Free 1925 Soggibottom Teddy Bear Pattern. How to fit Cotter Pins and Safety Joints

It's really great to receive so many email's about the 1925 Ted Pattern.
To everyone, THANK YOU, you are very welcome.
It's amazing it's so popular in Russia.
It would be great to see your creations.

Most of my mail repeats itself .. How do cotter pins work ?


If you haven't a clue, I will try to explain. (oh muddy waters....)

Above you will see various sizes of cotter pins, and washers and disks.
Looking at some other sites and books I can understand how sometimes it seems complicated....IT IS A MYTH...... you need to find the right size disk to fit the top of your arm or leg to start with. The disk should fill as much space as it will allow at the upper part of the limb. If your making a bear, you will need 5 sets of joints. One for the head, two for the arms and two for the legs. Re reading this I find I repeat myself, but bear with me.


The 1925 pattern bear that I made... (oh here he is) ....
has cotter pin joints...
They are fine, great, and used by many bear artists and makers but not to be used unless they are intended to be made for an adult. NOT TO BE USED FOR A CHILD'S BEAR.

They have metal and small parts..... not the kind of "stuff", anyone in their right mind would want to pass to a child. The amount of metal I have found when restoring old bears is unbelievable to think they were given to children. When restoring my own bear I found SHARP METAL. I had him for my first Christmas....the reason why I am going to explain how to use SAFETY JOINTS first.



Above are two sets of joints, different sizes, you will need 5 sets to joint a bear.
4 sets of the same size for arms and legs and possibly a slightly larger joint for teds head.


For each joint you should have, a pegged disk, a plastic washer and one lock washer.

Insert the pegged disk into ted's arm, through the material (I use an awl to help me here).
Then it needs to go through the material where you are going to put the arm on the body.

Place a plastic washer over the end of the pegged disk (you are now working inside the teds body). Then place a lock washer (the small one) over the plastic washer AND PUSH HARD until it clicks into place. I tend to click right down here a few times until it won't click anymore.***
DONE.... One safety joint in place.



COTTER PIN JOINTS




Cotter pins are slightly different, but don't let the small bits put you off. Its a bit like a sandwich.
The rounded end of the cotter pin, (the long metal bit) goes into a washer, then a disk. Now position it inside ted's arm where you are going to place his joint. Pass the cotter pin through the material*. Out the other side so it's now on the out side of ted's arm. Then pass the cotter pin through the material into ted's body. You are now working inside ted's body.


With me so far?
Now you add another disk then another metal washer.
This is the interesting bit.
The ends of the cotter pin need to be turned into a crook shape. The pin halves should be separated and curled down tightly onto the washer.
You can use a small pair of pliers or a cotter key.
Another joint........ DONE.....

That's about it really...although there are other joints to fix limbs to bears....
Pop rivet joints, Epoxy lock nut joints, setscrew joints, string joints and swivel tilt things for heads.

***One thing I didn't mention about the safety joints, once the lock washer is on, it is ON...you will ruin the joint trying to remove it. Not that you can't but you will have to use a new lock washer.
* I tend to use a fabric fray stopper around the point I want to place the joint on the fabric, on both safety joints and cotter pin joints. Have a practise first.............as always I'll always be pleased to help.


As for the 1925 bear.....Here he is with the cannonball beside the fire place. He's starting on a long journey in the morning. He's going somewhere cold, the reason why I gave him a hat and something warm to wear.
As always I hate to see them go...... I am sure we will see him again somewhere..................... although not with the cannon ball....far too heavy for the post.