Gracelock Tie (2nd revision)
As mentioned in the posting of my original Gracelock Tie, I've actually revised the design.
It is of course still made from primarily 18g 1/4" ID rings of bright aluminum—a number of 7/32" rings are now used as well to refine various edges and corners. The knot is still half-Persian 3-in-1 sheet 5 made from ~19.5g 3/16" ID rings in bright aluminum as well, but converted into sheet 6 for a triangular patch filling the back for a smoother connection and slightly stiffer knot.
To recap the original:
This tie hangs smoothly, bends freely, and basically acts like a real tie in every way, except that it is a little thick. The fit is very comfortable and light as well. You'd be hard-pressed to notice the difference from a normal tie unless you start swinging it around. The knot looks authentic and the main piece appears to actually gather/bunch into it. The hanging portion is slightly too thick to fit in most tie clips, so this isn't the best option to wear without a blazer or vest, particularly if you anticipate needing to hold it out of your soup.
Some notable changes:
- more smoothly tapered sides
- more pronounced corners at the bottom, and smoother angles
- slightly stiffer knot, which no longer tends to crumple a bit at the top (improvement made by weaving the back into half-persian 3-1 sheet 6 for the triangular fill patch)
- 1 1/4" increase in length
- cleaner side-attachment of the HP 4-1 chain
- stainless steel hook, in an improved asymmetric design (hook sits to one side)
- tie lies even straighter and more flush (though this wasn't really a problem in the original design)
The last few pictures demonstrate how to easily don the tie (using the thumb to keep the hook out, then pressing the chain into the hook to set). Removing the tie is a cinch—hold the knot and give the loop chain a firm tug to unhook. The hook generally lets go with just a little initial resistance.
I now consider this design to have reached a quality level polished enough to be suitable for sale/commission. If you'd like to acquire a gracelock tie for yourself, drop me a message. Pricing would start at $600 CDN.
