2nd knotting - kojima bracelet

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suchi

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Nov 30, 2016
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So me being an extremely clumsy person, I had some problem operating the orbit clasp my kojima bracelet came with. It broke from the clasp one day while I was trying to put it on. Today I restrung it using beaders secret in teal. I didn't have silver gimp so used the golden one. Ending 3 pearls I am finding tough to knot. IMG_20180724_110312.jpg
 
I think the gold gimp looks fine because it blends with the green of the pearls.

The last 3 pearls are always challenging for me. How I do it.

1. String all the pearls, then go through gimp and clasp.
2. Go back through the pearls one at a time and do the overhand knots, spreading the 2 strands to snug up the knot next to the pearl.
3. Don't knot the last three pearls, but go through them with the needle and thread, then through the gimp and the clasp.
4. Now, this last bit requires a slightly larger hole on those last 3 pearls and a hemastat, or pliers, so I can grip the needle to pull it through those tight holes.
5. I go back through the last pearl, and do two half hitches over the 2 threads already in the pearls.
6. Then I thread through the next to the last pearl (penultimate pearl) and do another two half hitches over the 2 threads.
7. Then I thread through the 3rd pearl (antepenultimate pearl) and because there is already a knot there, I do not make another knot.
8. I give both hanging threads a gentle tug to make sure everything is snug, and cut them off as close as I can.

Those last three pearls are always very challenging to me, so when I'm taking a necklace apart, I try to find the three pearls with the largest holes, or I try to give them a little bit of a ream out to enlarge the holes just a hair.
 
I leave the tiniest amount of ease between the end few pearls before back knotting them. Really tiny, though because otherwise one ends up with gaps.

This is just a matter of practice. Pretty soon you will figure out how snug the pearls need to be before back knotting to avoid both gaps (too loose) and difficulty getting the needle through (too snug).
 
Thank you Bweaves. I was doing almost the same except that I knotted the 3rd pearl too, so now there are 2 knots :(
I am also bummed today. My daughter yanked at my Cees strand and it broke from the last pearl. I knotted it again and although I knotted it again and the knotting is much better than my last attempt, I managed to damage one pearl. While taking out the Pearl one knot went inside. I tried to poke within the drill hole by an earwire but that didn't help and now the knot is deep inside the pearl. I am sad because that was a very pretty green cherry peacock pearl. Also the strand is now shorter by one pearl.
 
Suchi, I haven't had that problem since I switched to beaders secret. If you find you do on other pearls you may want to switch to the #40 weight of Beaders secret instead of the #30. It comes in some of the colors that #30 does. The colors with the star next to them come in #40

bs.jpg
 
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Thank you Lilliefuziesocks. I used the Jade color in 0.32 mm.
I am really bummed about that spoiled pearl. It was pretty nice green with peacock overtones
 
About the knot getting stuck, I have had the same thing happen, and in fact that happened with the last strand I restrung. The pearl had had glue applied and the glued knot got stuck (One reason I don't use glue.)

The way to get the knot out is to drill it out. Then the pearl can be reused.

I used to use a battery powered bead reamer for this, but no longer; being tapered, by the time the reamer bit gets to the knot it has made the hole too wide.

I've decided I need to get a small hand drill and was about to start searching this forum for recommendations, but perhaps one of the other members who has a hand drill can share what they use and what size drill bit is best for this use (.7mm? .8? 1.0? )
 
I used a dremel tool and a drill bit, or rather my husband did since my hands are not steady enough. I think the drill bit was 0.7mm. It worked very well.
 
I don't know drilling also don't have any drilling machines. But may be fun to learn. I will try to convert that pearl to a ring or a pendant where the drill holes will not be visible. Let's see.
 
suchi said:
Thank you Bweaves. I was doing almost the same except that I knotted the 3rd pearl too, so now there are 2 knots :(
I am also bummed today. My daughter yanked at my Cees strand and it broke from the last pearl. I knotted it again and although I knotted it again and the knotting is much better than my last attempt, I managed to damage one pearl. While taking out the Pearl one knot went inside. I tried to poke within the drill hole by an earwire but that didn't help and now the knot is deep inside the pearl. I am sad because that was a very pretty green cherry peacock pearl. Also the strand is now shorter by one pearl.
Click to expand...

If you have a hand drill that isn't too heavy -- you can drill out the thread quite easily. Just use a .7 bit ... that should be smaller than the drill hole and using a slow speed just carefully drill into the hole.

PD I think I saw those in the hardware store. I just hold the pearl really firmly and move the pearl to the drill , wearing my goggles, I keep the speed really slow so hopefully the pearl doesn't fly off lol I've done this hundreds of times with no finger holes :D
 
Thanks Katbran. But drilling sounds very complex also I don't have the apparatus. I may take the pearl to a jeweler to drill the knot out.
 
suchi- it's not hard but if you aren't accustomed to a drill then it's best avoided . Drill bits can be pretty unforgiving if they skip on a pearl.

PD - It's just what I do... I have the hand piece but find it's easier for me to anchor the hand piece with my right hand on a table and put it on a low speed , with a bit smaller than the hole, and just slowly move the pearl on and off the bit. Goggles of course. I only have a Dremel and find the handset cord a bit stiff.. that's why I anchor that hand.
 
Suchi- I got a knot stuck deep into a Fiji pearl and was determined to get it out because it was the best pearl. What finally worked was a very sturdy embroidery needle. In fact, I can’t remember if the actual knot ever came out, or if I was able to wear a path through it by which the new thread could pass by inserting the tip and just twisting until the embroidery needle went through. It didn’t take very long- what took so long was all the failed other items I tried...
 
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