Things Medieval — Lucets

It’s not entirely certain how far back lucet braiding goes, nor when it ceased being commonly done. It is definitely known to have been used by dark age Vikings, and bone and wooden lucets of a variety of styles are common finds. The advantage of lucet braid over other types of woven or plaited braids is that it is done with a single piece of thread, can be arbitrarily long, and forms a very strong, inelastic cord. This makes lucet braided cord ideal for late medieval points and laces, and indeed for any period where a long stout lace is needed.

I have made lucets in a variety of sizes and shapes, and from more or less any timber that is around—they are a good use for small pieces of recycled timber. The main characteristic is for the lucet to have two prongs, and a hole for threading the finished cord through as it progresses (although even that is optional). I sand the finished items to a very smooth finish, and either wax or oil them, depending on the type of timber. The one shown to the right is about 10cm long, sized to fit my large hands, and made from recycled hardwood.

to be completed… instructions for lucet braiding, finished cords, and photos of process of braiding