KNOTSMITHTM

TM

I have been asked about:

Expected delivery date? The lanyard in the Kimber Marias ads and on their web page?
Real questions?    How long?   Tough? Camo?    Brass Counters?
Donations Quality   
Adjustable Lanyards Catalog Lanyards
Custom versus Cheap   Are Lanyards Art? Inventory and Lanyards in a hurry
Lucky Lanyards 1  Lucky Lanyards 2 Unlucky Lanyards
Unique Lanyards TXE Logos
Leash/ Lanyards Magnum Leash/Lanyards
Lanyard Lengths Colors
Snaps and One Snap or Two Time required for a T2
Brochures, Catalogs, Catalog Sales Horse Tack
Whistles How to braid lanyards
Braiding Supplies KNOTSMITHTM & Logo
Other Products Payment
Send your questions to Larry Smith. Return to the KNOTSMITH page.

 

What's the expected delivery date? As of 6/1/08, about 3 months for paid orders.
Is the lanyard on the Kimber Marias web page and in their ads  in Shooting Sportsman and Sporting Classics, etc., one of yours?  Yes!  Thank you for noticing.  It is the  T3 SSM Leash Lanyard shown  on the orange neckerchief on my front page.
 Are these real questions, or did you just make them up to be cute? (Back to the top) Well you should know that at least one of them (yours) is real. No, you give me too much creative credit.  All the questions shown here are (or represent) actual questions asked me over the years (frequently more than once), but I did make up the answers.  In the interest of space,  I have abstracted both questions and answers a bit, but, in essence, they are true to the original exchanges.  Although  pages of this type are commonly called "Frequently Asked Questions," in all honesty, some of these questions were only asked once, and I appreciate that they are not frequent. Read on and I think you will agree with that.
How tough are KNOTSMITH lanyards?  Will they standup to field use? The lanyard in the picture below is the same lanyard on the hat on the front page. The owner  ran over it with a truck.  As can be seen, the  knots were scuffed a bit. The compass and whistle were destroyed. Though dinged up, the counter still worked perfectly.   I replaced the compass and whistle, and this tough lanyard was good to go!   It even impressed me! See the following two questions.

runover.jpg (198699 bytes)

Are the lanyards actually hand-braided? Are they imported? Are they real leather or some plastic? Are your lanyards strong and tough; Will they stretch? I hand braid each lanyard using real, kangaroo leather (imported of course). The lanyards are tightly braided and strong. All my products have nylon-cord cores selected so that the lanyards do not swing wildly to and fro as you walk or ride. As a result my lanyards are much stronger and tougher than lanyards without cores, and they will not stretch in normal use. (Back to the top)
(Same questions asked by a twenty something person recently)
 I like found your web page, and I was like totally blown away!  I'm like, NO WAY!  Your lanyards are like TOTALLY AWESOME!   They are actually, like,  hand-braided from, like, real leather and, like, real strong, right?   They are not, like, made from some plastic stuff or imported, right ?
Right! Thank you for your kind reaction to my web pages and lanyards!  They are quality lanyards, not shoddy as are the imported lanyards I've seen.  They are tightly hand braided  from real leather lace, not plastic,  over nylon-cord cores, and yes, they are  strong, much stronger than lanyards without cores, and will not stretch in normal use.  They are unlike any other lanyards on the market, and I think you would like them. (I'm like, Wow! I will ignore the "likes" and  make this exuberant young lady dog person a totally awesome lanyard!)   (Back to the top)
"I have one of your lanyards with plastic counters. Can you replace them with brass counters?" 

Where can I buy the brass counters you use?

Yes, if it is one of my lanyards and  if the diameter of the lanyard is not too large. 1/4" will work; 9/32" won't.    Contact me.  lsmith@knotsmith.com   

The counters are made to my design and specifications, exclusively for me. Including the retrofitting discussed above, I only sell them installed on my lanyards.

How did you come up with "KNOTSMITH" and your weird LS brand?

