Pick and Awl

Next to perma-lock needles, I'd say the knot tying tool that I use the most is an ice pick. Picks are helpful in pulling out strands when tightening a knot like a turks heads. They are used to to work in some space between two strands to insert a needle for pulling an additional strand through a knot. I use the awl above less frequently than my ice pick, but I find that the tapered shaft can be useful for working in space between two strands. It's also a little more stout that the ice pick and can be useful if the cord is stiff or a knot is really tight. At the base of the shaft is tied 4 bight turks head. Over the balance of the handle and partially covering the turks head is a pineapple knot with a 6 bight turks head base.  Take your time if you try something like this. I was little rushed, and you can see some gaps in the knot at the widest part of the handle. I included a picture of my ice pick- Do note that only some of the knot work on that handle is mine. My father did the original covering. I put the two bight turks head and the 4 lead by 3 bight turks head on the base of the pick. The two bight turks head is especially helpful for gripping the pick.

Tiller Extension 4 Bight Turks Head

This is the tiller extension/hiking stick from our sail boat.  The other week it was accidentially stepped upon and the end was broken off.  To fix it I bevel sanded the remaining pieces and epoxied them back together with a scarf joint.  Scarf joints are fairly common in wooden boat construction and when made with epoxy the joint itself is stronger than then surrounding wood.  I wasn't crazy about aesthetics of the final joint so I decided to put a covering turks head over the joint.  If my count is correct this is a 25 lead by 4 bight turks head.  It was tied as a running turks head which means it was all one piece of line.  If you are interested in tying long running turks heads, I would suggest looking at "Introduction to Turks Heads" by Tom Hall which you can find at KHWW as an E book.  Stormdrane also has an excellent video for a two bight turks head which can be found here.  The 4 bight turks head for this project was enlarged from a 2 bight turks head.