In Part 6 of this traditional pocket series, I’m finishing up the traditional in a Lakota 2 by pulling the tool out that I used to set the leathers, then re-tensioning the entire pocket so it’s actually ready to play. Once that’s done, the next step is shooting strings—but in this video I’m focused on getting the diamonds, leathers, and crosslace tension dialed before anything else goes in. I show you how I use a tennis ball (or a Swax Lax ball) and a top string bar/chopstick-style spacer to re-shape the pocket and check diamond spacing. The big goal here is consistency: even diamonds across the pocket if you’re new, and controlled variation if you’ve got experience—bigger diamonds where the ball sits for more hold, smaller diamonds up top for a smoother release. Then I run slack through the crosslace with needle-nose pliers, working top to bottom and back up, making sure the crossover knots are extremely tight and as low as possible so they don’t slide. I also cover what “too tight” looks like (that sharp bubble) and how I pound the pocket to give it definition before moving on.