Handcraft for Boys

Handcraft for Boys By A. A. ANDERSON LEADERS, do you realize that your Boy Challenge is to at- tract the 15 and 16 year old boy, now on the street, and to so fire his curiosity and interest that the attraction of the street will "fade-out" in comparison to what you introduce for his leisure time occupation? Your most effective aid in this direction is simple hand-crafts. There is something about a rope, string or tool that has a forceful appeal to the boy of this age. r\0 not "pass up" this opportu- nity because you may not be personally adaptable or interested, because it will attract 100% of these boys and hold them. If you cannot do this yourself, call in the boy, or, better still, the "Old that by asking each one to remove the laces from his shoes, double them and then proceed to teach four plait round. Climax this with the promise of the terminal turks-head and sliding knot for next meeting. Sit back and watch the fine interest work. LEATHER THONG PLAITING CUTTING THE. THOA/G ter, Mass., Patrol Leaders' Handbook, Boy Scouts of America, 2 Park Avenue, New York City. Leather Thong Cutting ^#^| and Plaiting ] Timer" who knows his "stuff" and carefully coach him to keep pretty well within these sugges- tions as to the amount fed the troop at each meeting, remembering always that interest is killed by over-feeding information. Always keep them hungry for more. Yes, if you work this right you can empty the streets of 15 and 16 year olds. The evenings are long and filled with leisure time. How about building a watch guard for Dad, a pencil lanyard for sister. CUPPOSE you equip yourself *P with a sharp knife and stick of wood, for a cutting gauge, and demonstrate how to cut long thongs from the round discs cut from a pair of old shoes. Tell the boys of the many useful and orna- mental creations which may be made from such material; follow Projects: Neckerchief slides, lan- yards, watch fobs, hat bands, etc. Material and tools: Leather discs, sharp knife, stick of wood for cutting gauge. Procedure: Cut- ting thongs from discs is accomplish- ed by one of the following methods indicated in illus- tration below: For plaiting, ar- range two thongs as shown in first drawing. Grasp the two crossed center thongs with left hand. Reach through between the brown thongs and grasp the black thong. Bring this black thong around be- hind the crossed pair up between the brown thongs and carry it over the lower brown thong, over in left hand. The procedure from here on is identical. Manipulation changes from left to right hand al- ternately as indi- cated in the sketch- es. This completes the cycle for both hands. Bibliography: Hand- book of Craftwork (50c) by Lester Gris- wold, 623 Park Ter- race, Colorado Springs, Colo. Leathercraft (10c) Graton S Knight Co., Worces- nrO give the four plait round •^ a smooth finished appearance, the plaited strand should be rolled under a board or foot to smooth out any unevenness and to equalize the tension on the thongs. When sufficiently rolled, the plaited strand should equal the width of the thongs from which it is made. Bibliography: Handbook of Craft- work (50c) by Lester Griswold, 623 Park Terrace, Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Those who wish to purchase thongs ready cut, in any color, can do so from Lester Griswold, 623 Park Terrace, Col- orado Springs, Colorado, or your local Scout Office for 15c each.) FOUR. PLAIT ROUND

The Improvement Era for January, 1930 213 permit making ad- justments for length. It finds applica- tion in hat bands, QTART with the first step i the whistle lanyards. O terminal turks-head and form watch fobs and Crown upon Crown, Figs. 1 to 11. numerous other 01 f , plaited articles re- Show the Process steP hY steP- quiring fixed or Figs- 1 2 and 1 3 show the terminal adjustable fasten- finish with ends tucked under and HI Square Plaiting T with the first ste_ terminal turks-head and form ings. trimmed off. fl Fig. 10 II HFHE terminal turks-head pre- ■*■ vents the thongs of your fin- ished plaiting from unraveling and gives the plaiting an artistic finish. Its construction is indicated by sketches 1 to 8. The procedure of tightening the terminal turks- head into a finished appearance is indicated in Figures 9 to 11. HTHE Sliding Knot is an essen- tial element in leather plaiting. Its purpose is to unite round plaits and hold them in position, also to Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Four Plait Flat HTHIS form of plaiting is used *- where the article demands a flat surface to facilitate its usefulness or artistic appearance as sketches A, B and C.

