Title says it all. I’m making something for my mum with kangaroo lace and have found plenty of videos on how to round braid but nothing particularly helpful on how to finish it (other than lashing it with twine). My local shop doesn’t have the tandy braiding handbook and I haven’t found the many videos with paracord to make it clear enough. Anybody have anything that lays it out more clearly?
Thanks in advance!

https://www.academia.edu/120017765
Standard PIE *H2albho- ‘white’ does not explain all data. H. alpa- ‘cloud’ does not have h- < *H2- and G. alōphós ‘white’, alpho-prósōpos ‘white-faced’, alphós ‘dull-white leprosy’ show variation between what looks like *H2albho- and *alH3bho- (1). If Arm. aławni ‘dove’ & alawun-k’ / alawsun-k’ ‘the Pleiades’ are added (2), *alH2bho- might also be needed. These oddities can not be unrelated.
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It seems all these outcomes can be united by H-metathesis. If *H2albho- > *alH2bho-, as needed for alaw- in Arm., it would also solve H. alpa- not having h-. Since *H2- did not begin the word, there would be no reason for it to become h-. Knowing if *-lHb- > -lb- was regular is impossible by itself (and H moved by metathesis might not have even become syllabic anyway). G. alōphós would then need to be explained instead of expected **alaphós. However, since optional rounding by P seems to exist for other syllabic C’s in both G. and Arm. (*plH1u- ‘many’ > Skt. purú-, G. polús, Arm. yolov ‘many (people)’; *wlkWo-s ‘wolf’ > *wlokWo-s > *wlukWo-s > G. lúkos; Odusseús / Olutteus / Ōlixēs see (Whalen 2024h) for more), it seems likely that the same *H2albho- > *alH2bho- needed above also took place in G., then *alH2bho- > *alH3bho- (showing that H2 = x, H3 = xW or similar), or a similar assimilation of V (*alxǝpho- / *alǝxpho- > *alxopho- / *aloxpho-) after *x > *ǝx, etc.
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The large number of oddities in many words that can be explained by H-metathesis supports its existence. Without it, an individual explanation for every word would be needed. Kloekhorst even rejects H. alpa- ‘cloud’ from ‘white’ because of lack of h- and that, “semantically it is [difficult] as well… alpa- is predominantly associated with rain and thunder, and therefore an oriinal meaning ‘whiteness’ is unlikely’. This is a ridiculous statement. The etymological origin of a word has nothing to do with what later people say about it. The H. word is also not attested in a book of poetry about how pretty the white clouds are; if it were, would that “prove” white > cloud instead? He also does not connect H. alpant- with *Halp- ‘small’ either. Since it is used of a sick child and a kind of cheese, ‘white / pale’ would cover both. It’s also possible they’re 2 words that came to be written the same (-ant- is a common ending), but if one from *Halp-, -pp- would be expected.
​
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A similar metathesis might be able to explain *wlp-(e)Hk^o- vs. *aloHp-eHk^- :
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? > *aloHp-eHk^- ‘fox’ > G. alṓpēx / alōpós, Arm. ałuēs
*wlp-(e)Hk^o- > Li. vilpišỹs ‘wildcat’, L. vulpēs ‘fox’
*wlep-ano- > H. ulippana- ‘wolf’, *welp-an(a:)- > Alb. dhelpën ‘fox’
*lewp-eHk(^)o- > Skt. lopāśá- / lopāka-, etc.
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Based on cognates, alṓpēx should come from a word starting with *wlep- or *lewp-. Practically, it makes sense that *w has become a vowel. Due to *-wp- / *-up- losing *w / *u in many G. (including *kW > p, and other IE for only old *p) words (3). These are not regular, but most variants are obviously from the same source. That all oddities exist for *w/u next to *P makes any other conclusion unlikely. Logically, *lewp- > alōp- would include some change to *w. This would require intermediate *eu > *öü (like Arm. *eu > oy), then optional *öüp > *ȫp, then regular *öü > *eu in Greek, hiding the change.
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As for a-, it’s possible that G. & Arm. optionally added V- before l- (Arm. ołork -i- ‘smooth / polished’, lerk -i- ‘smooth / hairless’; *slibro- > OE slipor ‘slippery’, G. (o)librós), since Arm. seemed to change *r- > ar- / er-. If not, since G. alṓpēx vs. Li. vilpišỹs shows that the weak cases had syllabic *-H1-. If H1 = x^, a word with strong *welpex^k^o- vs. weak *wlpx^k^o- would exist. So many C’s in a row seems ripe for metathesis. In Greek, this would become *welpex^k^o- > *lewpex^k^o- > *lōpex^k^o-, but weak *lupx^k^o-. If the change of *-xph- > *-xWph- above was real, *x^ might also assimilate next to P, but since also next to *k^ (both pal. velars), it might only partly assimilate to plain *x = H2. Thus, if any analogy took place in the paradigm, H-metathesis would once again allow *lupx^k^o- > *lupxk^o- > *xlupk^o- > *alupk^o-, causing *lōpex^k^o- > *alōpex^k^o-. Evidence of a form without analogical a- might come from cognates with *l > th (compare Cretan thápta, Polyrrhenian látta ‘fly’, probably << G. dáptēs ‘eater / bloodsucker (of gnats)’) :
​
G. alṓpēx ‘fox’, dia. thámix
Pontic G. thṓpekas \ thépekas >> Arm. t’epek, MArm. t’ep’ēk \ t’obek ‘jackal’
​
Of course, *a- > 0- is also possible.
​
​
If *w had already become *v, a labial fricative dissimilating next to labial stop for *lew- > alṓpēx and *davfnā > dáphnē, etc., would work. However, if *eu > *öü was shared with Arm., G. might also share K > K^ next to ü (4). Since G. later merged K and K^, this would later be hidden. However, some G. words do show *k^ > *t^ / *s^ > t(h) / s (5), and a stage with *uk > *ük^ might also explain other oddities. Since I’ve also said (Whalen 2024d) that G. ḗlek- could come from *leuk-, I would combine these to make *uP and *üK^ have the same optional loss of *wü :
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*leukeH1- ‘be bright’ > L. lūcēre ‘shine’
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*leukH1tro- > *leukathro- > L. lūcubrum ‘dawn / twilight’, *leük^x^tron > *levk^etron > *lēk^etron > G. ḗlektron ‘amber / electrum’, ēléktōr ‘shining’
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If the cluster *-kHtr- was especially likely to cause H-metathesis, instead (similar to alṓpēx), *leük^x^tron > *x^leük^tron > *elḗktron > ḗlektron. As evidence of this origin, and the stage *eu > *öü, consider how it would also unite :
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*leük^x^tron > *löükhtron > *lökhthüron > G. loggoúrion / luggoúrion ‘amber’, log(k)oúrion ‘glass’
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Two words for ‘amber’ that resemble each other and have no known origin should be considered together. Instead of these variants being seen as a problem, the need to unite them narrows down which words could produce both. Adding them together and finding an origin that must explain all of them allows greater certainty about the sound changes involved (all seen in other words). These might be Macedonian forms, or from a similar dialect. This would allow *kH > kh to produce Mac. *kh > g. For this, and against regularity, there seem to be doublets of CH > Ch / CV, like :
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plékō ‘plait’, *plok-Hmo- > plókamos / plokhmós ‘braid’
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*terH1-tro- ‘gnawing / scraping / boring / cuttin’ > téretron ‘borer / gimlet’, térthron ‘*point > summit / tip’
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*smoH3g- ‘heavy / burden / difficult’ > *smogh- > Li. smagùs ‘heavy’, *smog(h)- > G. mógos / mókhthos ‘work / toil / hardship / distress’, (s)mogerós ‘suffering hardship’
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This would even apply to optional *Cs > Ch and *CsC > ChC(h) as part of Greek *s > *x > h, showing that it could merge with *H > *x or similar (Whalen 2024i) :
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*seps- > *heph- > Arm. ep’em, G. hépsō ‘boil’, *sepsto- > hephthós
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*deps- > dépsō ‘work/knead with the hands until soft’, dépsa ‘tanned skin’, dípsa ‘thirst’, *dipstero- > diphthérā ‘leather / prepared hide (for writing)’
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G. háptō ‘fasten / grasp’
*H2aps- > G. hápsos ‘joint’, TA āpsā ‘(minor) limbs’, Skt. ápsas- ‘front side’, H. happeššar- ‘limb / part of body’
*H2aps- > G. haphḗ ‘(sense of) touch / grip’, Arm. *hap’ \ ap’ ‘palm of hand / handful’ (h- in *haph-haph- > hap’ap’em ‘kidnap’)
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*ek^s-tos > G. ektós / ekhthós ‘outside of / without / except / external / strange / vulgar’
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*ek^s-tero- ‘outsider / stranger’ > *ekhstro- > G. ekhthrós ‘enemy’
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G. adaxáō \ odáxō ‘feel pain/irritation / (mid) scratch oneself’, adakheî ‘it itches’
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Skt. pyúkṣṇa- ‘covering for a bow’, G. *pyukslo-? > ptú(s)khloi ‘shoes’, ptúx \ ptukhḗ ‘layer / plate / fold’
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*sH2usko- ‘dry’ > Skt. śúṣka-, Av. huška-; *sxauks-mo- > *xaukx-mo- > G. aukhmós ‘aridity / dryness’
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The change *sk > *ks / *khs also seems to apply to :
