curlyjo

I bought an Alum-tan latigo side last winter and so far have made 6 -12 strand 5/8ths Hackamores/ roo buttons and 1- 8 strand 3/8ths/ roo buttons. I trimmed the edges and cleaned up the bad spots and took off around and around at just under 1/4" and finished the strings at 21/2/32 thick and a full 5/32 wide. I still have enough for several more Hackamores. If I start getting to many corners on the ends, I'll just finish it in long pieces. Years ago I took a real nice latigo side and cut 600' of string all at the same time. They are big enough to go round and round and not develop corners til the end. The Alum tan does have a few thin spots but I haven't had any problems yet. If I can I try to move the thinner spot at the end of my braid that will get lopped off anyway or right in the middle that will get covered by the nosebutton. I hope this helps and if I can help more, let me know. Brad

Not really. Heelknots go on somewhat loose and then I go back and tighten when finished. Nosebuttons pretty much tighten up while applying. I don't usually have to go back on a finished nosebutton. The strings never have stretched or rolled while building buttons. Brad

Personally I trim around the edge and round it off and then start cutting around and around at between 6 and 7/32". You do have to watch for tiny knicks or scratches but the majority of the hide is good. I then run it through my hands and give every piece a tug to find where there might be a thinner spot. Most of my strings finish at 1/32 thick and 4/32 wide. I've had some hides that didn't need to be split but I generally split and take off the high spots. I also bevel the top just a tiny bit, just a personal preference. I just finished an all roo 3/8ths bosal, 12 strand with 1/32x4/32 body and 1/32x3/32 nosebutton and heelknot braided over a full 3/16 braided rawhide core. I've been a customer of Hardtke's for almost 4 years and they have the best prices. I had one problem with one Packer Hide and Mr. Packer himself called me from Australia and I sent it back to him and he sent me another so he could see what was happening. Thats service! Most of my Hackamores and Bosals are Rawhide with Roo buttons and I'm not going to change any thing for a while. Ask anytime and I hope this helps. Brad

When I'm cutting rawhide, I make my first cut round and round and generally end up with 90 to 100' of string cut wet. Then I hang it up between 2 hooks outside in the sun about 30' apart and wait til it dries some and then split. Then again between the hooks and wait til it feels right and then gauge for width. Then again and wait awhile til I bevel. This can happen pretty fast this time of year and take forever if it's been raining. Then I hang it up under a porch if it's raining. In between, I cut Kangaroo for button string. I don't like to case in a plastic bag as if it gets hot i notice it makes extra moisture in the bag and sometimes part of the string sits in the water. That's my method for now. Brad

RC, years ago Lige Langston pretty much cut his string like that. But he told me he would put some bottles in a sack and lightly break them. Then with gloves he would fish a piece of glass out and scrape the hair. When it got dull he would get another piece. Your method reminded me of that. Brad

Sure do like this info. I do it a little diff. I take a piece about 2x2 of the hide and round off the corners. Then I go around and around with a cutter made from a broom stick. Take a heavy round stick and drill a hole through it, cut a slot with a bandsaw 90 degrees to that and down below the hole. Slope the top towards the front, put a small nail for a guage and use an injector blade in the slot.Put a bolt through the hole to cinch up the blade. When going around and a corner starts to form, just round it out.I've cut 1000's of feet of string this way. You can make diff. size cutters by moving the nail over or have seperate cutters. Rawhide I cut a full 1/4" but kangaroo I cut 7/32". My humidor is a 5 gallon bucket with a screen suspended off the bottom with a little water in it. I put my project on the screen and cover the top with a piece of plastic. If the rawhide has any moisture in it at all it will draw more out of the water and even itself up pretty good. With the stick cutter I recently cut 180' out of a 30" disc. Brad

Contact Bruce Johnson on this site. He helped me with info. before I purchased a Chase style Splitter. And maybe try and find an old Osbourne or similar. Bruce rebuilds splitters, he might have one in stock. Brad

On a nosebutton, I put one end in a vice and sit on the other end on a stool. Then I braid it down and watch to keep it straight by keeping it from moving and twisting. I've got to be careful when I turn the ends back, thats where I'll get some twists. But practise and repetition seem to work best and tying off half the strings when you turn back helps me from grabbing or dropping the wrong string. Brad

Drum-stuffed Kangaroo.

Also, instead of braiding and pulling down, try pulling sideways and making your Vees tighter. Once you start youve got to go back and fill so if youve got bigger gaps in the back then you have to even up or use another string. You just want a gap about 1 string wide,then make doubles then split them. It's hard to describe but easy to see for me. I hope this helps. Brad

Sounds like more or wider strings are necessary.

Pretty nice for 2nd one. Brad

Thanks for the info. I'll try those this week. Brad

I'm looking for info on Alum Tanned Latigo to use to make into strings to braid Hackamore and Bosal bodies with. I've been told it is quite strong and just would like to get some opinions and mainly sources of sides or as a trial, some pre-cut string. I'd be using 2/32 x 5/32 to build hackamores over rawhide cores with kangaroo buttons. Any help would be appreciated. Brad

Whenever I finish a multi-string button, I always go under a minimum of 5 or 6 to bury the ends. Then I pull with pliers and cut with toenail clippers. (Don't tell the wife) Roll it some and the ends never showup.Brad

Thanks, I've switched to lime mainly cause its easier on my hands than scraping. Thanks for the pics. Brad

Just wondering why you don't use lime and then slip the hair? I learned the scrape method dry and laid over a barrel or big round post. Lime works for me now. Brad

Hardtke in El Paso is also a good spot for drum-stuffed hides. I get mine from them and cut my own. Very quick service with just a phone call. Brad

Very good start. Brad

I'm looking for broken Riatas to use for braiding cores. 5/16ths or smaller preferred. 3/8ths is just a little to big. 20 to 25 foot would be perfect and would pay reasonable postage. I use 3 feet at a time so pieces longer would work. Just not to chewed up. Thanks, Brad

Try Springfield Leather. I just saw some burgundy listed there. Brad

If I'm just greasing something, hang the rawhide in the sun to warm up and then grab a gob of kidney fat and rub it in good and then wipe off the excess. For braiding I just use a small bar of pure soap, put it in a plastic bowl, ad a little water, and use a small cheap paintbrush to get some foam up and slather it on as I'm braiding. Those little bars of soap from motels work good most of the time because they are generally unscented. At least where I stay.(cheap). Brad

Yes, put it on your stretching frame in the shade and can get some air. Then start peeling the extra flesh off as it is drying. Unless it is super humid it shouldn't be a problem with rot. I've never built a frame. I just nail it to an old wood shed wall with the flesh out and peel and scrape the flesh side. Then when its dry I cut a circle inside the nails and either scrape the hair or lime and slip the hair. Brad

If it was a fresh hide I can see why you lost it to rot. Next time stretch it first and let it dry. Then resoak with your dehairing material, neutralize, fresh water and go to making strings. If you don't have time to make strings right away just let dry and keep in the shade until you can cut string. Just throw in a water trough and start cutting. Works for me. Brad

Try throwing in a tub of cool fresh water. Swish it around, change the water and do it again. Then throw it over a fence and hose it off. I've always just pulled them out of the neutralizing solution and hosed off. This is cow rawhide. Can't imagine much difference for horse. Let me know how it works. Brad