West Coast Custom Rod Show

Turksheads and Cord Grips

Presented by

Ken Bush (The Bushman)

Definition: What is a Turkshead?

• A decorative knot, usually made of a single

strand. Consists of
• Bights (Scalloped bends at the end of the knot
where the cord exits and returns to the body
of the knot.) and Leads. (The number of
strands that make up the width of the knot)
• Useful for decorative work, and covering
handles and grips, covering cylindrical objects,
and other practical purposes.
 Materials:

• Rope and Cord, Nylon, Nylon Seine

Twine (twisted), Nylon Seine twine
(braided), Poly, Hemp, Cotton, Dacron

• Size. 1/16, 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, #31-#35

Cotton Twine
Braided Cord
 The Tools: You Can

• Tie the Turkshead directly on the

Rod/Blank, a dowel, or your fingers.

• Tie the Turkshead on a Jig…. PVC tube

with pins/dowels. (In configuration for
the knot)
• Jigs may be made of different materials
 Fids: Tools for Working with the Knot

• Marlinspike
• Awl
• Crochet Needle

• Needle (hollow brass or stainless tubing,

cut into 2.5” to 3” section, angled cut )
Marlinspikes
Needles
 Other Materials:

• Lighter (for ends of cut cord)

• Masking Tape
• Toothpicks
• Super Glue
• Rug Latch Hook…. Best instrument for
tightening down the knot
 There are many ways to tie a turkshead. You can use a Traditional
“pattern” like the one below, and apply it to a tube or dowel. I’m going
to show you two different methods that are even easier to use.
HOW TO TIE A TURKSHEAD
From www.folsoms .net

Technically, these are instructions for a three

lead, four bight Turkshead, meaning that there
are three basic passes around the knot, and it
loops up and down four times in going around.

As you follow these instructions, you will want

to keep the knot much looser than is shown in
the pictures, and keep much more rope free at
your working end, or you will never be able to
double or triple it. Also, you will want to tie the
knot around some sort of form. The picture
shows a dowel, though anything, even two
fingers, will do.
Bring the rope up in front of your form, pass around
behind it, and then around front again, crossing over
the first pass you made.
Now take the working end behind the form again, and
bring it to the front, crossing your last pass, and
parallel to the first one.
Now tuck the working end under the first pass you

made.
Roll the form toward you. Your working end should
now be on the bottom, and your previous work
should show two, mostly parallel, ropes.
This is the only tricky part. Look for the parallel rope
that is furthest from your working end, and pull it
over the other rope, making a small opening or eye.
Now tuck your working end over the first rope,
down through the eye you just formed, and under
the second rope. Now take the working end up and
over the form.
Roll the form back towards you. Believe it or knot,
the basic Turkshead is now done! It only has one
pass, though, so you will probably want to double or
triple it.

Take the working end and tuck it next to your very

first rope, and thread it into and out of the knot,
always staying exactly next to the first pass you
made
This image shows a doubling pass almost
completed. Remember, you're just putting one
pass right next to the previous one.
The ends of a Turkshead should always be hidden,
tucked into the knot. One thing I like to do is bring
the ends up between two of the passes before
tightening the knot.
Tightening the Turkshead is essential, and is done
by slowly working the ends through, until it is firm.
 Tying the Knot:

• Single pass, doubling or tripling the knot

• Splitting the middle (Adds a second
color)
• Choose the right size jig or dowel
• Can tighten onto a smaller jig if needed
Single, Double and Triple pass
Tightening the Turkshead knot:

• Position the knot where you want it on the

blank.
• Tape down the cord, then take up slack,
working the cord from the taped end, thru the
entire knot, taking up the slack with the other
end of the cord.
• This is the most time consuming part of the
knot.
• Continue thru all the passes of the knot until all
the slack is taken up.
 Finishing the Turkshead Knot:

• Knot is tight, “burnish” or flatten the

knot (rolling, hammering etc)
• Pull ends under with latch hook tool
• Cut with razor blade, touch flame to the
ends to “melt” (nylon cord)
• Drop of Super Glue if needed
• Optional… Spray or Varnish… I prefer
spray on Helmsmans clear polyurethane
The Turkshead Cookbook
Turkshead Reel Seat (made by Jim Kastorff)
Using a Jig for more complicated Turksheads
#Pins = the # of Bights
Many possible sizes of Jigs
 Using The Tool

• Follow the pattern

• Each number in the pattern represents a
pin
• Slip knot behind the starting “hole” at pin
#1
• O or U represents where the cord will go
over or under the cord it crosses.
Sample Pattern
5 leads 8 Bights
Three Patterns
 Following the pattern

• Follow along as I use a jig to tie a

• 8 Bight x 7 lead Turkshead.

• See samples of completed and tightened

Turksheads
 7 Leads 8 Bights
Notice the pattern is all Over/Under
 Any Questions ?
Speak now or forever wonder!
 References:
Ashley, Clifford, The Ashley book of KNOTS. New
York: Doubleday, 1944.
Budworth, Geoffrey, The Complete Book of
Knots. New York: The Lyons Press, 1997
Budworth, Geoffrey, The Complete Book of
Decorative Knots. New York: The Lyons Press,
1998
Budworth, Geoffrey, The Ultimate Encyclopedia
of Knots and Ropework. New York: Lorenz
Books, 1999
Smith, Hervey Garrett, The Marlinspike Sailor.
Camden, Maine: International Marine, 1960.

Burrhus,Don,The Turkshead Cookbook