Does anyone know how to do a turks head and is it possible to wrap an entire butt section with it. I have seen the wrap but can't quite figure out how or if it could be adapted to a long surf rod type grip.

I have seen it done but cannot exactly explain it to you. There is a guy on the allcoast board at www.sport-fish-info.com that can do it and maybe he can help. I think it is Jim Kastorff. You could try a post there and see if he responds.

Send me a self-addressed envelope and I send you a copy someone gave me years ago on how to do a turks head that is about 1-2 inches wide. I've done them 5 inches long to act as a reel seat-one of the most difficult things I've done,not complicated but hard work, the turks head is a constrictor knot and the long ones get so tight that I had to use a pliers to pull the cord through the last hour of a 3 hour job-not fun at all!
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San Diego, CA 92110

There are a couple small paperback books, old but now back in print, that have great explanations of the whole range of Turks Heads, and how to extend them to whatever size you desire. "The Arts of the Sailor", by Hervey Garrett Smith (yes, the first name is Hervey) and another, similarly titled, same author same size. Find one, and you'll find the other. Also a large hardcover, the Ashley Book of Knots or something like that, by Ashley, probably still in print, has about 4 trilllion knots in it, including a billion or so decorative ones.

If your booksearch can't find either of these, email me back and I'll get the books out and provide publisher's and ISBN specifics.

Mike:

I've done turk's head knots many times. Not only in cord but in reeds and other materials. The process is not difficult. However, it does take some work. What material were you going to use? How many turns did you plan to use. I've done some with four and five turns. They are a bit of a pain. I learned the process when I was a boy scout. And believe it or not, I had to show the Bosun's mates how to do it when I was a midshipman. Use some of the references the other posts have mentioned. Also, look up the reference in the internet under "knots" and "turk's head knot". If you get into trouble, give me a call, and I will do what I can to assist.

The turk's head will not spread out too far. You may only get about 1.5 to 2 inches from a 3 or 4 turn turkshead on a one inch surf rod. They would be good to use as terminals for surf rod cork tape grips.

Doug Weber
Weber Rod Works

Checked out all of the poop you gave. It appears to my aging eyes that this really won't work for a full length grip to be used in place of the dreaded cork tape.

Think I will braid some Gudebrod butt cord on it or just suck it up and think of a more interesting way to use cork tape.

If only I could get those bigger ID grips! Oh wo is me:(

Mike
Go to your local Tandy leather store and pick up one of their books on leather braiding. You will find that the turks head is one of many different ways to cover a cylinder with braid. I've used several of these patterns in cord and rattan and they work fine for either.