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Well, as for the brand, I was fooling around with a hot LS branding iron and bent it, liked it, and kept it.   I could say that KNOTSMITH has to do with crafting of knots (mesquite and braided-leather) analogous to "silversmith", and that would be part of the story. But KNOTSMITH is also a pun arising from a conservative nature, so that in relation to some extravagant or risky undertaking, those who know me have been known to say, "Not Smith!" in disbelief.  "Not going to go there, wouldn't be prudent."
I want a T2 Lanyard.

Well, I plan to use it all season, but if I buy it, can't I keep it?
How long do you want it?

Yes, but to make it, I need to know the length of the lanyard.  Make a loop of cord around your neck over the clothes you will be wearing afield so that the tip is where you want your whistle to hang.  Remove the loop, and measure the doubled up length of the loop (the half length).  That is the number I need.
Do you have a catalog or brochure? Do you sell through catalogs?
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I do not have a catalog other than these web pages, and as a custom braider,  I do not keep an inventory.   If pressed I could print up a brochure.  Rather than asking you to buy an off the catalog shelf item, I will braid your lanyard to your design choices especially for you.    As for including my lanyards in others catalogs, it seems pointless for me (you) to pay a percentage to a catalog or any other middleman, uh, middleperson.    Generating  sales volume has never been a problem for me; rather my challenge is braiding enough lanyards (and leash/lanyards, collars, and leads) to keep up with the order list so that it is not more than a year or so long.  Under normal circumstances, I can keep the delivery to about 6 months. 

In most cases "catalog lanyard" equals third world, mass-produced, and overpriced.  Unfortunately, high catalog price does not offer you any choice and does not equal high quality.   I produce a quality product to your specifications and I guarantee my work.  Catalogs, on the other hand, generally offer what we refer to as an "Oklahoma Guarantee:" If it breaks you get both pieces.

I have seen "hand-braided" and "handcrafted" lanyards in catalogs.  Are those your lanyards?  If not, how are your lanyards different?
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No!  "Hand-braided" or "handcrafted" does not equal "custom braided!"  Catalog lanyards are generally knockoffs mass produced in third world countries (or here by "foreign exchange students" from third world countries) in order to maximize the catalog company's profits.  I braid each customer's  lanyard to specifications in the order;   I personally guarantee the lanyards I make; and if necessary, I can repair, modify, or  replace them as per customer request.  That is, I service what I sell.  Try that with a catalog company.

Consider carefully the level of design and  craftsmanship of a "handbraided" catalog lanyard.  Only the ignorant and gullible would believe the catalog company's claim that the lanyard in their picture is "the finest lanyard available!"  According to Tom Davis, Sporting Classics, Nov/Dec 02, p. 54, "comparing catalog lanyards to these (KNOTSMITHTM)  lanyards is like comparing a plastic ukulele to a Stradivarius."     That may be a wee bit of exaggeration (I had to look up what it meant!), but my lanyards do feature high quality braiding (tighter and smoother); and with a nylon core, my lanyards are more robust (even though the price to the customer is sometimes about the same).  Unless you feel extremely charitable toward the catalog company, why pay a premium price for a mass produced catalog lanyard when you can have the real thing custom braided specifically for you?

However, at the risk of sounding flippant and or arrogant, if you cannot perceive (and appreciate) the quality differences between various lanyards, then by all means buy the cheapest (and least expensive) one you can find.  Or semi-vice versa, if you think someone else's "handcrafted" lanyards look better than my custom braided lanyards, buy 'em!   P.T. Barnum (and the catalog company) saw you comin'!

Reminds me of a story about an athlete at a local land grant university who won an Olympic gold metal and was so proud of it that he had it bronzed. Now, that "gentleman from Odessa" should order lanyards from a catalog!  And since his "hunting" these days is mostly limited to shooting excessive quantities of pen-raised and released birds at the catalog company's lodge, he is undoubtedly eager to wear their gear and logo.  Some even say he has their logo tattooed on his chest next to the alumni emblem of that land grant university. Whether or not that is true, it would seem appropriate. My customers have better tastes and higher standards than that!  Everyone gets to choose, and observing those choices is a valid means of recognizing and categorizing (a.k.a., profiling). 

