Recently am getting acquainted with a man named Lasse Carenvall. He is a whip maker from Sweden. He makes much much more than whips. He offers so many wonderful things like hatchets with plaited handles, monkey fists, bracelets, lanyards and bottles covered with beautiful braiding, just to name a few things. Check out his website Here
I have talked about how to attach crackers before but Lasse has come up with a really easy new way that doesn't slip off. It is particularly good for leather whips. He gave me permission to share his idea with everyone. I can't describe it any better than he did, so what follows are his own words and drawings. Thanks for letting me share this Lasse!!
"I make my crackers from long-fibered multifilament polyester (PE). It has several good sides, but being slippery is definitely not one of those. I wax the fibers, which improve that and makes the cracker a bit stiffer, but using conventional cracker hitches, they still had a tendency to gradually work loose and suddenly disappear into thin air when they slip off. What I needed was a way to tie it on that actually worked itself tighter with use! It also had to be quick & simple to tie.
After browsing my ABOK (Ashley Book Of Knots) for some inspiration, I came up with this solution. Technically speaking it is a combination of knots, not a knot per se.
1: Make a small noose of the loop end of the cracker and put the end of the fall into it. Pull tight!
I have talked about how to attach crackers before but Lasse has come up with a really easy new way that doesn't slip off. It is particularly good for leather whips. He gave me permission to share his idea with everyone. I can't describe it any better than he did, so what follows are his own words and drawings. Thanks for letting me share this Lasse!!
"I make my crackers from long-fibered multifilament polyester (PE). It has several good sides, but being slippery is definitely not one of those. I wax the fibers, which improve that and makes the cracker a bit stiffer, but using conventional cracker hitches, they still had a tendency to gradually work loose and suddenly disappear into thin air when they slip off. What I needed was a way to tie it on that actually worked itself tighter with use! It also had to be quick & simple to tie.
After browsing my ABOK (Ashley Book Of Knots) for some inspiration, I came up with this solution. Technically speaking it is a combination of knots, not a knot per se.
1: Make a small noose of the loop end of the cracker and put the end of the fall into it. Pull tight!
2: Lead the cracker around the fall, in the direction that pulls the noose tighter (important point!).
Pass the cracker end over the standing part, under and out. In other words, make sure that the cracker goes around itself and comes out parallel to the fall, towards the point of the fall! This makes an Overhand Knot, not just a half hitch. Pull the knot tight and make sure the overhand knot is as close to the noose as you can make it!
Pass the cracker end over the standing part, under and out. In other words, make sure that the cracker goes around itself and comes out parallel to the fall, towards the point of the fall! This makes an Overhand Knot, not just a half hitch. Pull the knot tight and make sure the overhand knot is as close to the noose as you can make it!
Repeat step #2, just to make sure. Technically, it could be repeated one more time, giving three knots instead of two, but so far I have never seen any need for it.
I repeat: It is vital that the cracker is tied around the fall in the way shown in step 2, going over-under and out pointing towards the fall end. This makes it an actual knot, an “overhand knot”, not just a half hitch!
It also aligns the cracker with the fall, pointing it outwards. When the whip is used the force pulls the cracker outwards. This pulls the overhand knots tighter and tighter, making the cracker hitch “bite” into the fall instead of slipping. At least that is the theory, but it seems to work in practice, too.
So far I have not had any cracker “escape” by slipping off the fall and fly away. I have had one report so far of the cracker coming off, but it turned out to be because the person using the whip had applied way too much force, “overcharging” the whip, making the end of the fall snap and get torn off – but still with the cracker firmly attached to it!
So, try it if you like! I just would like to ask you two things: Remember where you saw it first ( ), and also that I would appreciate your feedback."
I repeat: It is vital that the cracker is tied around the fall in the way shown in step 2, going over-under and out pointing towards the fall end. This makes it an actual knot, an “overhand knot”, not just a half hitch!
It also aligns the cracker with the fall, pointing it outwards. When the whip is used the force pulls the cracker outwards. This pulls the overhand knots tighter and tighter, making the cracker hitch “bite” into the fall instead of slipping. At least that is the theory, but it seems to work in practice, too.
So far I have not had any cracker “escape” by slipping off the fall and fly away. I have had one report so far of the cracker coming off, but it turned out to be because the person using the whip had applied way too much force, “overcharging” the whip, making the end of the fall snap and get torn off – but still with the cracker firmly attached to it!
So, try it if you like! I just would like to ask you two things: Remember where you saw it first ( ), and also that I would appreciate your feedback."
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