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Submitted by anon (This article has been flagged for exporting to W.I.R.E., once a home is available. -- Ed.) Making a Turk's Head Knot Ring This is a simple tutorial for making a Turk's Head Knot Ring, using the Ring Jig from my other tutorial. There may be better ways, this is just how I did it. If you are interested in seeing some better examples of Turk's Head Knot Rings I strongly suggest you go to www.golden-knots.com Loren's work is amazing. Please note, so far I've only made 6 rings, so my experience is limited, I may be wrong with some of my statements, if so please let me know so I can correct them. Thanks! That being said each ring has taught me a lot and so my technique has been constantly evolving. To make a turks head knot ring using these instructions you will need the following ... A ring jig 3 pieces of 24 gauge wire (or 3 pieces of 3 strand wire rope made using 28 gauge wire) wrap some string around the jig following the path the wire will take, double the length ... that's roughly how long I make my pieces of wire wire cutters a 'spike' a clamp of some sort to pull the wire tight (pic of spike and clamp below)  optional: pool cue or other tapering rod leather glove hammer soldering iron silver solder For this tutorial we will make a 3-lead, 7-bight ring. 5-lead rings seem to hold themselves better and so seem to look better, but to keep things simple for the first ring we will make a 3-lead ring. For more information about Turk's Head Knots, Leads and Bights go to www.golden-knots.com or wiki on Turk's Head Knots. Make sure all the pins are in the ring jig, and you have your wire ready.  Make a loop in one end of each wire just large enough to fit over the anchor pin.  Loop the loops over the anchor pin, and run the wires up between the pins as shown.  Bend the first wire down as shown and pull it tight using the clamp.  Repeat for the second wire, making sure it does not cross over the first wire.  And repeat again for the third.  Continue bending the wires around the jig as shown ...   ... until you get back to the start. when the wires cross over if the wire is 'above' the pin the new wire goes over the old wire.  When the wires cross over if the wire is 'below' the pin the new wire goes under the old wire ... (pic before the wire goes under)  push the spike under the old wire where the new wire should go, and use it to make room for the new wire to pass through.  feed the wires through the gap made using the spike, remembering to tighten each of the wires using the clamp.  continue weaving the wire along the ring jig, going over the old wire when 'above' the pins and going under the old wire when 'under' the pins, until the wire runs parallel to the first part of the wire.  You could now cut the wires and fold them over, or for a (IMHO) better finish you could solder the wires together as shown.  Remove the pins from the jig.  optional: cover the ring on the jig with a leather glove...  and hammer lightly, (this is to flatten the weave of the ring).  cut the excess wire, bend over the ends and optionally solder the ends in place.  Slide the ring down the tapered rod (pool cue) until it has stretched the ring to fit the intended finger.  Enjoy your finished ring.  Please post comments and questions here. View Printable Version |
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