Do you make adjustable lanyards?
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KNOTSMITHTM  T1 and T2 lanyards have a slide to adjust the around-the-neck loop size.  I do not make the type of "adjustable" braided lanyards shown in some catalogs.  Those are apparently "adjustable" to make "one size fit all"  and thereby cater to the catalog trade.  In order to be "adjustable,"  they appear to be loosely braided (over braided) without a core.   I design and  braid each lanyard to fit a particular customer.  Unless you expect to significantly   increase or decrease  your stature or weight, I cannot imagine a need for your lanyard to be adjustable.  However, if you absolutely have to have an adjustable lanyard, I will make you one with a core (price to be negotiated).
I have heard that your lanyards  bring good luck? (Back to the top) Yes, some customers have claimed that a new KNOTSMITHTM T1,  T2 or T3 lanyard worn in subsequent field trials or field tests brought them luck, but I make no such claim for my products and have made no specific effort to make lanyards "lucky."  I suppose I could and charge more for that service.  However, I am skeptical of "luck," adhering to the Ben Hogan philosophy that "the harder I work, the luckier I get."  Even so, perhaps the following story should be considered:  At an NSTRA field trial, a fellow remarked to me that he seemed to be stuck in "comin' close."  He said that perhaps if I made him a special lanyard, a T1 with a burled mesquite knot slide,  that would improve his luck.  I made the lanyard and got it to him on the following Friday.  Wearing the new lanyard, he won both Saturday and Sunday beginning a long "hot" streak.   He believes.   (And even I am not fool enough to question that!)
First call: If I send back the lanyard I bought for my husband last year, will you refund my money?  We are getting a divorce.

Second call two days later: I need a new lanyard exactly like the one my wife gave me for my birthday last year.   SHE TOOK BACK MY LUCKY LANYARD!  We're getting a divorce. Can you help?

Send it back, and I will consider it.   I will refund something provided the lanyard does not show abuse or excessive wear. 

 

Yes, I can help---with the lanyard that is.
(Obviously lanyards are important symbols to people.  Both these fine folk expressed appreciation that I was able to fulfill their request promptly.  Customer satisfaction is important!)

I've read what you've written about "lucky lanyards," but if lanyards can be "lucky" couldn't they also be "unlucky" just as well?  Well, as I said, I am skeptical of "luck," good or bad, but given that things tend to be symmetrical, I suppose so. Several years ago I made a bolo tie lanyard for a customer in NM using his silver and turquoise pieces:  An elaborate slide, tips and small conchos between (below) the slide and tips.  I was told the pieces had religious significance, had been consecrated,  and only "priests" were allowed to wear them.  When it was finished, I was so eager to get  that "sacred work of art" out of my possession that I did not think to take a picture of it.  I figured if I screwed it up or lost it, the "priest" might  lay a curse on me so that I would forget how to braid and tie knots and could never hit anything with a shotgun again, etc.  Somehow he must have sensed that I had tried it on though, because ever since then such things have been happening with increasing frequency!  Come to think of it, I am glad that I did not make a picture (graven image) of it! 

Most of the real  bad luck reported to me associated with lanyards involves losing them, having dogs chew them up, and having them stolen.  I sympathize and make replacements.

A good dog can sometimes help overcome your lanyard "bad luck" and or absent mindedness.  I offer the following true story featuring my friend and long time hunting partner,  Charlie Hillis.

