head end on the end where it started?

Stormdrane said...

@Andy, When using a single long strand, the working end of the Turk's head knot goes along side the start/standing end of the knot, then underneath the rest of the knot, so it comes out on the other side. Then tighten up and work the slack out of that knot.

From there the wraps/coils are done, then tie the next TH knot, and after doubling, the working end goes all the way under that knot, then tighten that one, and continue, etc... Hope that makes sense. ;)

A rubber band holds the start/standing end in place, and I move it up to hold the wraps in place as I work.

If you forget to run the working end under the TH knot before tightening, like I did the first time, you can just add in a new strand, secured under a bight of the last TH knot, then continue tying from there...

Unknown said...

Yes, that makes perfect sense and thank you for explaining it. The key part I was missing was sending the working end under before tightening the Turk's head.

Anonymous said...

Very nice stuff !

AndyJ said...

Stormdrane, Thanks very much for sharing this. since seeing this i have made one for myself and one for my nephew. I tried the Gancho and just a doubled up turks 5x4. I am testing with 7x6 and maybe a 9x8 single turks to see how those turn out.