214 The Improvement Era for January, 1930 Process is weaving four thongs plaiting, build crown on crown, tucking the thong ends under the back and forth, over one and under rotating each 45 degrees, turning next lower crown and trimming one from side to side as Sketch D. each thong over to place the off for terminal. B Spiral Plaiting C TART same as square plaiting. - The second and each succeed- ing crown, however, is rotated 45 degrees. Figures 1 to 6 show pro- cedure, step by step, Figure 7 shows the appearance of the Four Thong Spiral Terminal before the ends are tucked back under the next lower crown and trimmed off. Neckerchief Knot HTHIS knot is used as a Neck- erchief slide, a slid- ing knot on hat bands, whistle lan- yards, watch fobs, and in early days for keeper of strap ends following buckles on harness. Procedure: Form single knot structure as shown in Sketches 1 to 10. Then parallel the single thong, as Sketches 11, 12 and 13. Spiral Reverse Plaiting smooth side uppermost. Sketches 1 to 9 show procedure, step By CTART in same manner de- step. Sketch 1 0 shows appearance - scribed for square and spiral of Spiral Reverse plaiting before Fig. 12 Fig. 1 3

The Improvement Era for January, 1930 215 The Two Strap Turks-head HTHIS was extensively used years ago for knotting bridle reins, and is now used on camera straps and bag draw strings. Procedure: As illustrated in" Sketches 1 to 5. Sketch 1 shows the two straps A and B, flesh sides together. Sketch 2 shows strap A folded around strap B and the position strap B is to occupy. Sketch 3 shows strap B folded across strap A. Strap A is then brought around both straps and passes down through its own loop as shown in sketch 4. Strap B is also carried around both straps and passed through its own loop as indicated in Sketch 5. The turks- head is tied loosely, both ends are made equal length and the knot is pulled tight as shown in Sketch 6. Three Bight Knot np* HIS knot was used years ago as an ornamental knot on ends of quirts and whip handles and is now used as protective covering for handles of canes, umbrellas or hand tools such as an awl. Procedure : Side and end view of knot shown in Sketches 6 and 6 A. Sketches 6 C, D, E, F, and G show construction details. Sketches 6 B and 6 K show application of this knot to quirt handle or cane. Connie Mack and the Championship The following is taken from the Clipsheet issued by the Board of Temperance of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C: BACK in 1912, Connie Mack, the manager of the Philadel- phia Athletics, the team which has won the American League pennant this year, had an article in the Sat- urday Evening Post under date of April 13, in which he stated very frankly his opinion of the use of alcohol by athletes. It will be re- membered that in 1912 saloons selling beer were open in almost all of our large cities. Manager Mack said: Before we played the Cubs for the world's championship in 1910, I had one talk in particular with my men about the series. I told them that we had something "on" Chicago and ought to beat them; but win or lose, we wanted to come out of the series without any re- grets. I reminded the boys how after some world series there were stories about — I don't know how true they were — that the losing club had dissipated, and so hadn't shown its best baseball. If noth- ing else that was mighty poor bus- mess. Nothing like that must be said of the Athletics, I insisted; and my players agreed with me. Then I told them that I wanted each man who could do so to say that he wouldn't take a drink for two weeks covered by the series and the preliminary practice; but I made the point that any player who couldn't go without his drink was to say so. I wanted them to speak right out. We called the names — and every man promised. ONE of my old players, who ^ did not handle a ball until the deciding game, did some great work on the coaching lines. After the fourth game he was so hoarse he would hardly speak — had a bad cold and seemed in for a case of grippe. He came to me that even- ing and said: "Connie, I'm half sick, I need something to brace me up or I may be in bed tomorrow. If you don't mind I want to take a drink." "All right," I told him. "Do as you like — but I'd rather die than take a drink!" 'That settles it," he said, "no drink for me!" Next day I put him in the game. He got on first, stole second at a critical moment and helped turn the tide of victory to our favor. And he did it without his drink! Not one of the regulars or the sub- stitutes took so much as a glass of beer during those two weeks — I am morally certain of that. We came out champions but, had we lost, there would have been no regrets that could have been helped. T was easier for me when we played the Giants last fall. I had something to work on; and all there was to do was to draw con- clusions from the preceding world's series and let the players see for themselves that our best chance to repeat was to follow the same rules so I gave them this little talk : "Boys, you were mighty suc- cessful against the Cubs. Now I feel that that success was due to a certain extent to your not taking a drink — any of you. I am going to ask you to do the same thing in this series. I know there will be times when the temptation may be great. If one of your friends sees you taking a drink he will natur- ally want you to have one with him; but if you are not taking it you can say to your friend, 'I'm not drinking' and that makes it easy to refuse. I think you will agree with me because you know it's good business." The players agreed. Every man promised and they all kept their word. And we beat the Giants. It might be added that this year Connie Mack won the champion- ship of the American League. Then by winning four of the five games played with the Chicago Cubs, National League champions, his team became champions of the world.