I understand that you advise against leaving a lanyard hanging from the mirror in a truck.  Why? Well, mainly because a closed truck gets very hot in the sun, and high temperatures accelerate the loss of oils from the lanyard leather.  It gets dry and hard and is thus more susceptible to abrasion and cracking.  Also, in two cases, trucks were broken into, and the only thing taken was the lanyard that had been hanging from the mirror. That tends to spoil the day.
 (1) Will you donate a lanyard to our benefit (field trial, club banquet, etc.) to be used as a door prize or gift or to be auctioned or raffled?












(2) I was at a field trial recently, and the lanyards (or gift certificates) you donated were presented to the winner and to the trial judges.  Will you donate these to us to support our trial?
  
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(1) Ah, you saw my ads.    Thanks for your interest, but obviously yours is not the response I was trying to evoke. There are mind-boggling numbers of DU, QU, PhU, etc.  local chapters and local field trial, hunt test, and dog clubs across the continent. Your request represents that somehow, out of the tens of thousands, your particular club and event uniquely merits my support, a very peculiar, egocentric notion and extremely improbable.  I don't make enough lanyards per year to meet the requests for donations.   Even if I were so inclined, how could one decide?  I might consider saying "Thanks" by making a donation if you and or your members are well-known customers and  have made a substantial number of orders, but then, if I needed or wanted to say "Thanks," I would not have to be asked.   I've noticed that you folk making requests for  donations are almost never customers.    So, no thanks, but nonetheless, I wish you well with your event. 


(2).  Regardless of whatever representations were made or inferences were allowed to be drawn, the lanyards (or gift certificates) you saw (or heard were) presented at field trials were purchased at the rates listed on this web page and treated as any other order.  The above policy is firm.  If you want to buy, I will consider an order, but if you ask for a donation first, I won't even sell you one. 

I have seen your ad in  Shooting Sportsman Magazine and I have seen pictures of people wearing your lanyards in the Field and PDJ. Do you sell many lanyards?

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Well, since I only do custom braiding, I have no need to compete on price and naturally I can't (and don't) sell as many custom braided lanyards as those who sell commodity lanyards.  See Gun Dog Supply for those. The ads  in  Shooting Sportsman and Sporting Classics magazines have been very good for me. I have sold lanyards to folk from California (not officially made of kangaroo lace of course given their weird laws!) to New Jersey and Canada to Mexico in North America. I have sent lanyards to Scotland, England, France, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. I keep busy; but frankly, custom braided lanyards aren't for everyone. May I make one for you?
 Judging by your high prices and long delivery times, you must think your lanyards are works of art!  How else can you justify them? Well, I strive to make functional and attractive lanyards, but personally I don't think of myself as an artist nor do I consider my lanyards (and lanyard designs) as works of art (in the usual, every day sense).  However, interestingly enough, they are considered (defined as) works of art under U.S. Copyright Law.  I am flattered that some folk apparently have high regard for and appreciate and value them as works of art.  In a discussion of this topic, Mr. Tom Davis posited that they could be considered works of art by the standard expressed in a quote by famous wildlife artist Bob Kuhn: "I take a very broad view of the term 'art.' I think you can wield a paintbrush for a lifetime without producing a single artful thing. On the other hand, you can build a wall or sing a song or decorate a room or take a photograph, any of these things and more, and if you function in a highly personal way which strikes a chord in others and reveals truth in a new way, you will be producing art."  Of course you are entitled to your opinion, and either way,  I wouldn't presume to argue with you about it.   It would be pointless. My lanyard  prices are determined by a combination of production costs and demand.  I can sell all the custom braided lanyards I can make. As you point out, my order list is typically quite long. It would therefore seem that, if anything, my lanyards may be a bit under priced.  However, the current price structure works for me, and I consider it fair. If you can get comfortable with the price and delivery time, I  would be pleased to custom braid a lanyard for you, whether you consider it art or just another piece of gear. 
Do you have any lanyards in stock? Can I have the one in the picture? I need one right away. Can you send me one via Fed Ex?

