BobLand

The odd time you get a side of leather that did not tan right through, this usually occurs in the neck area and the core is usually yellow or clear in color, this is rawhide. You will get the odd side like this even from tanneries like WC. I have only had a handful of sides like this from WC in close to 50 years of dealing with them and I have used a lot of their leather. It is sometimes very hard to detect as the hides are shorted at the tannery, I just put it aside when I get a side that has a rawhide core and use it in places that you need a very stiff piece of leather. You will often get this in the imported leathers, but seldom in domestic sides. Have a great day, Bob, www.okanagansaddlery.com

These photos show one of my students as she makes a sample piece of Appliqué braiding prier to lacing a back jockey on her saddle Photo I shows hole spacing, this must be set precisely to the width & thickness of the lace you are going to use.I usually use 1.5oz Rawhide lace 1/4 inch wide (it will take 6ft of lace to make 5 inches of Appliqué braid) Do not edge the jockeys at the top, Make a compass mark 1/4 inch in from edge of jockey Mark holes on 7/16 centers along this line, (I use a oval !/8 inch hole punch, with a very thin wall so as not to spread the top of the hole) Burnish the edge as per. your normal way up to where the lacing starts. Now stitch the edges of the jockeys together with thread & needle, making sure that the holes are directly across from each other. Make sure the 6 ft Rawhide lace is well tempered and that you have saddle soaped it well. You are now ready to start lacing. Photo 2 showing back side of lace pattern Photo 3 starting lace into hole to go to front side Photo 4 showing front side of lace pattern Photo 5 shows the path of the string on the left going to the right Photo 6 shows the path of the string on the right going to the left Photo 7 shows the path of the string on the left going under the string next to it & continuing to the hole on the left. Bob, www.okanagansaddlert.com

Thank you Denise, I was going to have to get ny computer teck to come over to show me how to upload the photos, with your help I will be able to get this lacing post finished now. Bob www.okanagansaddlery.com

I will add the photos as soon as I can figure out how to upload to this site, in the meantime tmroper if you or anyone else, want to email me via my web site I will send you the information along with the photos by return email. Bob www.okanagansaddlery.com

These photos show one of my students as she makes a sample piece of Appliqué braiding prier to doing a fork cover on her saddle Photo I shows hole spacing, this must be set precisely to the width & thickness of the lace you are going to use. Photo 2 showing back side of lace pattern Photo 3 starting lace into hole to go to front side Photo 4 showing front side of lace pattern Photo 5 shows the path of the string on the left going to the right Photo 6 shows the path of the string on the right going to the left Photo 6 shows the finished braid pattern Please bare with me as this is my first attempt at uploading photos hopefully they will appear Bob www.okanagansaddlery.com

Thank you Mike

I just joined this forum, this is my second post, my first did not go in the right place & I did not mean to quote Alan, hopefully this post will go to the right place.I start by putting the dry rawhide in warm water till the hide starts to soften, then let the hide drip till the service water has evaporated, then I cut the hide in a oval removing the leg & neck parts. Now I rub the hide down with Fiebings saddle soap on the flesh and grain sides, then put the hide in a plastic bag to let it temper for a couple of days. ( tempering the rawhide is the most important part of working with rawhide) After the temper is right, ( it should feel almost like regular leather) I cut the hide into a long string a little wider than the string I want to use. ( the reason I cut the string wide is that as you split the string to the thickness you want the string will go thin Next = I use a splitter to take the high spots off leaving the string an even thickness. (If you want the string to be thin than use a calf skin, do not cut a 6oz hide down to 2oz you will lose the strength of the rawhide) Next = I cut the string to the width I want the string to finish. Next = I bevel all 4 corners of the string I re-soap the string with Fiebings and put it in a sealed plastic bag, I put the bag in the cool part of the fridge to re-temper for a couple of days. Next = I cut the long string into strings the length I need for the project I am making. (you must keep the rawhide a consistent temper as you work, most often new braiders work the rawhide is too wet) I hope this is of help. Bob www.okanagansaddlery.com