Post #545025 by coconuttzo on Wed, Jul 28, 2010 1:41 PM

Aloha Bone Carving Enthusiasts,

Someone here PM'd me about how I do my lashing for my fish hooks. I noticed on youtube a couple of guys that drill the hooks at the very tip which I think makes it vulnerable to breaking. Since I couldn't find any more decent sources on the matter, I took the liberty of drawing up a diagram yesterday which I hope is self explanatory. If there are any questions feel free to reply to this post & I can address them for all to read. Here's the link in PDF format.

https://acrobat.com/?i=1aGL7aih3WewHP01PyOgkg

Steps start from top L-R.

A few things to point out, in the first step, I run my loops at least 3x around main cord for strength. It can get difficult but with patience & practice it will eventually work out.

Before starting the 2nd, I make sure my loops from the 1st are pretty secure & that the pendant tip(make sure it's has a sharp point) is right under the main cord, practically touching it if you will. All your bindings from here on out should be fairly tight. I usually will wrap this around more than shown. I wrap till the tip is secured & I know that it will not come out through the sides. I usually will stop till about 1-2mm of the tip is wrapped.

Step 3, just running figure 8s around in an orderly fashion being careful not to overlap each other. The only ones that I do overlap my figure 8 lashings on are the loops that attaches the pendant to the main cord from step 1. That is to hide it from sight.

Step 4, when done, I hold working end in place thru loop while I use a needle nose plier to pull the starting/cut end above the main cord. I pinch the tip of string, wrap it around the needle nose by rolling the plier till it reaches the lashings & pull till the loop on the bottom pulls the running end under all the lashing. DO NOT pull too much, just enough to have the loop at least halfway under the bindings.

After all is done I cut off the end I just pulled, as close as I can to the lashings. I then use an X-acto or razor blade to carefully cut the opposite end as close as I dare to, against the bone.

Good luck.