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I only do custom braiding. I don't purposefully generate or keep "a stock." The lanyards in the pictures were braided for a customer and are long gone, but I can make you one to the same general design and color scheme.  While I don't keep an inventory, I occasionally (in the second month of consecutive blue moons) produce a (very) few "spec" lanyards for ad pictures or to take to field trials, quail seminars, and such. You may certainly inquire if I happen to have one of those. The best strategy is to order well in advance (Currently, 5/3/08, about 4 months in advance) or give a gift certificate. 
Almost anything can be discussed and negotiated.  A plaque in an oil field office proclaimed: "Good, fast, or cheap.  Pick any two."  I am not going to do less than my best on the quality.  Since my products are not inexpensive to start with,  it should be recognized and accepted that asking for "fast" is likely to be quite expensive----unless I am  indebted to you or you can invoke  the name of someone you know that I am indebted to.  (Personal references are mostly good, but be careful whose name you drop because it could also work in the opposite direction!) 
A frequent favor-asking gambit for those wanting a lanyard in a hurry (always to give to someone else, a dear person whose birthday is about a week away, has a special condition and is not expected to live through another season, etc.)  has been to ask will  I sell my personal lanyard.   Well, yes,  I will, and,  in fact, I have already sold last season's lanyard at a premium price!  
So, if you really need  a lanyard in a hurry, don't be bashful or wheedle.  Come right out and boldly propose to pay me double the usual rate.  That will not hurt my feelings. Rather, starting at that threshold in the negotiations will convince me that you are sincere, are serious, and should be dealt with promptly and professionally. 
Can you make a very unique lanyard for me? I want "one-of-a-kind."
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Yes, I can make a unique lanyard for you. Describe what you would like, and we can work out whether it will be unique or, more likely, near-unique (and remain that way); and we can discuss how much unique is worth.  I have had some experience and success  in this unique game.
Do you make camo lanyards? Well, I think I made one while back.  A fellow from WI asked me to combine all the colors of lace I had into a hodgepodge pattern.  Looked awful!  I kept throwing up on it while I was making it!   Naw, just joking, but I suppose that is close to camo.  Reminds me of the time that I saw a camo cap in a feed store with the Purina name and checkerboard logo in black. Now, that is a tangible oxymoron: an advertising camo cap, or is it a camo advertising cap?  Anyway, it looks good with my regular tan T2 lanyard.  For a more recent attempt at a camo pattern on a lanyard, see T5 Pistol / Rangefinder / Transmitter Lanyard .
How long does it take you to make a T2?

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Well, probably longer than it ought to. How long would it take you to make one? When asked how long it took him to make a hackamore, an old rawhide braider replied, "I figure it took me about 70 years since I put all my experience into it."  In another sense, I try to keep time between order and delivery at 3 - 4 months, but sometimes it is twice or triple that. 
Regarding the one-time setup fee for images to be laser engraved on T2Es, what logos do you currently have in the computer? NSTRA, TIBHA, and ABHA. Images of new logos need to be clear and sharp, black and white prints.

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I am a very tall (or short) person, so to fit me, can you make my lanyard longer (or shorter) than normal?

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Of course. To determine how long your T2 should be: Loop a piece of cord around your collar (over your hunting coat if that is where you will wear the lanyard). Close the loop where you want the whistle(s) to hang on your front. Measure the length of the cord, and report that to me in your order. The knots on a "normal" length lanyard fall at the bottom of the sternum. The whistles are about an inch and a half below the knots, and on some of us, ride on the beginning of the belly. That is, the normal T2 lanyard is about 21" from the top of the loop (back of the neck) to the bottom of the snap swivel, i.e., 21" half length.  See How to Design Lanyards
What colors and combinations are available, and what do you recommend?