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*ksenwo- ‘guest’ > Att. xénos, skheno-
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*sikW- > Av. hiku- ‘dry’, *iskW- > G. iskhás ‘dried fig’, iskhaléos ‘dried’, iskhnós ‘dry / withered’
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G. phoxós \ phoûskos ‘sharp / pointed / with a pointed head’.
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*ek^s-ato- ‘furthest out’ > G> éskhatos ‘farthest / last / highest / lowest / etc.’
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But others show *s > *h > 0 in places where *s > s is expected, and without *hC > Ch :
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*prsto- ‘in front / projection’ > pastás / parastás / partás ‘porch in front of a house’
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*g^hrzd(h)- > *khristh- > krīthḗ, Alb. drithë ‘grain’, L. hordeum ‘barley’
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Notes
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(1) Long ō < *H also in *kolH3no- > Li. kálnas ‘mountain’, G. kolōnós ‘hill’. This is not regular, as in *kolH3mon- > L. columen > culmen ‘top / ridge of house’, G. kolophṓn ‘summit’ (with m > mh > bh by H, Whalen 2024c). The optional long vowels show that *H3 was optionally pronounced xWǝ / ǝxW > xWo / oxW > o / ō, etc. (Whalen 2024a, b), like *H2ma- > G. āmáō / amáō ‘reap / cut / mow down (in battle)’. This is seen in other IE (*H > i / ī in Skt.: *pelH1- ‘fill / much / many’, *pelH1nos- = *pelǝx^nos- > *parihnas- > Skt. párīṇas- ‘abundance’).
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(2) Martirosyan doubts this, but his quote, “J̌ahukyan (1963a: 86; cf. 1987: 270, with some reservation) connects the word to aɫawni ‘dove’ deriving both from *aləu- ‘white, shiny’ and comparing also *albho-” is certainly the only good option (if they are related at all), and considering the appearance of -ō- vs. -0- in Greek, the oddout comes he sees as evidence against are evidence for it (and a close relationship betweeen G. and Arm., one of his claims to begin with).
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(3) *-wp- (Whalen 2024e) :
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G. thalúptō / thálpō ‘warm up / heat’, thalukrós ‘hot/glowing’, Mac. Thaûlos ‘Ares’
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*kaput ‘head’ > Skt. kaput-, L. caput, ON höfuð
*kauput ‘head’ > Go. haubiþ, OE héafod, E. head
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*kap- > G. kápēlos ‘local shopkeeper / tavern-keeper’
*kaup- > L. caupō(n-) ‘petty tradesman / huckster / tavern-keeper’
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*lowbho- ‘bark’ > Alb. labë, R. lub
*lo:bho- > Li. luõbas
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*newbh-s > Latin nūbs / nūbēs ‘cloud’
*ne:bhs >> Skt. nā́bh-, nā́bhas ‘clouds’
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? > *davxnā / *davfnā > Greek dáphnē / daukhnā- ‘laurel’
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*twerb- / *turb- > ON þorp ‘village’, E. -thorp
*trewb- > *treb- > OIr treb ‘dwelling’
*trewb- > *tre:b- > O. trííbum ‘building’
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*dhrewb- > ON drjúpa, dropi, OE dryppan, dropa, E. drip, drop, G. thrúptō ‘break into pieces’
*dhreb- > Skt. drapsá- ‘drop of liquid’
​
​
(4) Examples of *uK > *uK^ in Arm. (Whalen 2024f) :
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*leuk- > Arm. loys, Latin lūx ‘light’, gen. lūcis
*yugo-m > E. yoke, L. iugum, G. zugón, Skt. yugá-m, Arm. luc
*x^euk- > Arm. usanim ‘become accustomed to’, Skt. uc- ‘be accustomed to/take pleasure in’, okas- ‘pleasure’
*dughxter-? > Av. dugǝdar-, Arm. dustr, E. daughter
*bheug- > Skt. bhoj- ‘enjoy’, bhóga-, Arm. -boyc ‘food’, bucanem ‘feed’
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*K(W)u > *K^u :
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*tranku(r)- > Li. trankùs ‘jolting/rough’, ON þröngr ‘narrow’, Arm. t`anjr ‘tight’
*presgWu-? G. présbus ‘old man’, Cr. preigus, Arm. erēc` ‘elder’
*azgWolxo-? > G. ásbolos / asbólē ‘soot’, *ask^ülxo- > Arm. acuł / acux ‘soot/coal’
*melgWulo- > *mergWulo- > Alb. mje(r)gulë OR *melgWulo- > *megWulo- > Alb. mje(r)gulë (dissimilation)
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It’s likely the stage *eu > *öü also optionally caused palatalization (or there was analogy from 0-grade with Ku > K^ü):
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*(s)kewdh- > OE hýdan, E, hide, G. keúthō ‘covehide’, Arm. suzem ‘immerse’
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(5) For optional K^ > T^ in G. (Whalen 2024g) :
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*bhak^- > G. phakós ‘lentil’, phásēlos ‘bean’, Alb. bathë ‘broadbean’
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*dheH1k(^)o- > Skt. dhāká- ‘container’, G. thḗkē ‘box/chest/grave/tomb’, thēsaurós ‘treasure/store-room/safe/casket/cavern/subterranean dungeon’
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*(s)k^ewdh- > OE hýdan, E, hide, G. keúthō ‘cover / hide’, Arm. suzem ‘immerse / plunge’
*(s)k^ewdho- > G. teûthos ‘squid’
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*g^en(H1)os- > L. genus, G. génos, pl. genéā, Cr. zenia, Ms. zenaides
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*woik^- >> G. oikeús ‘inmate / menial servant’, Cr. woizeus, more in (Viredaz 2003)
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*dhg^ho:m? > G. gê / gâ, Cyp. za- ‘earth’
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*meg^H2two-? > mégethos ‘size’; *mg^H2two-? ‘great’ > G. agathós, Cyp. azatho- ‘good’
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agállō ‘glorify/exalt / pay honor to a god’, ágalma, Cyp. azalma ‘glory/delight/honor / pleasing gift / statue (in honor of gods)’
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*H2ak^ro- > ákron ‘peak’, ásaron ‘hazelwort / wild ginger / wild spikenard (a plant used for spice)’
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*H2aig^ro- = *xaig^ro- ‘flashing / swift’ > *xaiz^ro- > G. aisárōn / aisálōn ‘merlin (hawk)’
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*wik^wo- > *wiswo- > wiswos, Att. ísos ‘equal/same/even’, Skt. víśva-, Av. vīspa- ‘whole/every/all’
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*k^ek^- / *kik^- / etc. > Li. kìškis ‘hare’, šeškas, Skt. śaśá- ‘hare/rabbit’, káśa- ‘weasel’.
*kik^id- > *ikk^id- > *ikt^id- > G. íktis / iktís ‘marten’, ktídeos ‘of marten(-skin)’
(most *k^ > k, *kk^ preserved it so as not to become *kk )
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*k^H2ap-? > G. sápithos ‘sacrifice’, Skt. śapátha-s ‘oath’, Rom. solax (?)
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skúllō ‘tear’, pl. skûla ‘spoils (of war) / booty/plundeprey’, sū́lē ‘ right of seizure/reprisal’
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with *sk^ > th (compare dual outcomes of *sk^ (and *k^r > sr \ wr ) in Arm. ):
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*H2arisk^oH > ararískō ‘fit / join together’,
*H2arisk^mos > arithmós ‘number’
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Also, alternation of -ikos / -isos / -ithos and -ak(h)os / -asos is possible, but most examples are uncertain or of unknown etymology (and any oddity in an ending is usually explained as from just another ending).
​
​
Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008) Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon
https://www.academia.edu/345121
​
Martirosyan, Hrach (2009) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon
https://www.academia.edu/46614724
​
Whalen, Sean (2024a) Laryngeals, H-Metathesis, H-Aspiration vs. H-Fricatization, and H-Hardening in Indo-Iranian, Greek, and Other Indo-European
https://www.academia.edu/114276820
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Whalen, Sean (2024b) Laryngeals and Metathesis in Greek as a Part of Widespread Indo-European Changes
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Whalen, Sean (2024c) Indo-European Alternation of *m : *bh by *H (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/114332797
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Whalen, Sean (2024d) Environmental Causes of Greek *Ē > Ā, *H1 / *0 > E / Ē, *H / *0 > E / A / O / 0; Cretan Tā́n, Tálōn
https://www.academia.edu/114056439
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Whalen, Sean (2024e) Indo-European *w > 0 / *W, *wP > *_P / *P / *CP (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/116360502
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Whalen, Sean (2024f) Reclassification of North Picene (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/116163380
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Whalen, Sean (2024g) Greek Dialects; Fricatives and Affricates; Nasalization and Devoicing (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/117863418
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Whalen, Sean (2024h) Dark of Moon: Etymology of Odysseus and Lukábās (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/119846820
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Whalen, Sean (2024i) Cretan Elements in Linear B, Part Five: Are labúrinthos and da-pu2-ri-to-jo Related? (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/114792712
​

