I've wanted to make some soft shackles for ages, using some short off-cuts of paracord in the oddments bin. Over the past few days I've put together a nice little kit of fid-type tools, knitter's needles etc., and refreshed my memory by having a look at numerous youtube vids to get it clear in my head, and they're all pretty much what you'd expect in terms of the standard way of opening the braid at the right position and feeding the loose end in,
then milking the free end down through the outer braid (having gutted it first). In all the vids it's clear to see them penetrating the side wall of the sheath to open it enough to pass the end inside, and one after the other thay just get it to glide down through, easy peasy.
So I cut my lengths, gutted them and marked them up at the points of entry I need, threaded my fid and set to.
Three hours later I've got very painful hands and nothing achieved - I just can't get the weave of the braid to open enough to allow the free end to enter it. I've tried everything I can think of to work it open and just can't get it to do so without damaging the braid.
It's driving me spare!
Anyone out there with any tips?
HELP!
then milking the free end down through the outer braid (having gutted it first). In all the vids it's clear to see them penetrating the side wall of the sheath to open it enough to pass the end inside, and one after the other thay just get it to glide down through, easy peasy.
So I cut my lengths, gutted them and marked them up at the points of entry I need, threaded my fid and set to.
Three hours later I've got very painful hands and nothing achieved - I just can't get the weave of the braid to open enough to allow the free end to enter it. I've tried everything I can think of to work it open and just can't get it to do so without damaging the braid.
It's driving me spare!
Anyone out there with any tips?
HELP!