Page 50 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 49

A Fancy Lanyard

OR SOMETHING SPECIAL, be it a hand-bearing compass, com-
Fpact camera, bosun’s call or special knife, it is good to have
a lanyard that will speak silently of the skills of its maker. Long
before there were certificates of competence for sailors, a man
would have been judged by those little displays of skill to be seen
in his knife lanyard or sea chest handles. Today many tradition-
al boat festivals operate a system of passes that are worn on a
piece of string round the neck. I first developed this lanyard to
wear my pass at the huge maritime festival held at Brest in 1992.
It is not often that I have time to make something for myself,
being busy making things for others; I made the ‘Brest lanyard’
on the ferry to France. It has served me well ever since and has
led to variations that can be used for other personal items. With
a short ‘tail’ it suits a sports teacher’s whistle or identity pass;
with a longer tail it would suit a rambler’s pocket compass. Make
the tail longer still and your knife should not go for a swim.

MATERIALS For a short tailed lanyard: 1 x 5m and 1 x 10m of
2mm line
For a long tailed lanyard: 1 x 6m and 12m of
2mm line

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