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Timestamp & Photos: Link
Lanyard Stock: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
Keychain Stock: C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Hello everyone,
I craft each lanyard by hand, offering two main styles: bonded (paracord melted into the bead) and traditional braid, using high-quality materials for durability and style.
How to Order:
Review photos, select by number(s). Claim in comments or DM/chat directly.
Pricing:
Single Lanyard: $10
Two Lanyards: $13 (Best Value!)
Additional Lanyards (After Two): $4 each.
Bulk Offer: After purchasing 10, each additional lanyard is just $3.
Shipping and Payment:
Shipping via USPS Ground Advantage; priority for large orders. Always next business day. Available in the CONUS only.
Payment(s): PayPal (Friends & Family), CashApp, Zelle.
Note:
The Mods of KS has granted me an exception to post lanyard only sales. However per rules, these are considered non-knife sales won't contribute to flairs on KS.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

For those that have replaced steering or various deployment cables with spectra/dyneema/UIHMWPE cord- what type did you use? seems there's either a cored (paracord type) or braided (just a woven rope). Any tips if i'm going to pursue this? Should i get matching diameter or should i go down from 1.6mm to 1.3mm?

https://www.academia.edu/119795308
​
The Saussure Effect is stated in various ways (see links below), but in its simplest form it describes loss of *H near *o in Greek, and seeks to find regularity in its cause(s) :
​
*oCHC > *oCC
*bremH1- > bremetḗs ‘roar’, brontḗ ‘thunder’
*terH1- > téretron ‘borer / gimlet’, tórmos ‘hole / socket’
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*HCo- > *Co-
*H3lig- > olígos ‘small / few’, loigós ‘*diminishing > decimation’
*H2ner- ‘brave / strong / hero?’ > anḗr ‘man’, *H2nōreti > nōreî ‘is active’
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​
Against regularity, there seem to be doublets, like
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*terH1-tro- ‘gnawing / scraping / boring / cuttin’ > téretron ‘borer / gimlet’, térthron ‘*point > summit / tip’
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plékō ‘plait’, *plok-Hmo- > plókamos / plokhmós ‘braid’
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These would show that both *H of the root and affixes were only optionally deleted, and affected adjacent stops if not. *plok-Hmo- having *H become a / +h here seems as clear as any other possible example, both changes known and accepted elsewhere (even if not regular here), and I see no reason to view -amos as from Proto-Greek *-amos instead of *-Hmos. That it was not part of the root seen in Skt. praśna- ‘plaited basket’. Other words simply show that these changes were irregular, if real at all, with *-o-H- > -o-a/e/o- :
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*petH2- > pítnēmi ‘spread (out/open)’, *potH2mo- ‘breadth (of arms) as measure of distance (in water)’ > potamós ‘river’ (OIc faðmr, OHG fadam, OE fæðm ‘outstretched/encircling arms / embrace’, E. fathom)
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*p(e/o)lH1- > ON felmta ‘be frightened / tremble’, G. pelemízō ‘shake / cause to tremble’, ptólemos / pólemos ‘war’, pállō ‘shake / brandish’
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*klH3mo- > OSax. holm ‘hill’, *kolH3mon- > L. columen > culmen ‘top / ridge of house’, G. kolophṓn ‘summit’ (with m > mh > bh by H, Whalen 2024a)
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*melH- ‘grind’ ? > G. mólophthos ‘loaf baked in the ashes’, Arm. młeł ‘dust / chaff / ash’, młełem ‘turn to dust (trans.) / incinerate / destroy’
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Other words appear to violate one or more of these principles, often of unclear origin :
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*HmeigW- > ameíbō ‘(ex)change’, amoibḗ (not *moibḗ)
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*HleipH- ? > aleíphō ‘anoint’, aloi(m)mós ‘*oiling > polishing/plastering of wall-decoration’
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*(H?)loup-eH1k^o- ‘fox’ > Skt. lopāśá- \ lopāka-, etc., G. alṓpēx \ alōpós, Arm. ałuēs
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*morHtyo- ? > OSw. merði, OIc merð ‘fish-net’, *-ts- > G. mórotton ‘basket made of plaited bark’
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? > G. skórodon / skórdon, Alb. hurdhë, Arm. xstor ‘garlic’
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? > L. ervum, G. órobos ‘bitter vetch’, orbo-pṓlēs ‘vetch-seller’ (which seems to show loss of *H in compounds, like G. thálamos ‘inner room’, oph-thalmós ‘*socket > eye’)
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Some might show analogy, but others seem old. None of this seems regular to me, but others disagree and pick and choose which examples are “real” to suit their purposes, based on no set method. Disputes about its nature include timing (PIE or only Greek), exact environment, or whether it even existed in the first place. The Leiden School basically seeks to disprove it, and others to prove it. Both sides sometimes give evidence that includes bad etymologies or impossible statements: Pronk, “bal̃sas ‘voice’ is certainly not of Indo-European origin either”. For the group :
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*bhals-? > Skt. bhaṣá-s ‘barking/baying’, bhāṣa- ‘speech’, Li. bal̃sas ‘voice’
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What possible reason would make one think, let alone prove, that these were not IE? I won’t get into every detail or dispute, but Yamazaki, for the opposite side, says that *polH1wya- > G. pollḗ ‘many’ exists. There is no evidence for *-o- outside G-Arm., and most clearly require *-l-. Instead, I would say that the 2nd -l- resembles mega(lo)-, and is likely analogical, and that in
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*plH1u- > G. polús, Arm. yolov ‘many (people)’
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syllabic *l often appears as al / ol in G. anyway, and syllabic *l > ol between *p_w resembles *wlkWo-s ‘wolf’ > L. lupus, G. lúkos, Alb. ulk (maybe exactly, since there was also optional o > u by P / KW / w (*morm- ‘ant’ > G. bórmāx / búrmāx / múrmāx; *wrombo- > rhómbos / rhómbos ‘spinning-wheel’, *wodo:r ‘water’ > G. húdōr, *megWno- ‘naked’ > Arm. merk, *mogWno- > *mugno- > G. gumnós)).
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​
My basic analysis of the proposals below is:
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1. No proposed rule is regular.

​

1. *H did not disappear near *o more often than in any other position except in Greek.

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1. It is not of PIE date.

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1. In Greek, both *H and *h (from PIE *s) optionally disappeared near *o.

