Grommet versus Tie-In question

[Ventry]

Trying to educate myself with your help. It’s my understanding that pipe bags secured with grommets are designed solely for grommet ‘tie in’. Is that correct or can traditional tie in be used. I’m asking because I recently bought a new set of pipes with grommets. My previous set was traditional tie in which seemed to provide more flexibility or ease of moving the chanter. Maybe it’s me, maybe not. I guess I’m asking if there’s a functional difference in feel between tie in versus grommets. Not asking about sound as I saw posts related to that topic. Thanks.

[Calum]

No, once the grommets are installed you're stuck with them. Most grommeted bag makers will do you a bag without if you want.

[el gaitero]

So your question seems to regard ease of moving the chanter ..but insofar as there's no grommet for the chanter on a grommeted bag...I guess I'm not understanding the question?

[Jim Fogelman]

Only the bag has grommets. The pipes can be attached to a bag via grommets or tie in, depending on the bag.

[EquusRacer]

I concur with el gaitero. The chanter is tied in, regardless of the bag having grommets or not. Doesn't seem to impact the chanter movement.

[acadianpiper]

I concur with el gaitero. The chanter is tied in, regardless of the bag having grommets or not. Doesn't seem to impact the chanter movement.

Actually, the Ross bags do have a chanter grommet, although this shouldn't affect the movement of the chanter.. I don't understand what the OP means by "flexibility or ease of moving the chanter". How do you want to move the chanter? Are you stretching too far in order to reach it? Is it positioned too high or low in the bag? Is the bag stiffer and less flexible than your old one, making it difficult to fold the pipes into a case? Do you have a moisture control system in the bag plugged into the chanter or the blowpipe stock? Your problem is not clearly defined.

[EquusRacer]

Actually, the Ross bags do have a chanter grommet, although this shouldn't affect the movement of the chanter.. I don't understand what the OP means by "flexibility or ease of moving the chanter". How do you want to move the chanter? Are you stretching too far in order to reach it? Is it positioned too high or low in the bag? Is the bag stiffer and less flexible than your old one, making it difficult to fold the pipes into a case? Do you have a moisture control system in the bag plugged into the chanter or the blowpipe stock? Your problem is not clearly defined.

True (re: Ross). I was thinking of the Lee & Sons sheepskin (or others) or the Gannaway. Thanks for the correction.

[Ventry]

It’s a Bannatyne bag. My only experience with securing the bag to the stocks has been traditional tie in with string. The chanter stock on the new set is secured with a clamp tightened by a screw. I assumed that was considered a grommet so apologies for the confusion. My old Booth pipes were tied on to a Gannaway bag with string. It just seemed like I could move the chanter toward me with ease while playing and it hung loosely in front of me if I took my hands off the chanter. My current set doesn’t feel that way. The chanter seems to extend away from when I take my hands off it so I was wondering if the tie on material might impact that.

[rayH]

On my Canmore Goretex bags (on RG Hardie practice pipes), the grommets do not have metal band screw clips (Jubilee clip). The stocks are simply pushed in probably using soapy water as a lubricant.
The chanter stocks are secured using a jubilee clip as a substitute for tying in twine. There is no apparent reason why the metal clip could not be replaced with twine or even an elastic band.

[TwitchyFingers]

It’s a Bannatyne bag.

I just got done putting silvers on a friend's pipes and gave them my old Bannatyne hybrid bag when I set it up. It wasn't very old, and hadn't gotten much use because it's not my favorite design of pipe bag. This time, I skipped the hose clamp/jubilee clip and tied in the chanter stock like I would with a regular hide bag. For a bit of extra "airtightness" I put a small bead of blu-tack putty in the chanter stock groove and tied in like normal. The putty is non-invasive and reversible if need be, but really creates a good seal. The lack of a hose clamp also means you won't wear unwanted holes in your bag cover as easily. As far as functional difference, it's more airtight than it was with the hose clamp and O-ring, but the design of the Bannatyne bag is still rather stiff necked, so I get what you mean about the chanter not being as easy to move. The chanter's not going to fold back for carrying the pipes like you would with a regular bag.

[acadianpiper]

Gannaway bags have a genuine swan neck, i.e. a neck that has a very significant curve in it. This allows the chanter to hang more or less vertically even when you remove your hands. Also, the Gannaway bag is pure cowhide rather than being a hybrid like your Bannatyne. Hybrid bags have a liner affixed to the inside of the outer cowhide covering. This increases the thickness and stiffness of the bags. Also, the neck on the Bannatyne bags is not curved nearly as much as on the Gannaway, so that the chanter will not hang vertically without being held, but will tend to push forward somewhat. This is nothing to do with the manner with which the chanter is installed (clamp vs tie), but has to do with the different shapes and materials of the bags.

[Ventry]

Ah. Thank you for your responses. I've learned a few things and now understand why the chanter seems to push forward. I appreciate you all taking the time to provide responses.

[pancelticpiper]

I just got done putting silvers on a friend's pipes

What are silvers?

The lack of a hose clamp also means you won't wear unwanted holes in your bag cover as easily.

It's even more worrisome for me to have the hose clamp's sharp steel bits sticking out so close to a valuable pipe bag.

I file down the sharp metal edges, and also after the clamp is in place and tightened I wrap heavy automotive tape over the clamp so it's impossible to poke the bag.

Well, I did when I went through my hose-clamp phase, which happily I'm over.

Now it's plain no-zip no-grommet sheep and Gannaway bags for me, just leather and tie-in cord.

[EquusRacer]

It's even more worrisome for me to have the hose clamp's sharp steel bits sticking out so close to a valuable pipe bag.

I file down the sharp metal edges, and also after the clamp is in place and tightened I wrap heavy automotive tape over the clamp so it's impossible to poke the bag.

I have a rubber ring under the hose clamp to prevent any cutting through, although I agree with filing down the metal edges and taping over the clamp.