16 foot build

[Morten Aalykke Pedersen]

If you dont want to make 3 bellies but want some more taper - a hockey tape bolster on the upper part could be a solution

[Jesse Bessette]

Ron, I am able to type. It's more of a tingly feeling in my fingertips. It's not so much a soreness as a general tingliness in my fingertips. I'm definitely excited about seeing this come to fruition though.

[Jesse Bessette]

Morten, I though about that too. I think it'll have a good taper. I build some taper into my binding, but I'll wait to see what happens with my second belly. If it looks like it needs more taper, I'll use some tape, but If it looks good, I'll just bind it and be good.

[Jesse Bessette]

Does anybody else get the feeling that our fingers just get used to plaiting? I think mine just finally gave up on fighting what I'm trying to get them to do. There's no numbness and no pain. Just happiness allowing me to plait about two feet of 10 plait belly in a little under an hour. Not super quick, but I have to take care of 3 dogs at the same time.

[Ben Varsek]

That looks like a great start Jesse and I'm wishing you great success with this whipbuild !!!

I would say that my fingers have gotten more used to plaiting over time compared to my first plaiting attempts but I still get blisters after plaiting once and a while


All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Jesse, you will also find that different cords will wear on your fingers at a different rate.
The Coyote Brown I am currently using is like sandpaper. Just a couple of inches and it's band aid time.

Ron

[Sven van Leeuwen]

Jesse, that's looking great already. 16 feet is quite a lenght to plait, but I am looking forward to the end result.

I can only imagine how satisfactory it would be when it's finished.
Do you plait bare handed? Or do you use any protection?

[Jesse Bessette]

Ben, I'm talking about in the short term. During a plaiting session, it seems like my fingers don't hurt, but afterwards they start. It seems that while they are actually doing something, they don't care about it, but they do afterwards.

Ron, to some degree, I say yes. Not so much different colors. I order my cord from two suppliers, and the cords feel very similar. The only time it really feels and different is with some of the camouflage cord that I've used. Some of it seems to be quite a bit stiffer. I haven't worked with acid Brown yet, so I can't speak to it, but if they dyeing process affects the fibers, it makes sense.

Sven, I know it's gonna be really rewarding. In already feeling that, and I just got the second belly put on. I plait bare handed, it helps me to keep a grip on my strands as I go.

So guys, as I mentioned in my reply to Sven, I got the second belly completed. It was bound and rolled. I'll post pictures later today when I actually have a place I can lay it out.

[Matt Henderson]

Oooooo, second belly already . Good going Jesse.

I use fingerless work gloves for plaiting, so depending what I'm doing I can be delicate or really crank a strand by holding it in slightly different ways.

[Johnny Pell]

Jesse it sounds like that monster is coming together I can't wait to see the pics.

[Fritz Ehlers]

The beast is taking shape then?

[Sven van Leeuwen]

Oh man, that's fast. Second belly already. I can't wait to see some pics (no pressure!).

I also plait barehanded, but have had the occasional blister. I am considering buying some fingerless gloves. We'll see.

[Jesse Bessette]

I though about the fingerless gloves, but the don't really help me. I tend to plate with my fingertips, rather than down lower. The gloves wouldn't really help. I have thought of trying an archery glove to see if that would help, as it does the full fingers, and helps keep friction until it's released.

Fritz, it's taking shape alright. She's massive. Has a wonderful taper already, though. Can't wait til I finish it. I think I may just call this one the beast.

[Ron May]

Jesse, golf gloves might also help. They are flexible and have full fingers.
But it seems that your fingers are adapting to it any way.

Ron

[Jesse Bessette]

Ron, they seem to be. I just need grip at the tips of my fingers.

[Jesse Bessette]

Been a little while, but I'm putting the overlay on my monster. It's black and kelly green. The handle has irregular herringbone, double diamond, and then back to herring bone. The transition area is plaited using coachwhipping. Its a 16 plait overlay, and it's coming along pretty nicely in my opinion.

[Jesse Bessette]

Also, admire how adorable my dog is...

[Ben Varsek]

That looks like a good start of the overlay Jesse !!!

I've never made a 16 footer and I can only imagine how often the strands need to be untangled while palting the first couple of feet of the overlay. The pattern that you refer to as irregular herringbone is known to me as double herringbone but those are only names - what matters is the final result (which looks good in my opinion) !!!


All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Jesse, that's looking really good. I love the color combination.
I had never heard of "coachwhipping" before.

Ron

[Jesse Bessette]

Ben, we all know that everyone calls plaits different names. I'm going by the names in Ron Edwards's book. The strands really only needed untangling when i first started. By the time I hit the transition, the strands stopped getting tangled up as much.