[Prev][Next][Index]

bridle tying

 Gee! if I keep this up I won't have to publish my book.

                     HOW TO TIE BRIDLE LINES
                         AND TRAIN LINES
                               by
                            RON REICH

     This  article is a presentation of the most common method of 
tying  bridle and train lines of equal length.   It has been used 
for many, many years.

     MATERIALS REQUIRED:
          1.   A  piece  of wood about 6 inches longer  than  the 
               finished length of the lines you want to tie.
          2.  Two one inch long finishing nails and a hammer.
          3.  Supply of bridle line to suit your needs.
          4.  Felt tip marker.
          5.  Measuring tape.

     CONSTRUCTION:
          1.   Pound  the  nails  into the board 1/2  inch  further 
apart than what you want as a finished length.  Leave 1/2 inch of 
the nail standing out of the board.  The nails should be straight 
up perpendicular to the board.    Note:  you will be tying a knot 
which will take bring the finished length to the proper amount.
          2.  With the felt tip marker put a mark about 6 inches in 
>From each nail on the imaginary line between the two nails.


              <--DESIRED LENGTH +1/2 INCH --->

                     
           __|___,________________________,___|__
          |______________________________________|

PROCEDURE:
     1.   Fold  6  inches  of the line back on itself  and  tie  an 
overhand knot to make a closed loop.   Note:   There is no need  to 
cut a length from your spool of line.  Just reel off enough to work 
with.

     closed    ______  overhand knot
     loop        (______\________________________________()   spool      
                       \

     2.  Place the closed loop over one of the nail on the board.

               ______
             _(_|____\__________________________,___|________()
            |___________________________________________|

     3.  Grasp the line beyond the other nail and pull it tight.
          Bend the line around the other nail and position it  next 
to the line which is between the two nails.

            __|====------------------------/====,===|__
           |_____________________________/_____________|
                                       /
                                    ()
Definition: A bend in a line is called a "bite"
IMPORTANT NOTE:   The tightness with which you pull the line around 
the  nail  should  be able to be repeated as close as  possible  on 
subsequent lines you tie.

     4.   If  you pulled the line around the nail with  your  right 
hand  then  while keeping tension on the line,   Pinch the pair  of 
lines at the mark with your left thumb and forefinger.   Try not to 
let them slip relative to each other as you proceed with step 5. 
     5.   Carefully  lift the bite off of the nail with your  right 
hand.   I like to use the fingernail of my index finger to work the 
bite to the top of the nail.   The small head of the finishing nail 
becomes important at this point.   You can see that if the nail has 
a large head it would be more difficult to remove the bite with out 
the line slipping.
     6.   Tie an over hand knot in this bite as close to the  pinch 
point as possible.  You should try to be consistent with subsequent 
lines that you tie.  Pull the knot good-n-tight.
           ____                       ____
          (____>---------------------<____)
                                     |
                                    ()
                    That's the 1st one of a set.

     7.  Now move about 8 to 10 inches up the line toward the spool 
and fold the line over and tie another overhand knot about the same 
size as you just tied.  Pull this knot good-n-tight.
     8.   Place this new knot over the nail on the left and  your 
ready to tie another line to match the first.
     9.   When  you  are  all done you will have a long  line  of 
double loops.   Carefully cut the lines apart at the short length 
between the loops.   And Walla there you have it a whole bunch of 
identical lengths of line with loops at both ends.
      ____                    ____
     (____>-----------------|<____)
                       ____ | <--CUT              ____
                      (____>|--------------------<____)

     Note:   Let  the  nail at one end be the common nail  and  add 
other nails to the board for additional length you need to tie.

                    Still Learning and Sharing,

                             Ron Reich
Return to Kite Fliers's Site