​
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Since both *H and *h were affected, both optionally, the timing prevents this from being of PIE date. Since *o caused it, likely *x > *xW > *XW > *X > 0 or similar (if only backed fricatives disappeared). Evidence in :
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*sokWo-? > G. opós ‘juice of plants’, Alb. gjak ‘blood’, R. sok ‘juice/sap’, Lt. svakas
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*kosmo- > OCS kosmŭ ‘hair’, OPo. kosm ‘wisp of hair’, G. kómē ‘hair of the head’
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*H1ois-m(n)- > oîma ‘rush / stormy attack’, Av. aēšma- ‘angerage’
(vs. retained *sm > sm near *e, *tweismo- > seismós ‘shaking’)
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*sorp- > OHG sarf ‘sharp/rough’, Lt. sirpis, G. hárpē ‘sickle’, (h)órpēx ‘sapling/lance/goad’
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That loss of *h from *s matches that of *H shows that these are not unrelated, entirely chaotic, or unanalyzable merely because they are not wholly regular. Again, this change is orderly when the change applied, but not all changes were regular either, and there is no way to determine which words it “should” apply to. Doublets like (h)órpēx (if not analogy to hárpē) show that, and loss of *s- occurs for other *so-, but also *se- in :
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*seib- > MLG sípen ‘drip / trickle’, TA sep- \ sip- ‘anoint’, G. eíbō ‘let fall in drops’, trúg-oipos =‘straining-cloth for wine’
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That these were not merely from dialects with all *h > 0 is shown by their concentration near *o, just as for *H, and the unlikelihood of so many dialect borrowings happening to be for words that had PIE *s, had *s > *h > 0, and that they were all borrowed by h-retaining dialects from h-deleting ones (and no examples of the reverse).
​
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Stages like *so > *xo > *xWo > *(h)o also recall *s > w near *P (Whalen 2024c)
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G. phársos ‘piece cut off / portion / cloth/covering’, *phárwos > phâros ‘large cloth / wide cloak’, LB pa-we-(h)a
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*korso- ‘running / marching’ >> G. epíkouroi ‘allies / mercenary troops’, LB e-pi-ko-wo
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See there for more examples (and of changes below). Though it is more common in G., it seems related to *s > f near *P in parfa, Aprufclano and *s > w near *o in kum, gwaew, drum (Whalen 2024b) :
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*(s)parsa > Umbrian parfa ‘sea-eagle?’, Latin parra ‘bird of ill omen’
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*arfrus > L. arbuscula ‘small tree’, *arfrus > common os-stem in OL arbos, L. arbor ‘tree’
*arfrus-tro- > L. arbustum ‘orchard’, *arprus-tlo- >> Marsian *aprufclo- (in the name Caso Cantovios Aprufclano, dat.)
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*kosmo- > OCS kosmŭ ‘hair’, OPo. kosm ‘wisp of hair’, G. kómē ‘hair of the head’, *kowmo > TA kum ‘wisp?’
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*g^hH2aiso- > Ga. gaîson ‘javelin’, W. gwaew ‘spear’, Gmc *gaisaz ( >> Finnish keihäs ‘spear’ )
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*dros-mn > *drohman > OIr druimm, *dR- / *trowman > W. drum / trum
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Seeing *kosmo- have one branch retain *s but 2 others change *s in unexpected ways shows its reality and irregularity. How could THREE groups for ‘hair’ be of the shape *ko(C)mo- but unrelated? For W. gwaew, it’s likely that *g- > *gW- by assimilation ( *g^helH2wo- > W. gwelw ‘pale’ ) after *s > *x ( > *xW > w by *o). That *s is seen clearly to become w in Welsh, requires intermediate *w in TA (for *osm > *owm > um), and disappears in Greek exactly as *H did shows its nature. As Byrd argues for the Saussure Effect, just because a rule seems crazy doesn’t mean it didn’t exist, or can’t be found to be simple, understandable, and motivated by natural changes upon closer inspection.
​
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Byrd, Andrew Miles (2013) A Crazy Rule in PIE? A Closer Look at The Saussure Effect
https://www.academia.edu/2272082
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Carrasquer Vidal, Miguel (2013) The "Saussure effect"
https://www.academia.edu/5129376
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Pronk, Tijmen (2011) The Saussure effect in Indo-European Languages Other Than Greek
https://www.academia.edu/1000907
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Savic, Danilo (2019) Revisiting Saussure’s Effect in Italic: the etymology of Oscan sollo ‘whole, entire’
https://www.academia.edu/39483621
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Yamazaki, Yoko (2009) The Saussure Effect in Lithuanian
https://www.academia.edu/4202542
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van Beek, Lucien (2011) The "Saussure effect" in Greek: a reinterpretation of the evidence
https://www.academia.edu/5945722
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Whalen, Sean (2024a) Indo-European Alternation of *m : *bh by *H (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/114332797
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Whalen, Sean (2024b) Italic and Celtic Lexical Matches and Sound Change (Draft)
https://www.academia.edu/117135846
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Whalen, Sean (2024c) Indo-European *s > f, Greek Fricatives to *f / *v near P
https://www.academia.edu/117599832
​

