Dan, I can't visualize that cordlock you mentioned, do you have a link to that?
Hi Holly!
But I bet Dan knows why the springless one will work better!
Hi Jim!
I love outdoor fabrics and hardware and making things with them. My usual supplier of outdoor hardware and fabrics is The Rain Shed in Corvallis, OR (in process of moving to Albany, OR as I write this; I missed them when I dropped by the store last week and saw the moving notice):
http://www.therainshed.com/I don't see the plunger type cord lock I last used to secure a laced saddle...and I gave that one away, so I can't provide a photo. Basically, it had no spring and used a plunger with a V-shaped end to trap a flat cord against a narrowing boxed wall. Very simple and just the ticket for flat cords (a real thing, not an oxymoron).
In their absence, these cordlocks are functionally identical:
http://usaknifemaker.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/w/h/wheel-cord-ends-650px.jpghttp://www.accomplishquilting.com/catalog/images/side%20clamp%20cord%20lock.jpgThese people have good outdoor hardware, too:
http://www.plastic-buckle.com/all-cord-locks.aspxThe beauty of these springless cord locks is they work on the wedge principle: Under increasing stress, they hold more tightly, unlike the spring types, which can slip (sometimes a Very Good Quality in other applications). I found the pressure of sitting on the saddle and then hitting a bump could exert more force on the cord than a spring-loaded cord lock could hold, so I went with the friction type. Knots didn't work so well for me 'cos they either became untyable in the long-term or untied themselves in the short-term. Springless cord locks proved more secure, quicker to adjust, and more convenient in my use, but knots are traditional and seem to work well for others.
The tubular flat webbing I used to lace the saddle skirts is Needloft Craft Cord in a 10yd/9.2m hank. It is 0.125in/~3.5mm wide. I got mine at the JoAnn Fabrics chain here in the US, but I see they now only carry Needloft yarn, which won't do. Amazon has it (Amazon has
everything, just like eBay) on 20yd cards:
http://www.amazon.com/Needloft-Craft-Cord-Cards-Solid/dp/B004RIXNDM The tubular webbing draws flat and is nylon, so the ends can be cut with a hot knife or melted over a match flame and won't fray, stretches little if any and won't rot, unlike rawhide or cotton cording and lacing. The tubular construction is just soft and pliable enough to be kind to the punched leather skirting of the Brooks saddle and it comes in a variety of colors.
...when you laced it how exactly does this help
Jags, I realize you asked this of Julian, but I'll give it a go: I found lacing the sides kept them from bowing out under sitting pressure. As a result -- yes! -- the saddle forms less of a sway-backed hammock in the middle and feels more akin to a new saddle than broken-in.
The advantage of lacing over tightening the tension bolt is the bolt can cause a ridge to form lengthwise along the saddle while doing little or nothing to raise the portions where your sit-bones go or tighten the hammock. That ridge can become uncomfortable in itself and is why some people like Jobst Brandt have referred to Brooks as um, "hatchets" for one's posterior. I prefer a newer, dome-shape to my brooks saddles, as the long ridge has caused some abrasions in tender areas that required me to consult a proctologist. Brooks saddles don't seem to be as rigid these days as in the past (catering to a wider buyer base?) and break-in quickly -- often too soon for my taste, so I sell 'em on about the time most people think they're just starting to break-in.
The lacing draws the sides in and stiffens the whole structure in my experience. The trick to punching the holes is to avoid getting them too low on the skirt; that can cause old leather to crack out between the holes. It really pays to look at Brooks' website and copy their hole locations if you decide to do this, at least on the first go-'round. Done with care, the results look every bit as nice and professional as Brooks' OEM efforts. I prefer a leather punch for clean-edged holes, but others have used drills with reasonable success and appearance.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Dan. (...who is back on his saddle again with largely recovered knees after the Great SPD Cleat-Release Experiments)
