A holding device (10) is disclosed for use in a knotter of a baler to grip hold twines (32,34) as they are being knotted and cut. The device (10) comprises a rotatably mounted generally circular twine disc (12) having notches (16) symmetrically distributed about its periphery, and a twine holder (18) mounted for pivotal movement about an axis (20) parallel to that of the twine disc (12) and resiliently urged towards the latter. The twine holder (18) has a curved edge (22) that co-operates with the notches (16) in the twine disc (12) to clamp twines (32,34) within the notches (16) as the twine disc (12) rotates. In the invention, the length and geometry of the curved edge (22) of the twine holder (18) are such that the clamping pressure on the twines (32) in one notch is only released after twines (34) have been securely gripped within the next notch in succession.
