How to make and fit Traditional Bell Bewits

[Harris]

Following the thread I did on making Jesses I have been asked several times to do a similar thread on making and fitting traditional Bell Bewits, so here goes. I should point out that this is how I make them and other people will have slightly different methods I'm sure.

Start off with a strip of leather as shown in Pic 1 it needs to be a strong leather with virtually no stretch, also pull the leather in each direction to find which way to cut it so it has the least amount of stretch. The strip you cut needs to be wide enough to just go through the bell, and about 6" or 15cm long.

[Harris]

Next you will need to taper the ends like this.

[Harris]

Fold the strip in half to find the center point.

[Harris]

Then punch a small hole just slightly to one side of the center of the strip.

[Harris]

Feed the strip through the loop on the Bell, like so.

[Harris]

hen feed the end through the small hole.

[Harris]

And simply pull it tight.

[Harris]

at this stage you will have to use a little imagination as I will show you how to fit it to the bird.

You need to measure the Bewit around the leg of the bird above the anklet Sometimes the ring on the bird is quiet tight and you would therefore fit the Bewit above the ring as not to push the ring tighter on the leg, however normally you would fit it below the ring.

Having measured the leather around the birds leg, pinch it or mark it so that its not too tight, make sure you can find these marks after you take it away from the bird.

[Harris]

Next you need to punch a small hole where you marked the leather whilst it was around the birds leg.

[Harris]

Now at this stage you could punch the final hole but if this is the first time you have made Bewits and fitted them I would encourage you to fit them first to ensure they are not too tight or too loose, and then remove them to punch the final hole.

So with the leather around the birds leg simply feed one end through the hole and pull until it fits just right.

[Harris]

Once you are happy with the fit, mark the leather with a pen or something so that you know where to punch the final hole.

[Harris]

Now remove the Bewit from the bird and punch the final hole, if you have a revolving plier type punch you may be able to do this on the bird but if this is your first time fitting them then I would recommend removing them as accidents can happen.

[Harris]

With the final hole punched and the Bewit back around the birds leg, check the fit and finally pass the end back through the final hole, like so.

[Harris]

Finally just pull it tight and trim off some of the excess leather if its way too long.

And thats all there is too it.

[UglyBear]

Finally just pull it tight and trim off some of the excess leather if its way too long.

And thats all there is too it.
Fair play to you .....thats a good demonstration..... how long did it take you to put it up.... you must have to much time on your hands....Lol

[Harris]

Fair play to you .....thats a good demonstration..... how long did it take you to put it up.... you must have to much time on your hands....Lol

It took about 2 hours start to finish, Its raining and I'd promised a few people. :yawinkle:

[SnakeHuts]

Simon, couldnt you have just taken wet weather photograghs of swansea for the Welsh Tourist Board? show it how it really is.


thanks for the post, it will be really useful for some forum members.

[Colin Bevan]

Good demo Simon. Now how easy is THAT :)
Yet idle f*****s will STILL go an buy 'em ready made :confused::rolleyes:
Col.

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Looks strikingly similar to this thread....:lol:

http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18400

[Harris]

Looks strikingly similar to this thread....:lol:

http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18400

Hahaha. I never saw that. :oops:oh well never mind :lol:

[It's Alright Ma]

Looks strikingly similar to this thread....:lol:

http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18400

Hahaha. I never saw that. :oops:oh well never mind :lol:

Nonetheless, very considerate of you both. Nothing wrong with folk doing something constructive :)

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Nonetheless, very considerate of you both. Nothing wrong with folk doing something constructive :)

At least if people do a search they have more than one thread to find on the subject!

