Page 15 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

MATErIALs, METHods, MEAsUrEMEnTs, And TooLs 9

sometimes the lace will break when you are partway
through a project. Also, because it is a natural
fabric and therefore subject to natural blemishes,
you should be prepared to cut away sections that
don’t meet your standards or tastes. When a break
happens or cutting becomes necessary in a neat
piece of work (as opposed to work that is not
intended for close up inspection), you can add a
new section by skiving a new length of lace on to
the existing piece and then hiding the join under a
crossing section. Skiving is a term used to describe
the action of paring away two overlapping pieces of
leather in opposing slopes, gradually tapering each
side of the joint, and then gluing them together so
that the overlapped thickness appears not to have
changed. Ask your local leather store for a glue to
use in skiving. I sometimes use cyanoacrylate glue
(CA or superglue) and sometimes rubber cement –
How does it work? it just depends on what I am making.
Leather laces and straps are sliced in a continuous
ribbon using a strap-cutting tool that is run around
the outer edge of a hide. The width of this ribbon Tip Be very careful to avoid dirtying long
can vary from an eighth of an inch to two inches lengths of light-coloured lace. if necessary, use
wide or more. white cotton gloves for handling.
There are two principal types of leather laces
and straps. The first is straight-cut lace, which in
cross section is perfectly rectangular. It has no Leather also stretches during the making of a knot,
bevelled edges. Professional knotters find straight- and may show up as an unusually thin section if
cut lace more difficult to work with because it can pulled too hard. To get the best results, be patient
leave unsightly bulges in their work. However, and pull leather through by hand using a gentle
straight-cut lace is cheaper, and also less prone to tugging motion and, when dealing with a small
breaking when pulled through a piece of braiding. gap, by inserting a lifter or other tool under the
This makes it a good choice for beginners to work strip. Saddle soap is also very useful in easing the
with. The second type, bevelled-edge lace, will break tension. Practise with a spare piece if you are at all
if pulled too eagerly and takes more care in working, concerned.
although the end result is absolutely marvellous!
Using leather requires patience, both in drawing up What doesn’t work
the work (tightening the strands as they are woven Leather does not take well to exposure to water
through the piece) and in adapting the piece if some unless treated specifically to resist its effects.
widths and thicknesses are not optimal. The use of Leather also does not react well to heat or age.
bevelled edges is essential if you want the piece to It becomes dry, stiff, and brittle over time.
look clean, not lumpy and misshapen. Maintenance is important if you want your piece to
last. Use an appropriate finish for the kind of leather
What works you have chosen, whether it is suede, vegetable-
Leather cut in a continuous ribbon is subject to tanned, oil-tanned, or has some other special finish
natural thinning in sections, so be aware that or appearance. Leather will stand up to sunlight