Rawhide Questions

[jwwright]

I have a couple of questions for you rawhide braiders, if you would be so kind as to indulge me. I primarily build saddles, but have done a little braiding. I do some braided swell covers on saddles, and have primarily used roo or latigo for this. Recently, I got a call for maybe braiding up the swell covers with rawhide.

My questions are:

Where is a good source to buy some precut (and I would prefer beveled) rawhide string? I have been using 1/4" wide with the roo and latigo.

I am a little concerned about estimating the amount of shrinkage that will take place as the rawhide braiding dries. I don't want things so tight that it over stresses the holes in the leather. Based on your experience, would I want to braid with fairly dry string in this case?

Many Thanks, JW

[Alan Bell]

Hey JW, you would want to have the strings just damp (cased) enough to work with because what happens with wet rawhide is the same as wet leather... you stretch the strings as you pull them and then as they dry they will "shrink" back to the original size. For 1/4" strings you could by the precut unbleached circle cut string from Leather Factory or such and use a 1/4" edge beveler on them. I actually did that when I first started on 1/8" string and it worked! They are in the crafts section and would work for your purpose fine. At 1/4" the strings are usually thick enough that worrying about better parts of the hide is almost mute unless it is on a "working" piece like a reata. For a no moving seam like on a saddle this should be fine!

Vaya con Dios, Alan Bell

[jwwright]

Thanks for your advice Alan. I have checked Weaver's and TLF, and the widest I can find is 1/8". I see TLF does sell some 4 feet long 1/4"..........but I need longer length than that. Any ideas for source? JW

[TwoCrow]

I was happy with the lace I got from the u-Braid-it web site. Look under the "Supplies" then click "Leather Lace".

[rawhide1]

JW

Call Bill Confer at Tejas (806) 363-7232 email is confer@tejasindustries.com I've been real happy with any rawhide I've got from them. You can buy it pre cut up to a 1/2". I think 1/4" will run ya around .38cent a foot. But they will cut it as long as ya want it. It is not beveled so you would have to bevel it. Or ya can buy a circle, a side or a whole hide whatever's your fancy. I agree with Allen on caseing the rawhide.

Hope this helps

Mike

[Alan Bell]

Bill Confer will have what you need.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

[jwwright]

Mike, Alan and Two Crow............Many Thanks! JW

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

JW,

I have used Rawhide most of the time to braid up the swells. I started using Bill before I got a string cutter. If you have any questions get ahold of me and I will let you know what I learned when I was using rawhide.

Ash

[jwwright]

Thanks Ash..............I will try and give you a call sometime soon. JW