Spring had finally begun to fully settle over Casterly Rock, and the early season showers had slowly given way to serene, sunny afternoons. Joanna kept the windows cast open as often as she could, especially in the nursery. The children would need the fresh sea air to preserve their health, what with so much travelling ahead of them.
Daena most of all, blessed creature.
Joanna had perched herself on the edge of Daena’s bed, running a comb through the princess’ tangled tresses. Daena was doing her utmost not to fidget from her place on the horsehair bench, and failing.
“It hurts,” she reported, though Joanna had taken care to be generous with the oil she put on the comb.
“I know, precious, but this is why you ought to let me braid your hair before you venture into the brambles.”
She hummed a tune from a play they’d seen the evening prior, which distracted Daena for a good while until the Princess started squirming once more.
“I made you something,” she said after a time.
“Oh?”
“By myself, with my needles.”
Without turning round, Daena stuck a hand under the waist of her skirt to rummage through her pockets, eventually producing a small wad of cloth.
Joanna couldn’t determine what it was with any certainty, but she inspected it with awe nonetheless.
“Such fine craftsmanship! Show me how to use it properly.”
“You do it like this,” Daena said, dabbing the cloth against her face. “But with water.”
A washcloth, Joanna realised.
“Oh, how thoughtful of you. I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, sweetling.”
Daena settled then for a while, it seemed, listening patiently to Joanna’s humming. It was a play about the trials of a young shepherd. Willem had spent much of his time since imitating the sheep, bleating at his siblings while they broke their fast. It caught her by surprise when Daena spoke next.
“I wish you were my mother.”
Joanna paused, halfway through a tangle. She set the brush aside, leaning down to envelop Daena in an embrace.
“I would be so honoured to have a daughter like you, but we ought not to discuss such things.”
“Why not?”
“Because it would make your mother sad. We can be something else, if you want. Something special, but different.”
Daena was content with that for only a moment. Joanna hadn’t even begun to tackle the next knot when a small hand closed around hers. Daena had twisted in her seat to look up at her.
“My mother won’t be sad. She’s never sad.”
“I had a lovely little girl much like you, once. I know it would have made me sad.”
That was enough new information for her to ponder in silence. Daena resumed her obedient position between Joanna’s knees and let her finish her work on her hair. It shone in the firelight, a molten mix of silver and gold. Joanna weaved it into two neat plaits before pinning them, one overtop the other, to form a crown at the top of her head.
“There we are. You look lovely, Princess.”
“Are we going sailing today?”
Joanna wished that Damon had neglected the topic entirely, but he’d slipped, mentioning their plans to the children over breakfast. While Desmond was entirely uninterested– or perhaps more excited to have the opportunity to get up to mischief without them– Daena was less than thrilled at the idea that she was not invited.
“Another day, perhaps. It’ll just be me and your father, I’m afraid.”
“Can’t I go with you?”
“Not this time.”
“I never get sick on the boat.”
“I’ve never been afraid of that.”
“I don’t understand. Why do you have to be alone?”
“Because, little dove, people who love one another want to spend time together.”
“You love him?”
“What do you think?”
Joanna squished Daena’s cheeks between her hands just to watch her squirm before sending her off with a kiss.
She met Damon at the docks before the sun had sunk below the horizon, casting its light in shades of red, orange, pink and purple all across the sky. She wondered if she ought to have been worried by the invitation, given his sudden morbid fascination with an untimely death, but the evening was too lovely to squander contemplating such matters.
“A thousand apologies for the delay, Your Grace. Your daughter’s hair was beyond saving.”
“A family trait, I’m afraid,” Damon said with a smile, and he extended a hand to help her onto The Maid of the Mist.
She rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek once safely on board.
The Maid of the Mist was one of the few places where both she and he could truly be alone – no Kingsguard, no city watch, no advisors… just the two of them. Oftentimes, they’d retreat into themselves, Damon focused entirely on the sails, the rudder, the horizon, herself daydreaming of what could have been.
Being alone together was something they both cherished and had unfortunately found little time for in recent weeks. Joanna’s residual anger aside, Damon had been too preoccupied with the Great Council to escape. Once again, they were left to pretend that things were simpler, and that they’d never ceased taking the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company in contented silence.
Once Casterly Rock was far enough behind them and Damon had set the sails, they found each other. Damon had kicked off his boots and sat himself by the rudder, leaving a place for Joanna to sidle up against him. It was quiet, save for the lapping of the waves, and slowly she could feel the tension they’d boarded with melting away.
“My sister will be arriving soon.” It was Damon who broke the silence after a time.
“I have everything in hand. You needn’t worry.”
“I’m worrying about the things that cannot be in hand. Such as my sister herself.”
“I think you forget how well I know your sister.”
“Knew my sister.” He looked down at her, nestled in the crook of his arm, and raised an eyebrow. “Have you forgotten the reception she gave you in Oldtown?”
“I had other things on my mind. Seeing you again, mainly. Besides, we’ve always had that sort of relationship. The push and pull.”
“Another thing about women I suppose I’ll never understand.”
She looked up to see him smiling; she hated that she could forgive that sort of grin so readily. Doubly so now that their son shared one that looked much the same. She swatted him before settling back into his arm.
“Don’t spoil the moment, Damon Lannister.”
He squeezed her tighter to himself.
“I’m glad we have this moment.”
Her throat suddenly felt unbearably tight. Every conversation they’d had as of late had been tinged with a sense of foreboding, as though a fortune teller had promised Damon that his death waited just around the corner.
“The children are displeased with their new wardrobes.”
“Oh?”
“Well, Willem didn’t fuss at least, and Daena is positively delighted we’ll match. Desmond, however… was very unhappy. Especially about the stiffness of his shirt collars.”
“Hm. There will be more than just the children unhappy with a matching ensemble.”
“I don’t mean to offend. In truth, if I thought it bothered you, I never would have suggested it.”
Damon pulled away to look her in the eyes. “No, it doesn’t bother me. Quite the opposite, in fact. It brings me great pleasure to see our family presented as it ought to be.” He leaned back into their embrace. “It’s only my sister I was thinking of,” he explained. “Though nothing will be able to appease Ashara in this regard, and so half measures are whole wastes of our time.”
“Ashara is hardly the sort to be unhappy without reason.”
“I don’t mean to say she hasn’t her reasons, only that those reasons needn’t beckon me to action. I cannot fix the world’s unhappiness, Joanna, but I can try to make my children happy. I can try to make you happy. Tell me how I can make you happy.”
“I am the most happy.”
“Hm. And yet not the most believable.”
She scowled at him then, though it was only half meant, and quickly soothed when he offered her an apology kiss in turn.
“I have something for you.”
“I’ve heard that from one Lannister already today.”
“Oh?”
“Daena made me a washcloth.”
“Ah, is that what that was?”
“As though you could ever present a gift even half as worthy – handmade, thoughtful.”
Damon raised an eyebrow playfully. “What I have for you is handmade, just… Well, not by my own hands, necessarily. And thoughtful? I hope so. A great deal of thought went into it. All the thoughts I have, in fact.”
“Well, not to be greedy but get on with it then.”
“Wait here.” He got up, taking care not to disturb her, and moved to the cabin.
Joanna pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin atop them. The breeze off the Sunset Sea was warm. Spring has truly settled in and she decided that should summer never come, that would be fine enough. This was fine enough – for both of them.
When Damon returned he was carrying a small leather pouch in his hands, which he held with care as he took his seat back beside her on the deck.
“I hope it isn’t another washcloth, darling, because I already have a favourite.”
“Here, see for yourself.” He gingerly passed her the bag, not being able to contain a final, “careful,” as he did so.
Joanna opened the bag carefully to find a set of jewels– necklace, earrings, bracelet and small sunburst tiara, all in the most dazzling matching rubies.
“These are Lannister jewels.”
“They’re your jewels.”
“No, they’re–”
“They’re yours, Joanna. For decades now, they’ve been set aside for you.”
Joanna felt almost afraid to touch them, still holding the open satchel and staring at the treasure within. When she reached a hand forward, her fingers were trembling and she could not bring herself to continue.
“Put them on,” Damon insisted.
“No, you put them on me.”
He obeyed, taking back the satchel and then sitting up properly to clasp the necklace around her throat, the earrings on her ears, the teeth of the tiara’s comb in her hair, the bracelet around her slender wrist. The last she could see glittering in the sun reflected off the Sunset Sea.
She wished she could see the rest of them.
“Well, how do I look? Like the Lady of the Rock?” It felt strange to say out loud. They’d been dancing around the subject for so long.
“You’ve always looked like the Lady of the Rock, Joanna. Now you look like my wife.”
He had always been the only one who could make her blush.
“I’d say to never take them off, but you do have to sleep, I suppose.”
She laughed, feeling light and breathless as she tilted her wrist to watch the gold of her bracelet catch the gold of sunlight.
“I wonder,” Damon said, “how it would be for you to do so in my bed once more.”
“I have been sleeping in your bed, Damon.” Joanna refused to let him be coy. “Are you asking me to bed you properly?”
If he were embarrassed, he was trying not to let it show and Joanna delighted in that.
“I am the Lord of the Rock, am I not? What am I to do with its Lady?”
“I think you’ll be disappointed when you find that this lady does as she pleases.”
As if he’d taken it for a challenge, Damon leaned over to slide an arm around her waist, pressing his forehead against hers. She could feel her hair brush the floorboards of the deck, and at once wanted to feel them under her back.
“You’re my wife, Joanna,” he said, murmuring the words as he buried his face in her neck, the heavy gold and ruby earrings becoming tangled in his windswept curls. “I want to have another child with you – I want to have seven children with you. It’s a holy number, Joanna, don’t you see?”
“Well, I do believe we made our last on this boat…” With his lips against her throat she found it harder to come up with the right words – the sensible word – no. That no, it was too risky, that no, they had gone far too far already, that no, to push even further now would be taunting the very gods themselves with–
“Six more to go, then.”
“Damon…”
“If my life were to end tomorrow, my only regret would be that I didn't spend more of it with you, Joanna, that I didn't leave this world without leaving more of you and I together in it.”
“Don’t talk like that, you aren’t–”
“But we can fix that – we can fix something at least, right now.”
Joanna slid her fingers into his messy hair, the golden bracelet disappearing into golden curls. She knew what was sensible, but The Maid of the Mist was hardly a place to be sensible. It was home, after all. For all of them.

Move to a new area with no black folks and have 4c hair. Would it be wise to practice plaited braids and sew in’s on a 4C hair mannequin head.
By the time I’ve tried on my hair, I have something to do the following day and I don’t care if it comes out ugly as long as it’s done. The mannequin head will give me time and space to correct my mistakes and perfect my craft.

