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How To Tie Leather Laces – Quick, Easy Steps for Tight Laces

By: Author Dan Concord

Leather laces are easy to clean and durable but can be challenging to keep tied without the right knot. I will discuss some quick and easy steps on how to tie leather laces for laces that stay tied.

How to tie leather laces is using various knots, including a barrel, chain, fishtail, and tassel. These methods can prevent untying and loose laces, hold feet secure, and prevent trips and falls. All you need is leather laces and basic shoelace-tying skills.

Have you ever worn shoes with leather laces and found they never stay tied? Are you looking for a better way to tie leather laces that will keep them tied? Let’s check out some quick and easy steps for how to tie leather laces.

What Is Tying Leather Laces?

Tying leather laces is one of several methods of securing difficult-to-knot leather laces to stay connected. The standard knot for shoelaces often comes untied when used for leather laces, and there are several ways that leather laces can be tied to keep them secure and prevent tripping.

What We’ll Explore

  • Clearing up Myths & Misconceptions
  • Reasons You Might Choose To Tie Leather Laces
  • Variations or Styles of How To Tie Leather Laces
  • How To Tie Leather Laces Overview Table
  • Skill Level of How To Tie Leather Laces
  • Tools and Supplies Needed for Tying Leather Laces
  • How To Tie Leather Laces Step by Step
  • How To Get Better at Tying Leather Laces
  • My Personal Research on Tying Leather Laces
  • Helpful Insights on Tying Leather Laces
  • Key Takeaways
Leather Shoes Laced With Leather Laces - How To Tie Leather Laces - Liberty Leather Goods
Leather Shoes Laced With Leather Laces

Clearing Up Myths & Misconceptions

The first myth is that you can tie leather laces in a standard bow, and they will stay tied. Leather laces are thicker and sometimes shaped differently from traditional shoelaces, so traditional bows simply will not stay tied.

The second myth is there’s only one effective way to tie leather laces. This is also false because there are dozens of ways to tie leather laces effectively! Another misconception is that tying leather laces is only for shoes. However, leather laces can be found on bags, accessories, hats, clothing, and even jewelry.

Reasons You Might Choose To Tie Leather Laces

Several reasons one might choose to tie leather laces go beyond the obvious of avoiding loose laces. Tying leather laces in a certain way will keep them bound and secure.

It will also keep shoes on comfortably without being too tight or loose. Tying leather laces will keep one’s feet firmly in the shoes, preventing trips and falls. One can even create jewelry and accessories by tying leather laces for a unique look.

Leather laces are thicker and sometimes shaped differently from traditional shoelaces, so traditional bows simply will not stay tied.

Variations or Styles of How To Tie Leather Laces

Just as there are several different types of leather laces, there are a few variations of how to tie leather laces. The most common are the following:

  1. Barrel knot
  2. Chain knot
  3. Cross knot
  4. Fishtail knot
  5. Surgeon’s knot
  6. Tassel knot

How To Tie Leather Laces Overview Table

Area of PreparationDetails
TechniqueTying Leather Laces
Overall Level of Skill (1–5)2
Time to Complete (minutes/hours)1 minute or less
Workspace NeededMinimal
Skills NeededTying knots
Tools and Supplies NeededLeather laces, scissors
Key Helpful TipTry more than one.
How To Tie Leather Lace Characteristics

Skill Level of How To Tie Leather Laces

Tying leather laces takes little skill; however, it helps if one is already comfortable tying shoelaces. Tying leather laces has a few variations, each with a different type of knot. Therefore, it takes learning new knots to tie leather laces so they stay tied. A helpful key tip is to try several knots to see which one works best, has the profile one is looking for, and is easiest.

Tools and Supplies Needed for Tying Leather Laces

Luckily, all you need for tying leather laces are shoes with leather laces and possibly scissors. Scissors can be used to trim excess laces should one desire. No fancy tools or supplies are needed! 

Check out this helpful video from Jac of All Things as she demonstrates an easy way to tie leather laces.

