[Novice Carver]

This is a response for Damien's request to learn the snood lashing for the hei matau (fish hook pendant). It is my first attempt at an instructional video and do to limited bandwith I have kept it short by simply showing the fig.8 pattern to follow, hope this helps.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=zTifYYLPvCU

[Irishcarver]

Awesome mate, thanks!!

[Novice Carver]

Glad it was helpful. I'm looking forward to seeing it on some of your finished pieces.

[Brent Duty]

Nice tutorial.

[Carl L.]

Novice Carver,

Thank you for posting this video, it is very helpful in learning to tie the bone hooks. In the begining of the video the hook is already attached to the cording. You say that you have already done the "whipping". I am curious as to how to do this part of the process and was wondering if you knew a certain name for that knot or a place where there is a video or tutorial on how to do it. I just ordered the Myhre book about Bone Carving but would like to start practicing tieing my hooks, but don't know where to start. Thanks for any info!

Carl

[Greg L.]

Could anyone explain how you start this lashing process. How it is attached to the actual hook.

Thanks

[Brian A.]

I would really like to see how it is attached to the hook as well. In the Stephen Myhre book he talks about drilling a hole but nothing else. Help Please!!!!?

[Billy]

I learnt how to created these lashings purely from the reference in Myhres book. It took me a while, but by reading it over and over again and practicing, I did get there..

Billy

[Brian A.]

Care to explain it?

[Billy]

I think Stephen does a good enough job. It's a case of simply getting your head around it.

[Brian A.]

So he talks about a pilot hole and using a bead that has two parallel holes in it. So he uses that and then whipps over the bead and then lashes?

[Billy]

I did read his explanation many times, but I found the illustrations more useful. If I can work it out, anyone can. Persevere, I'm sure you will get it soon. I did see a video floating around. I'll see if i can find it and post the link.

Billy

[Brian A.]

I fail to see what helps you with the pictures, I see the lashing but no hole that was drilled.

[Billy]

I'm sorry I don't have the book handy. But it was the only reference I had and I was able to successfully do all the lashings Stephen has in the book. I'll have another look tonight and see if I can make it clearer for you. Billy

[Brian A.]

Billy, If you can make it clearer for me that would be awesome.

[Billy]

In relation to attaching it to the hook. I would like to point out that a smooth, accurate carving of the hook would obviously give you a more desirable result. So, refer to page 98. You will see 3x illustrations of the hook's head. The first pic on the left shows the first stage of carving the head. The dotted line shows where you drill a hole for the cord to go through. Once you have drilled the hole you carve a small channel from each hole to the top of the head. This is for the strands of cord to sit in so the lashing will sit flush with the hook. The depth will depend on your choice of a 3 cord or 4 cord lashing. Whatever you choose, run the cords through the hole then run into each channel to make sure they sit beneath the surface to the carving. You will also see on the centre pic that a ridge is carved on the top to determine how far the lashing will come down on the top of the head. From here you need to do your whipping. Feed the cord through the hole and into the channels. Create a whipping around the cords, demonstrated on page 96 and 98, these can take a bit of practice too. Once you have created a whipping around the cord, tighten and move it up the cord until it sits neatly at the top of the head of the hook as you can see on the photos on page 98. The trick is to make your whipping with enough cord coming form the bottom of the whipping to create your lashing. You then create the lashing as demonstrated. Once your lashing reaches the ridge on top of the head as seen in the centre illustration on page 98, you can determine how far the lashing will go down the shaft. You should then mark the shaft and unwrap the lashing. you then carve the shaft under the head as seen in the right hand illustration on 98. This allows the lashing to sit flush with the rest of the shaft. From there I do it slightly different from Stephen. The trick is when you lash it for the final time after the shaft is carved you need to feed the cord under itself to secure the lashing. Stephen lays the cord down and wraps the lashing over itself. I prefer to use a piece of cotton, fold it in half and lay the cotton on the shaft of the hook on the inside part of the hook and wrap the lashing over top. I actually use a piece of sticky tape to hold the cotton in place. The two ends of the cotton should be face upwards so the loop of the cotton is towards the bottom of the hook. Create the lashing until it reaches the ridges you carved on the head and the shaft, then feed the end of the cord through the loop of the cotton, then pull the ends of the cotton so if feeds the cord underneath the lashing. Pull the cord so the lashing is nice and snug, then cut the excess cord and burn carefully so it binds to the lashing at the base of the whipping.

Mate I hope this helps a bit. I know it can be a little confusing, and trust me, it took me a while, but i did get it by reading the book over and over, following the pics, and practicing on a piece as i did so.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Billy

[Billy]

Sorry the whipping demonstration is on page 96 and 97.

[Brian A.]

Billy, on 03 February 2012 - 10:21 PM, said:

In relation to attaching it to the hook. I would like to point out that a smooth, accurate carving of the hook would obviously give you a more desirable result. So, refer to page 98. You will see 3x illustrations of the hook's head. The first pic on the left shows the first stage of carving the head. The dotted line shows where you drill a hole for the cord to go through. Once you have drilled the hole you carve a small channel from each hole to the top of the head. This is for the strands of cord to sit in so the lashing will sit flush with the hook. The depth will depend on your choice of a 3 cord or 4 cord lashing. Whatever you choose, run the cords through the hole then run into each channel to make sure they sit beneath the surface to the carving. You will also see on the centre pic that a ridge is carved on the top to determine how far the lashing will come down on the top of the head. From here you need to do your whipping. Feed the cord through the hole and into the channels. Create a whipping around the cords, demonstrated on page 96 and 98, these can take a bit of practice too. Once you have created a whipping around the cord, tighten and move it up the cord until it sits neatly at the top of the head of the hook as you can see on the photos on page 98. The trick is to make your whipping with enough cord coming form the bottom of the whipping to create your lashing. You then create the lashing as demonstrated. Once your lashing reaches the ridge on top of the head as seen in the centre illustration on page 98, you can determine how far the lashing will go down the shaft. You should then mark the shaft and unwrap the lashing. you then carve the shaft under the head as seen in the right hand illustration on 98. This allows the lashing to sit flush with the rest of the shaft. From there I do it slightly different from Stephen. The trick is when you lash it for the final time after the shaft is carved you need to feed the cord under itself to secure the lashing. Stephen lays the cord down and wraps the lashing over itself. I prefer to use a piece of cotton, fold it in half and lay the cotton on the shaft of the hook on the inside part of the hook and wrap the lashing over top. I actually use a piece of sticky tape to hold the cotton in place. The two ends of the cotton should be face upwards so the loop of the cotton is towards the bottom of the hook. Create the lashing until it reaches the ridges you carved on the head and the shaft, then feed the end of the cord through the loop of the cotton, then pull the ends of the cotton so if feeds the cord underneath the lashing. Pull the cord so the lashing is nice and snug, then cut the excess cord and burn carefully so it binds to the lashing at the base of the whipping.

Mate I hope this helps a bit. I know it can be a little confusing, and trust me, it took me a while, but i did get it by reading the book over and over, following the pics, and practicing on a piece as i did so.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Billy

This helps tremendously!!!! Thank you, with out you telling me this I woudn't have guessed that is what those 3 drawings where.

Thanks you

[Billy]

You're welcome Brian. Glad to have helped.

Billy

[Janel]

Thank you Billy!

I am going to pin this topic at the top of the Techniques section to make it easier to find. This is one often sought after explanation.

Janel