SIX STRAND BRAIDED PARACORD SLING + FOUR STRAND VERSION AT THE END
so the first thing is deciding how many strands to use, and to avoid complicating things on your first try just trust me you'll want to choose an even number.
BEGINNINGS:
I almost exclusively do 4 strands as a flat braid with paracord, but that comes with a couple complications of its own involving the finger loop and the pouch design (4 strand guide now included at the end) so I am going to write this for a 6 strand braid, which for most of the sling will be a 3-strand braiding pattern using doubled strands, so 6 total...
...but in order to do the finger loop right you actually want to cut 3 strands at double the full desired length, plus some room for error etc. so for a 54" sling cut 3 lengths of cord at 120" each (and just for convenience go ahead and melt the ends sealed)
line them up alongside one another and fold your bundle in half, but to avoid tangling and confusion keep the 2 halves a little separated. you'll start working on the middle of the bundle.
FINGER LOOP:
take the very middle, then choke up a few inches (technically this will amount to the circumference of the finger loop but it doesn't have to be perfect here). tie a slipknot a few inches up from the very middle binding the 3 cords together, and start braiding them together on the long side starting at the knot.
the repeat rule through this whole effort is TIGHT, EVEN braids. if it starts looking wonky, just take it apart and try to fix it bc the further you go the more impossible any corrections will become.
after you get a few inches of braid, loop it around to see how big the finger loop is. you want it wide enough to easily slip past the knuckles on your middle finger (even if that's not the finger you use when you actually sling, you should still make it big enough). when you get there, clothespin the braid closed and untie the slipknot. now you’re gonna tighten up that end of the braid and maybe even add a little length.
stack your braid ends one on top of the other to form the finger loop and make sure each braid's last working strand is pointing in the same direction.
you’re going to pair each strand with its counterpart one by one, and continue the braid as a doubled up 3-strand pattern. this will merge the ends of the finger loop together seamlessly and begin the retention cord.
if this sounds complicated, it's honestly pretty straightforward once you're actually doing it (this sentiment might come up again a couple times fyi)
RETENTION CORD:
braiding the retention cord is easy, it's the same 3-strand pattern just with doubled strands now. keep the doubled strands parallel and pull them very tight with each braid you lay down, wrapping them around as you go (again... you'll see what I mean).
KNEE:
once you get the right length on the retention cord (I didn’t do the math here, but it's not complicated), you'll separate the braid into 2 bundles of 3, each to be braided into the sides of the split pouch.
rather than laying out exactly which strand goes where to make it most even, I think you'll do fine figuring it out on your own. honestly you just want the sides to be as balanced as possible.
a good practice is to braid one side a couple inches, clothespin it, then braid the other side a couple inches. now go back to the first one, undo the braid, pull everything super tight again and braid a couple inches again; then repeat on the other side. this really helps pull out the slack that inevitably builds up.
POUCH:
braid each side to the appropriate length (math...), taking turns between them and regularly checking they are well balanced.
we will do a little more to beef up the pouch a bit once we finish the release cord. that is when you can add a Channing type smile if you want, too.
BELLY:
again, make sure each pouch braid's last working strand points in the same direction and all the strands are pulled tight.
you will rejoin the pouch in a similar way as you did for the finger loop, but this time side by side instead of stacked. this is probably the trickiest part of the whole process, and it might take a couple tries to get it right but it's not too hard. if it's just not working for you, you can get away with joining them stacked instead of side by side and the sling will still work fine - it's just better to do it side by side.
just make sure you keep pulling all the strands tight as you go, and that you are pairing the appropriate strands with one another.
don’t hesitate to take it apart and give it another try if it doesn't look or feel right - it's reasonably important to get this part right since it is the part of the sling that most directly affects how projectiles will release.
RELEASE CORD:
hey you're at least 3/4 done now. if you want you can just keep doing the same 6 strand, doubled-up 3 strand pattern for the entite length of the release cord - but it's generally advised to drop out strands from the braid periodically to form a steady taper until the very end of the release cord is the same thickness as the finger loop.
it's very easy to do, and I usually just feel it out as I go - it doesn't have to be a perfect taper. you'll drop one cord at a time, so you'll start with 6 strands, braid for a bit... drop to 5 and braid some more; then 4 for a bit, and finally 3 for the remainder - so it does help to learn how to do a 5- and 4-strand braid...
...but honestly it should be ok if you do your 5-strand portion by continuing with the same 3 doubled-up strand pattern, just one of them is a single strand now.
also, whenever you drop a strand don't cut it or anything, just leave it out of the braid and let it hang for now.
same deal when you hit 4 strands - you could learn the braid or just continue the same pattern you've been doing but now only one strand is doubled. doing it like that with the 5 and 4 strand portions will kinda make the cord less... idk 'uniform'(?) than if you were to use the appropriate braid patterns, but all in all it shouldn't be an issue.
lastly, of course, dropping from 4 to 3 should be pretty simple.
RELEASE:
I like a smooth release without a knot, but if you want to add a knot you just have to make sure it's in the exact right place so that the very center of the pouch will be the lowest point of the sling when you put the finger loop on and grip the release as you will when it's time to use it. only way to determine that is to put it on your finger and try it out.
if you think it'll help, go ahead and place a projectile in the pouch then hold the sling just as you would if you were getting ready to incapacitate a philistine giant - this will help you find the exact spot where it's most comfortable and natural to grip the release cord and keep the pouch centered.
note: this is actually part of why I prefer to skip the release knot... if you experiment with different ways of holding and releasing etc. - which you probably should if you’re new to slinging - the knot kinda locks you in place. I haven't heard a good argument in favor of the knot actually; it seems like there's no real advantage to having it and it kinda gets in the way
use a crown knot, which is super easy w 3 strands but I’m not going to explain it here - it's all over youtube you'll have no trouble finding a 20 second video demonstrating this simple knot.
you can terminate the sling right at the release knot if you want, but I strongly recommend continuing for a few inches past it - and if you skip the knot, definitely continue a few inches past the portion you'll be gripping.
end the braid with a crown knot then cut and melt the ends of each cord to seal them. melting paracord ends is sort of a skill on its own, but if you do it right it bulges a little and hardens in place which will hold your knot together.
TASSLE: (how do you spell tassle? is it tassel?)
you don’t need a tassle but hey why not? since you've got plenty of paracord cut like 7" and pull out the inner strands - the guts.
you can thread them through the crown knot for extra security, then braid them together for a few inches - or you can just make a braid and tie it to the end. either way works fine. I like to braid the tassle a bit then let it hang loose for another couple inches into a natural fray, rather than closing the braid with a knot. honestly doesn't matter much, but do leave an unbraided portion as a fray.
POUCH AFTERWORK:
you could leave the pouch as is, but it's nice to make it a little beefier and more durable. I just use some more paracord to wrap it. you can use the axe-handle wrap method, which is basically just a series of alternating overhand knots around a core - typically a tool handle but in this case each of the sides of your pouch.
a much, much better way is a 'solomon bar' which is like paracord 101... it's how you make everything - key fobs, bracelets, dog leashes, belts, etc. it's hard to explain, but easy to learn from a video lol. just remember that any video you watch about it will show you how to create a core, then create the knot pattern around it, usually using like one strand of cord - you just need the knot technique since the core you'll tie it around is, again, each of the sides of the pouch.
I've never tried the 'smile' but it seems easy enough - just kinda minimally thread a single strand of cord across the center gap to prevent your projectiles from falling through (honestly it's just not a problem I have often enough to warrant a solution like that)
OTHER AFTERWORK / FINISHING TOUCHES:
the hanging strands you dropped out for the taper... just cut those and melt them sealed. easy enough.
you can wrap the finger loop too, if you want. I'd go ahead and do that if you wind up using it often enough, and I recommend something soft like cotton twine... but paracord does work fine too.
END / CONCLUDING NOTES:
and there you go.... idk how much experience you have using a sling, but that's outside the scope of this for me lol - one thing I will say though if you haven't used one before: start with tennis balls or something that can’t knock anybody out or break windows, please!
and lastly, if this does seem like more than you're willing to undertake... there are easier options for sure.
seatbelt sling:
my favorite sling that isn’t a natural fiber balaeric type is the second one I ever made, which took me 10 minutes after watching the video by Mersa - a seatbelt sling. it just uses canvas type material for the pouch and single strands for the cords. look it up. mine gets used all the time and has never needed any repairs or adjustments
noodle sling:
literally takes less than 5 minutes and uses a single uncut cord with easy knots to form the loop and the pouch. you do need a slightly thicker cord though. I’ve made a few of these and they also work great.
anyway, good luck - I'll keep an eye on notifications if you need any help or anything.
it's super satisfying to use a sling you made yourself, and if you're like me at all you'll wind up making like a dozen of them just out of boredom until you get the technique down perfect and even come up with your own ideas and techniques to try out.
just wait until you start getting into the traditional natural fiber methods and you wind up watching the Archaic Arms videos 30x
EDIT - I wrote up another guide for the 4-strand version:
4-STRAND VERSION:
BEGINNINGS:
same as before, cut your strands at double the full sling length plus some breathing room. for the sake of continuity, assuming a 54" sling you want 108" +, so 120" is perfect. this time you just want 2 lengths of cut and sealed cord side by side.
find the middle, choke up a few inches, and clip a clothespin right there.
FINGER LOOP:
this time you only have 2 strands from which to make a loop, so you can't do a braid. just twist the strands together into a spiral (not too loose, not too tight) and bring all 4 strands together to form a finger loop of the appropriate size.
we are gonna wrap this with something later because as-is this finger loop is not great.
RETENTION CORD:
maybe use a clothespin or a clip to hold the loop together so you can begin the 4-strand braided retention cord without having to deal with much slack (you'll have some slack where the finger loop connects, but this will be dealt with later).
4 strands can be braided as a plaited, flat braid or a round braid. I prefer the flat braid for the retention cord to prevent twisting when you're loading the sling etc.
you'll probably have to look up a video or a pictorial, but it's a very simple braid to learn.
each braid is 2 steps. starting on the right take the outer strand and pull it over one strand to the left. now the outer left strand goes over 2 to the right. outer right - over one to the left, outer left -over 2 to the right.
just to overly complicate something you might already understand from my explanation, I'll try numbering the strands left to right (1-2-3-4) to show the pattern for three iterations listing the left to right order of the strands before and after each step:
(1-2-3-4) -> [4 over 3] -> (1-2-4-3) -> [1 over 2-4] -> (2-4-1-3) -> [3 over 1] -> (2-4-3-1) -> [2 over 4-3] -> (4-3-2-1) -> [1 over 2] -> (4-3-1-2) -> [4 over 3-1] -> (3-1-4-2)
(good lord does this make any sense at all or is it just more confusing now?)
anyway that's a 4 strand flat braid... (did I mention there are lots and lots of youtube videos that cover this??)
keep it up until you have the right length retention cord.
KNEE AND POUCH:
using 4 strands makes the knee easy, but the pouch is a little different.
split your strands in half with 2 on each side. you're gonna add another length of cord to create a woven split pouch and part of the belly. I’m not 100% sure how long it'll need to be so you may have to do some trial and error. to reduce attachment points we will use a single cord for both sides of the pouch, with the center going over the knee.
typically as you braid a sling you have the front or outer side of the sling facing you. so when the sling is used, the projectile will sit in the pouch contacting the sling on the side away from you as you braid. you want this additional cord to pass its center over the knee on the outside - the side away from the projectile.
so find the middle, and place it such that one half extends to the left and the other to the right while the sling sits on the center with the inner facing up toward you.
now you will weave the cord onto the two strands forming either side of the pouch alternating over and under each strand, periodically stopping to pull everything tight - and, as usual, to trade between sides ensuring uniformity.
BELLY:
now that you have each side of the pouch woven tightly at the same length and thickness as one another you should have six strands total - three on each side, two from the retention cord and the core of the pouch and one from the new strand we used to weave onto them.
you’re going to join all of these together into a six strand braid, taking the pattern of a 3 strand doubled braid, continuing for a couple inches of 'belly' before dropping out the 2 you added for the woven portion and continuing on with the original 4.
join the sides of the pouch side by side and try to pair the strands up with one another evenly, all 3 pairs with only one strand from each side. this will be a bit tricky; especially since with this design, unlike the 6-strand design, you actually don’t want to pair every strand with its direct counterpart - you want each of the 'weaving' strands to pair with one of the original 2 from the other side NOT with one another - you'll have to trust me on this.
also you may need to experiment a little to figure out the best way of positioning either weaving strand at the termination of the pouch.
make sure to give this portion some forethought and planning, and expect it to take a few attempts; never hesitate to undo and retry if it doesn't seem right. just remember you're going for the most symmetry and balance you can achieve - and of course as always, pull out any slack and focus on creating even, uniform braids.
RELEASE CORD:
you can drop the weaving strands out at the same braid or a braid or two apart, but make sure they drop out close together and no further than maybe a few inches from the pouch. it should be easy to tell them apart from the original 4 since they'll probably be shorter.
as usual don't cut them when they drop, just let them hang and continue with a 4 strand braid.
you can switch from the plait braid to a round braid here if you want (NOT gonna try to explain the pattern here lol it's easy to look up) - it may be a little easier to grip and release a round braid, plus it probably helps to dissipate the 'whipping' energy of the follow-through when you throw. the same flat braid is fine too, though
you can't really taper beyond 3 strands here, so I generally just keep 4 for the full length but it's your call.
FINISH:
the final portion including the optional release knot, terminating knot, and tassel are the same as covered in the other guide.
in fact the only difference from here out is this time you do need to wrap the finger loop.
just pull it open as much as you can in order to tighten the beginning of the retention braid, then wrap it up with some paracord or cotton twine or whatever you think will work best. continue the wrap around the first inch or two of retention cord and secure it with a tight knot.
that's it!
the pouch is already finished as part of the initial design, so the only thing left is to cut and melt the dropped strands as covered in the previous guide.