 

 

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The kangaroo lace I use is theoretically available in black, chocolate, brown, tan, and natural (varies from cream to white). I have made beaucoup tan lanyards because I purchased a lifetime supply of tan kangaroo lace from Tandy Leather before the wheels came off their lace cutting operations.    I have also made about any combination of variegated lanyards one can imagine. Some were more pleasing than others. The customer's preference is right (relatively). If you think a solid color is too plain, I recommend the following combinations: (1) A light lanyard (natural or tan) with brown, chocolate or black accents in the knots (see the pictures of the T2s) and perhaps in the lanyard body. Or (2) A dark lanyard (brown, chocolate or black) with natural or tan accents. Accents in the lanyard body can be chevrons \/ or slashes //. Of course you should have a solid black lanyard  in your wardrobe for formal occasions. See How to Design Lanyards
What is a MiniClip or MicroClip and where can I get them?

 

 

 

 

Why would anyone want two whistle snaps on a lanyard?

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These stainless steel clips are available from Berkeley Point,  or I sell them on lanyards for $5 each.  They may be substituted for the standard McMahon scissors clip by putting a # 6H stainless steel splint ring between them and the standard nickel steel or brass swivels.    I still use the scissor snap on the right leg of my T2  to attach my whistle, since I rarely take it off; but the swivel on the other leg of my T2 has a MicroClip making it much easier to put accessories on and off that clip than it was with a scissor snap. Those accessories currently include a quail call, a hawk screamer, a tube of BlisTex, and a Trail Drop II digital compass by HighGear.

True, most field trialers wear one whistle. Some order a T2 with one snap and one tassel or a bit of antler or mesquite rather than a tassel. Some order a T2FL with a fixed knot on the loop and one whistle on a drop.

However, some folk do wear two whistles. The second may be a different type for a second dog, or it may be insurance against blowing the pea out of a Thunderer. Numerous hunters carry quail and or hawk calls on the second snap. I have a friend who uses the second snap to carry his ChapStick in a special knot I made for him (and others have requested attachments to carry tubes of Blistex and Carmex. See http://knotsmith.com/Extras.htm and page down.)  Finally, more than a few of us carry a compass on the second snap. Mine is currently a Trail Drop II digital compass by HighGear.  I know it is hard to believe, but one can get turned around in head-high mesquite on an overcast day, and in a 4,000 acre pasture, walking the wrong direction can waste a lot of time and energy and make you look bad in front of your dogs and guests.

What is a Leash/Lanyard?  Did you invent the T3 Leash/Lanyard? See the Type 3 Leash/Lanyard on the T3  page. Worn around the neck with the bolt snap fastened in the small loop, the T3 Leash/Lanyard is a whistle lanyard, but it opens to provide a tough 32" leash (traffic lead) when leaving the bird field. 

I must confess that I had help in inventing the T3 Leash/Lanyard.   In '94 a late-night brainstorming session with Bill Norvell started with a T2 Lanyard and an idea, and, after several Buds and considerable research (and Bill's engineering), produced a nylon-cord prototype of what was to become the T3 Leash/Lanyard.  Norvell received, field tested, and approved the first T3 and he is still wearing it.  So far as I know, the T3 is an original design.  It works.  Accept no imitations.

How and how well do the T3 leash/lanyards work in typical use?

 

 

 

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Wear the T3 around your neck with the 1/2" bolt snap fastened in the small loop. The whistle is attached to a small snap swivel at the bottom of the handloop. To convert the T3 from a whistle lanyard to a leash, unfasten the bolt snap (with one hand) and attach it to a dog's collar. The resulting 32" leash is convenient and tough enough to control your dog. The whistle on the handloop is out of the way at the heel of your hand. After loosing your dog, put the leash around your neck, fasten the bolt snap in the small loop, and the leash is back in service as a whistle lanyard.

Regarding how well the T3s wear, with several hundreds being used by quail hunters, grouse/woodcock hunters, and walking field trial competitors over the past decade and a half, I have had no reports of failure (other than from abuse and neglect). I have had many enthusiastic testimonials, and many customers have ordered additional T3s as gifts for friends.  The T3SSM, with the brass accessories, has become my "signature piece."  

How does the T3M differ from the T3?

