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Braiding a Key Fob |
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Many times a special occasion comes along
where a small personal gift is needed. I have found a key fob
with braided knots is personal and unique to the person receiving
the gift. The upcoming articles will focus on braiding knots
that will help to adorn a key fob. All of the knots are necessary
knowledge in order to braid more complex projects such as romal
reins, hobbles, reatas, headstalls and bosals. |
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Below is the button identification
for the above 3 key fobs |
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The knots on Key Fob A, top to bottom,
are as follows: 6 Bight Turk's Head with the gaucho interweave,
the 2 Pass Spanish Ring Knot and the 6 Bight Turk's Head with
the herringbone interweave. |
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The knots on Key Fob B, top to bottom,
are as follows: 6 Bight Turk's Head with the gaucho interweave,
the 2 Pass Spanish Ring Knot, long pineapple button with herringbone
Interweave (6 bight), the 2 Pass Spanish Ring Knot, and the 6
Bight Turk's Head with the gaucho interweave. |
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The knots on Key Fob C, top to bottom,
are as follows: 6 Bight Turk's Head with the herringbone interweave,
the 2 Pass Spanish Ring Knot and long pineapple button with herringbone
Interweave (6 bight). |
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The links below include instruction for the
2 Pass Spanish Ring Knot and the 6 bight Turk's head with the
herringbone interweave. Instructions for the 6 bight Turk's head
with the gaucho interweave are in The
Art of Braiding The Basics - Second Revised Ed. pages 34-36
& 40-42. The long pinapple button with herringbone interweave
is The Art of Braiding
The Basics - Second Revised Ed. pages 43-52. |
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You will practice braiding the knots on a
mandrel or dowel 1/2” in diameter by about 15” long.
Please note: once your braiding skills are progressing,
all knots should be braided on the item itself. Divide the mandrel
into 4 sections, as in illustration 1. |
1. |
MandrelI illustration
Hint: color each section differently, as a point of reference.
A – blue
B – green
C – red
D – yellow |
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The tools you will be using are a fid, bone
folder and a pounding stick. The fid, illustration
2, is used as an extension of the hand to make division between
strings that enables the passage of the working string. The pounding
stick, illustration 3, is made from a smoothly sanded
hammer handle and is used to roll, pound, rub, shape and smooth
the completed knot. Use a smooth surface to pound on such as
another board or table. The bone folder, illustration
4, is used to burnish between buttons which cleans the edges
and gives each button added definition once the knot is completed.
The terms buttons and knots will be used interchangeably and
the illustrations are not drawn to scale. |
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3.  |
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Fob information:
the ring is 1” in diameter and the finished, folded length
of the 6 - 7 oz. leather is 3” long. Use a strap 5/8”
wide by 6” long, folded in half and glued. The edges of
the completed fob should be edged, dyed and burnished before
you begin braiding, as seen in illustration 5. |
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Illustration 6
is more custom. It shows a slight taper in the center giving
a little more look and feel to the fob.
Illustration 7 is the completed fob, sewn and finished. |
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The practice piece of lacing is 1/8”
wide, 1/32” thick and about 18” long with a tapered
point 1 1/2” long on the working end. The best type lacing
is kangaroo which can be purchased from your materials supply
store. |
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