[Dayo]

if you double up on the initial knot it hold the bells away from the legs and feet nicely

[White Gyr]

we always put 2 holding slits in the leather to stop it getting too tight if the bird tugs it,
and once we have trimmed the ends we put a small spot of super glue to hold it

great post though simon:supz:

[Falconry Favourites]

well done mate ,very interesting

[SashMan]

very clear to follow,when are you doing how to make a hood:wink:

[Harris]

very clear to follow,when are you doing how to make a hood:wink:

Thank you, there are people on this forum that make hoods professionally I promise you they are far more qualified than me to make a hood. :yawinkle:

[HBombHarry]

when you pass the leather through the final hole i got shown to cut the leather like an arrow head so if the bird pulls it does not easily come back through easier than super glue and you can remove the bell if needed

[Harris]

when you pass the leather through the final hole i got shown to cut the leather like an arrow head so if the bird pulls it does not easily come back through easier than super glue and you can remove the bell if needed

Thanks Karl, thats another good way of doing it, i personally never use super glue on any leather items, although I know some people do.

[Jiff]

the two small cuts are the traditional method of stoping the bewit comming undone however another method and one that i use as i usualy work alone can be done with the bird on the hand thread the bell onto the bewit as discribed wrap the bewit arround the birds leg to get a good fit, pinch it, cut it to the length and then punch two small holes wrap it arround the leg and pass a small cable tie through the two holes and secure it, the bell stays whare it should be arround the leg not the foot, and before martin jumps in this is he's idea as discribed in complete rabbit and hare hawk worked verry well for me cheers martin:yawinkle:

[Scooby_034]

great demo and fool proof. :)

[Falconry Favourites]

very good mate

[Scoffa]

Great thread Simon. Should Traditional Bell Bewits have a button on 1 end and then a slot on the other?

[Harris]

Great thread Simon. Should Traditional Bell Bewits have a button on 1 end and then a slot on the other?

They would be Button Bewits. slightly different to traditional Bewits.

[FelimStar]

Again great thread keep them coming:P

[Matty01]

great thread harris keep them coming. just wondering what treatment you put on your leather to keep it supple? or do you not bother? and what thickness leather you use?

cheers again

matt

[Harris]

I use Ko Cho Line leather grease, but there are a few different dressings on the market.

http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/Admin/Images/3c4c6358-0de4-4fd2-aa7a-44dc4cc5fcdb.jpg

[Matty01]

cheers do you treat your glove with that too? and is it a one shot thing or do you re treat evey season?

cheers matt

[Geordiejay]

Wow, that was a truly fascinating thread.
I never knew how the bells were attached until now,
If only I had a bird and some leather then I could practice.
For now though I shall keep this page book marked

Thanks as always Jay

[HallBeck]

Wow, that was a truly fascinating thread.
I never knew how the bells were attached until now,
If only I had a bird and some leather then I could practice.
For now though I shall keep this page book marked

Thanks as always Jay

You don't need a bird to practice - in fact to practice you are best off without a bird.

You need some leather, a bell and a pencil for a birds leg!

[Falcon_Falcon]

Thanks for posting - great read

[GregGarrett]

brilliant read good step by step guide :supz:

[PhilMon47]

Well done m8 really good demo nice to see people making their own gear.

[EddieT]

I once had a pere/saker that in her early days destroyed bewits at the rate of one a day. This gave me the necessary practise to work out how to get the fitting just right.

The difficult bit about fitting a bewit is to get it fitting snuggly but not tight to the leg. I worked out how to do this consistently by only punching the first hole into the bewit before fitting (i also put a nick on both sides just above the hole). The bewit is then put on the hawk's leg by passing the un-holed end round the leg and through the whole in the other end. It is pulled tight around the leg - not too tight, but a little tighter than required. I then punch the hole in the other strap just at the point above where it emerges from the hole. The other strap is then passed through this new hole until the nicks are through the hole and holding it in place.

The good fit comes from the fact that when punching the second hole in situ the punch will have made the second hole just a little bit above where the leather emerges from the first hole. Having initially pulled the bewit up tight to the leg the second hole is punched in the strap a few mms above where emerges from the first hole. Therefore the bewit soon pulls itself open just that little bit. Does this make sense?

The BIG caveat here is that once you have finished fitting the bewit you MUST check that it is not too tight. It should be loose enough to move easily around the leg.

[robo101]

Very interesting, thanks

[Howler]

Thanks for that :)

[Luis_Claudio]

Another very nice thread! For a Sparv, what bell do you use? I bought form enriquesola a pair a few days.