 

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M designates magnum, an admittedly over-used word. Mr. Bell wanted a 3/4" lockjaw (pinch to release) snap rather than a 1/2" bolt snap. A larger leash body seemed appropriate, so I used a 1/4" nylon cord core. I use the pinch-to-release lockjaw snap on leads, because I can loose my dog with one hand. A regular bolt snap requires two hands, one on the collar and one to unhook the snap. I think some like the more robust look and extra strength of the T3M, but used as a hand leash as intended, the regular T3, with its 3/16" nylon core, is more than adequate to hold even the most rambunctious pointer. I would not want to be hooked up to anything a T3 could not hold.
Can you teach me how to make a lanyard or a leash?

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Probably. I have taught a few persistent folk how to make their own lanyards and leashes. However as in training bird dogs, some pupils learn braiding and knot tying more easily and quickly than others. With a few stubborn individuals I have had to resort to a toe pinch or shock collar to focus the attention and correct chronically sloppy braiding and flawed knots. I have not done much distance education, but I suppose you could apply the shock collar to yourself? Seriously, if you want to take up braiding, check the Grant references in the KNOTSMITH Library. Plate 14 in Leather Braiding shows how to start a simple 4 strand, round lanyard on a whistle hook. Terminate the lanyard with the knot in Plate 15 and make a slide from the knot in Plate 65 tied around the doubled lanyard. I can supply instructions and materials lists for specific projects for a fee. We can work something out.    Send me an email  
However, my lawyer has advised me to tell you, please be aware that my designs are protected by US Copyright Law.  Don't try to duplicate them for sale. 
Where can I get braiding supplies (leather lace, snaps, etc.)?

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Leather lace can be purchased in small lots from pass-through catalog operations such as Hide Crafters, the Leather Factory, or Tandy Leathercraft.  I buy mine from Mac Lace, Pty, Ltd, in Australia. (If you don't speak Australian, Texan is close enough.  If you are from "up north" you may have problems.) See the Links page for some of the above.  Try the fishing supply houses for the snap swivels.  As for core material,  I once bought some nylon cord from a well-known, or at least well-advertised, Dallas hardware store.  The young salesman marked the sack "200 ft nylon chord."  I put the sack up to my ear and listened but heard nothing.  Apparently I don't have an ear for modern synthetic music, or  shooting shotguns really does damage ones ears (or both).
Do you take credit cards?
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No, and I don't accept them for payment either.  I have not gotten there yet. For now, please pay by check or money order.
Why do you charge Texas residents sales tax? The law says I must charge 8.25%, and I am risk averse.
Do you sell whistles? What kind do you use? (Back to the top) I use FOX40 Classics. (See the Links Page.)  I  sell Fox40 Classics  with my logo for $10  each,  and brass Acme Thundrers also with my logo for $20 each.  You may also order whistles from GUN DOG SUPPLY  or your favorite supplier.
Do you make bolo ties? Yes. I have made more than few. Describe what you want. Prices are comparable to the corresponding T1 or T2 but depend on the slide and tips requested.
Do you braid horse tack? I have made a few bridle headstalls and several sets of reins, but horse tack is not my  interest since I don't speak "horse" very well.  I once got a letter asking how much I would charge for braiding a "bridal headstall." Whoa! Picture that!  I think that goes in the same category as the following questions.
Can you braid something other than a whistle lanyard for my wife?

Can you make a whip or quirt?
Yes, I occasionally make braided necklaces with mesquite knot pendants. I have also made braided-knot neckerchief slides, key rings, and napkin rings. . .
(pause)
Oh!  I could, but I won't. I'm not into that business.
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Can I get a T2FL lanyard with a 24" headloop?

It's for my wife.

That's OK.  We're not going to wear it.  We're going to use it on each other!

I am pretty sure you will not be able to get a 24" loop over your head.

I am pretty sure she won't be able to get it over her head either.

I'll put in a whistle so you can blow it when you've had enough.