A Delicate Craft by D. P. Watt
Published in and exercpeted from Aickman's Heirs (2015) edited by Simon Strantzas

The special day came and she pricked out the pattern on his pillow and guided him through the first turns of the work. Tea flowed but Bogdan's progress was frustratingly slow.
"I would give anything to have the skills you have," he said, draining a cup, and resuming his slow progress on the pattern.
"Really?" Agnes said. "Would you give anything?"
"Oh, yes," he replied, concentrating on selecting the right bobbin to thread over the one in his left hand. "To know something—to truly master it—that is what life is all about isn't it. I want to be well trained at what I do, and you have been a wonderful teacher, but then it will take me many years of practice and hard work to be as accomplished as you are at it."
"Anything at all?" Agnes said, distantly, as though she had not been listening.
"Yes," he said again, firmly.
"Then look at me," Agnes said, taking his hands from their work and holding them in her tiny, deformed fingers.
He did not really understand, but turned to her and looked into her eyes, the colour of which was difficult to discern in the half-light of her front room, and beneath the folds of the wrinkles that gathered around her eyes, threatening to enfold them in darkness.
"May we find this wish heard higher. These hands are for doing, for marking and learning," she began, as though reciting an old childhood nursery rhyme. She had turned his palms upright and traced a line down each with her thumbs.
"These hands are for nursing, for nurturing and yearning," she sang, tracing his forefingers down each of her palms.
"And between them they cradle a world full of knowing," she gripped his fingers tightly. He could feel every line worn into them, every blemish and callus—pressing harder and harder on his own fingers and then palms. "And none has yet turned the side of that flowing, for age is a rift and youth such a gift. But the bridge o'er the chasm is built with desire."
The room had become hot and airless, and a dull yellow light seemed to have brightened the place, although its source was unclear.
Agnes sank back into her chair, her eyes flaring and her arms shaking. Bodgan made to get up and help her but his legs felt weak, his eyes heavy with sleep and his vision blurred. His hands felt hot and painful. The tiredness was overwhelming and he too fell back into his chair and sank into sleep. The last thing he saw was Agnes rise up, suddenly and swiftly, with a strength he had not seen in her before. She stretched her arms high above her head, a body in the throes of being born again.
* * *
Rising from his slumber Bodgan felt his limbs creak slowly into usefulness. His hip arched and his feet wore sore and numb. He looked down at his fingers; gnarled and crooked, the nails cracked and dirty. Between a swollen thumb and bent forefinger he held a thin white thread. He traced it back—its fibres further twining together as it trailed through his fingertips—to a delicate bone bobbin that he deftly tucked beneath its partner on a faded blue mat edged in frayed gold braiding that was propped on his lap. His hazy vision could see well enough this close at hand but as he peered around the room he could just make out the forms of ornaments and pictures, each of which sparkled half memories of a long life, filled with loves and losses. "Nadszedł czas na herbatę," he thought.
In the narrow street outisde a young girl played hopscotch on a hastily chalked grid—as though the late Twentieth century had never happened; her stiff ivory dress was dated; her hair plaited and unfashionably long; her delicate laughter, eternal.

Translated from Polish "Nadszedł czas na herbatę" — "It's time for tea."

