This is a working dog lead made in 12mm natural flax rope, a traditional cordage fibre with a warm oatmeal colour and a dry, slightly waxy hand. Flax has been spun into rope for centuries for its strength and its honest, matte finish, and it sits well against leather, wax cotton and tweed.
The lead runs to roughly 120cm, a standard walking length. The hardware is stainless steel, chosen to stand up to rain, mud and salt air without rusting into the rope. Cotton whipping, stitched by hand, secures the terminations and keeps the lay of the rope from unravelling with use.
Three finishes are offered. The eye splice is the plainest, a tucked loop where the strands of the rope are opened and woven back into themselves. The diamond knot forms a decorative stopper at the handle, a knot drawn from traditional marlinspike work. The cat's paw splice gives a more unique finish not often seen on dog leads.
Flax darkens and softens with handling. The rope will take on the character of the hand that holds it, and the cotton details will mellow in tone over time.
Gem Bowes · Tightrope KnotsThis is a working dog lead made in 12mm natural flax rope, a traditional cordage fibre with a warm oatmeal colour and a dry, slightly waxy hand. Flax has been spun into rope for centuries for its strength and its honest, matte finish, and it sits well against leather, wax cotton and tweed.
The lead runs to roughly 120cm, a standard walking length. The hardware is stainless steel, chosen to stand up to rain, mud and salt air without rusting into the rope. Cotton whipping, stitched by hand, secures the terminations and keeps the lay of the rope from unravelling with use.
Three finishes are offered. The eye splice is the plainest, a tucked loop where the strands of the rope are opened and woven back into themselves. The diamond knot forms a decorative stopper at the handle, a knot drawn from traditional marlinspike work. The cat's paw splice gives a more unique finish not often seen on dog leads.
Flax darkens and softens with handling. The rope will take on the character of the hand that holds it, and the cotton details will mellow in tone over time.
Gem Bowes learned to make rope at Arthur Beale, the Shaftesbury Avenue chandlery that has been splicing line since 1500-something. She works now from a Cambridge studio, hand-spinning flax and dead-stock yarn for dog leads, doorstops, juggling balls.
Gem Bowes learned to make rope at Arthur Beale, the Shaftesbury Avenue chandlery that has been splicing line since 1500-something. She works now from a Cambridge studio, hand-spinning flax and dead-stock yarn for dog leads, doorstops, juggling balls.