How To Tie Leather Laces Step by Step

There are many ways to tie leather laces, some easier than others but all worth trying. Here are some step-by-steps for the common knots for leather laces:

  1. Barrel Knot – Make a loop with one lace near the shoe. Wrap the remaining lace around this loop five times and pull the end through the loop. Pull tight, and you’ve made a barrel knot. Repeat with the other lace and the other shoe.
  2. Chain Knot – Loop the right lace with the cross in front. Loop again and push through the back of the first loop. Keep creating loops and pushing through the last loop, then pull the end through. Repeat with the left lace, then tuck together. Repeat with the other shoe.
  3. Cross Knot – Begin by crossing the laces about halfway up. Cross the end of the top lace under the other lace. Hold both ends and pull tight to form a cross near the shoe. Make a small loop with the top and bottom lace and cross the two. Poke the under loop through the hole. Pull the loops tight, and it should form a knot. Repeat with the other shoe.
  4. Fishtail knot – Run the laces vertically through the eyelets and cross them up and over the opposite loop. Repeat this three times, left to right, then tighten, trim, and tuck the lace ends behind the braid. Repeat with the other shoe.
  5. Surgeon’s knot – Start by crossing the left lace over the right to form a knot, and loop the left lace on the right side close to the knot. Wrap the opposite lace around the front of the loop, create another loop, and tuck underneath the same lace. Tuck another loop with the same lace again underneath itself. Pull both loops tightly to make a bow. Repeat with the other shoe.
  6. Tassel knot – Cross laces with left lace over right and make a square knot. Create a small loop close to the knot with the left lace and wrap the end around the loop two to three times. Pull the end through the loop and tighten. Repeat on the right, then trim long ends if desired. Repeat with the other shoe.

How To Get Better at Tying Leather Laces

Tying leather laces isn’t difficult if one finds a method that works for them. According to researcher Anna Rybarczyk, leather laces have been around since the 15th century, giving people plenty of time to come up with ways to tie them.

Because there are so many ways to tie leather laces, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and practice more. Trying different ways of tying leather laces is a great way of getting better at it — so practice each one and see which works best.

My Personal Research on Tying Leather Laces

Many ways to effectively tie leather laces exist, but which one is the best or easiest? I researched the most common knots to find out the pros and cons of each and have compiled them here.

Knot TypeProsCons
Barrel knotEasy to do, holds tight.Not low-profile, can make shoes lose if not short enough, and it’s hard to tie other knots once laces are trimmed.
Chain knotShortens without trimming, holds tight.Not low-profile, can look messy.
Cross knotLow profile, polished look.More complicated than other knots and not as stable.
Fishtail knotLow profile, easy to do, holds tight.It’s hard to tie other knots once the laces are trimmed.
Surgeon’s knotLooks like a normal bowtie, but stays in placeMore complicated.
Tassel knotEasy to do, holds tight.It’s hard to tie other knots once laces are trimmed, not a low-profile knot.
Pros and Cons of Common Leather Knots

Helpful Insights On Tying Leather Laces

How do you keep leather laces from untying?

Keeping leather laces from untying can be done in a variety of methods. The simple loop method used for regular tennis shoes doesn’t work well, but knotting those loops together is one method. Using another type of knot like the barrel, surgeon, or tassel are other ways of tying leather laces. Another approach is applying lip balm over leather laces to form a waxy coating that decreases slipping and untying.

How do you tie leather moccasin laces?

Leather moccasin laces can be tied using a barrel, chain, cross, surgeon, or tassel knot. Each knot uses more complex ways of tying leather laces that will keep them tied better. Another easy method to tie leather moccasin laces is to use one of the knot methods and superglue the knot into place.

How do you tie leather boat shoe laces?

Leather boat shoe laces are often tied using the barrel or fishtail knot. The barrel knot is tied by making a loop, twisting the loop, wrapping the rest of the lace around five times, then threading the end through the loop and pulling tight. The fishtail knot is tied by running laces vertically through the eyelets, crossing the laces up and over the opposite loop, and repeating three times left to right, then tightening, trimming, and tucking the lace ends behind the braid.

What knot is best for leather laces?

The best knot for leather laces is the one you can tie! Honestly, there’s no one best knot for leather laces; several variations work well for keeping leather laces tied. One can choose to learn the barrel, surgeon, chain, cross, or tassel knots, among others, to tie leather laces.

Key Takeaways

  1. Several methods exist for tying leather laces so they stay tied.
  2. Some knots are easier to tie, and some are lower profile than others.
  3. Once leather laces have been trimmed after tying, it’s more challenging to tie other knots.

In Closing

Learning how to tie different knots is great for keeping leather laces tied. Experiment with different types to see which one looks and feels best. It will take some time and practice, but it will be worth it when those shoes stay tied and no one trips or falls!

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