I wanted to make a list of cheap items which are staples in the ultralight backpacking community, and may be useful to some of you with an emphasis on bugging out or getting home. Packing light and cheap is a criminally underrated skill, in my opinion. These are all products that I have experience with, so feel free to ask me any questions, and let me know if anything should be mentioned.. I hope that this information is of some use to someone here.
emergency bivvy: Sufficient for staying alive overnight in most climates. I've slept overnight in this bag alone down to about 35°f. Not the best night's sleep, but nowhere near freezing to death.
[Sleeping pad](https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Lightweight-Backpacking-Inflatable-Mattress/dp/B07YP8MLNN: This is the best budget pad I've found. My wife has taken her's out for quite some time with no problems. Bring a repair kit in case of punctures/tears.
[Silnylon tarp](https://www.amazon.com/LiteOutdoors-Silnylon-Tarp-Ultralight-Backpacking/dp/B07XTQ99K2: This tarp fits two comfortably. Learn a few configurations and you can adapt it to most any situation. A cheap silnylon tarp can really let you down in the field. This one is tried and true, and very affordable for the quality.
[Braided mason line](https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Mason-Line-String-Construction/dp/B0B61ZYFB3: Much lightecheaper than Paracord. Great for shelter and strong enough to hang heavy objects like food bags and backpacks. Available at your local hardware store. Must be braided, not twisted.
[Polycro ground cloth](https://www.amazon.com/Duck-286218-Shrink-insulation-Crystal/dp/B000NHW2Z6: A virtually weightless ground cloth. Can be used over and over as long as you don't step all over it with your shoes.
[Gerber Dime](https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Dime-Multi-Tool-Green-31-001132/dp/B007BKLB8C: The tiny pliers are great for field repair and splinters. The scissors are also very handy. Bought mine used on eBay for $10 and it saves my ass regularly.
[Tent stakes](https://www.amazon.com/MSR-Groundhog-Stake-6-Pack-Reguladp/B006ZC5KLG: Ground Hogs are the best, imo. Learn to use the grooves to quickly cinch your lines down.
[Trail runners](https://www.amazon.com/ASICS-Gel-Venture-Running-Shoes-Black/dp/B0B486C4LX: They say two pounds on your feet is the equivalent of ten pounds on your back. I've been backpacking in cheap Asics for years now. When they fall apart, I glue them back together. Great for any terrain, and they dry out fast.
[Cook pot](https://www.amazon.com/Stanco-GS1200-Non-Stick-Grease-Strainedp/B000MVTIOQ: A flemsy aluminum pot, meant to strain grease. A great budget alternative to the pricey titanium. I used the same one for several years.
Cat food stove: An empty can of cat food and a hole punch are all you need to make this stove. Make a windscreen from aluminum foil. Burns denatured alcohol and HEET (yellow). This was my go-to for a long time, before I switched to the [BRS](https://www.amazon.com/BRS-BRS-3000T-Ultra-Light-Titanium-Miniature/dp/B06XNLSNFR
[Mora Companion](https://ragweedforgestore.com/products/mora-companion-leaf-green?variant=44181535359205: If this knife were twice the price it would still be worth the money. Not a full tang, but very light, and perfectly sufficient for batoning, in my experience.
[Leukotape](https://www.amazon.com/Leukotape-Corrective-Taping-1-5-Yards/dp/B008FNHF8O: Great for foot care. Cut out a circle and slap this onto the part of your foot that's rubbing. Catch it early. This is preventative . If you put it on a blister you'll be in trouble.
[Chapstick](https://www.amazon.com/ChapStick-Moisturizer-Original-Tubes-Protectant/dp/B07GVPQXRF: Great for chaffing crotch, thighs, pits, etc. Those small problems become big problems after a few miles, if left untreated.
[Trekking poles ](https://www.amazon.com/Cascade-Mountain-Tech-Aluminum-Collapsible/dp/B01L5YWW7I: You can find these at your local Costco, or buy them online. The only pair of trekking poles I've ever owned. They take the impact off your knees and the weight off your legs. They help you cross creeks and build shelters. They splint broken limbs. You can fix a headlamp to the top and stick it in the ground to light your camp. Make a drying line by the fire to hang your wet gear. It goes on and on.
Please don't tell me that bugging out is a dumb idea. I'm not here to make the case for or against it. I'm just saying some of this info may be useful to people who plan to set out on-foot and don't have much experience walking long distances and sleeping outside. Or maybe folks that don't want to spend a ton of money. Wishing you all the best!

I, F(21) have been going to my saloonist F(33) for about 6 years. She has been an absolute angel in that time and we've never had any issues...up until recently. In my time with her my hair has never been healthier and it's slowly getting thicker and longer. I love it. My problem with her is that she has slowly started to act off with me. Last month I went to get some type of braids and instead of telling me that she couldn't do it, she plaited the most horrendous thing I've ever had. Even my partner commented on it. I felt so insecure I had to take it out after a week. Because of that, I had to redo my hair into some simple style since I couldn't rough it with my undone hair as there has been flooding and constant rains in my country for about 4 weeks. It was really bad for my finances as I can only afford to get my hair done once a month.(PS 3 of my colleagues told me it was bad. We're a small company of 5 people💔) My last straw happened today morning. I made an appointment with her for 10am today and she assured me that she'd be free. I got there at 9:55 but she hadn't arrived yet so I thought; no worries I can just have my wash and blowdry first and she'll be there. She arrived at 10:20, said hi, commented on how punctual I was, and started to work on another girl's hair. I thought she was just passing time to wait till my blowdry was over with. (They do this to make sure work gets done quicker) I was done by 10:30. She still didn't start on my head. The lady blow-drying my hair went to assist her and they ignored me for an hour. The most they did to acknowledge me was give me side eyes. The owner of the salon came in at 11 and went straight to assisting the two ladies so in total there were 3 professionals working on one girl's head. I was left alone to scroll on tiktok. I waited until 1:15PM. I'm not even joking. The hair I wanted wasn't even that hard it was some Fluffy Kinky twists that we've done before. I stood up to pay and suddenly they wanted to accommodate me but I said it's fine i just want to go home. They made me pay 30% more than the standard price for a wash and blowdry and made me promise to go back tomorrow. I've never been so angry in my life. I've decided to cut her off and find someone new but my aunt who knows her personally says she might take offense. I don't care. I just want to know if cutting her off is too drastic a measure. AITA for deciding to cut off my saloonist?

Hey all! I'm not sure if this is the forum for this but I have somehow managed to retain some of my own My Little Ponies from the late 80s early 90s that I played with as a kid (yes, I'm an Old).
Unfortunately, some of them had manes and tails that were fried beyond repair (I really tried), including this Sundazzle, so I decided to have a crack at rerooting and I'm super pleased with how it turned out. I used human braiding hair and made it crimped by creating a thousand tiny plaits, setting them with hot water, and then slowly but surely undoing them one by one. It took a long time but I think she looks great!
Anyway, here she is! It says 88 on her hoof, though the internet seems to think she was more early 90s. I also have a Wildflower I need to reroot but I'm waiting on her hair.
https://preview.redd.it/q20we0uilkzc1.jpg?width=1664&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1aefe2f45e3d5b72acf10e6e9f34c4ddb4204992
https://preview.redd.it/yqxr80uilkzc1.jpg?width=1626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c776cb8c9c2c11dd2b6cb7f155e5439b9dfd567

Hi everyone.
I lost my personal keys while driving between Capital Roots HQ and a garden by JBS vanderheyden preserve.
If anyone finds a black braided Paracord keychain with a purple carabineer and a bright orange "PA wildlife/game commission" tag attached (and just the right amount of grocery store member cards) please either drop them off at Capital Roots HQ or PM me.
Thank you!!

Hi everyone.
I lost my personal keys while driving between Capital Roots HQ and a garden by JBS vanderheyden preserve.
If anyone finds a black braided Paracord keychain with a purple carabineer and a bright orange "PA wildlife/game commission" attached (and just the right amount of grocery store member cards) please either drop them off at Capital Roots HQ or PM me.
Thank you!!

Hey, I’m looking for recommendations for styles I can wear to help grow my edges or further pull on them. I’m natural and like to braid the front of my hair to put in I’m a curly messy bun or I braid/plait my hair due to work I have to wear my hair above my shoulders. What types can I do that will allow me to grow my edges and thicken my hairline??? Also any product recommendations?