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Whow, For me I found it to be very interesting reading. I learned alot about what goes into the thought process of how a whip is made -- alot of information that I had no idea went into making of a whip. For me not being a whip maker can't say if anything is wrong or right but I can say that I enjoyed reading it.

Whow this leather working site rocks. You all are great !!! Everyone gives it their best shot at giving out the best information to help. I've greatly enjoyed this site and the people in it, from what I have read in other posted questions and seen the work that you do, you all love the craft and have a great heart to share it with others. You all seem like a big group of friends rather then strangers that have never met and live miles apart. Thank you every much for your time in answering my questions and giving me the much appriciated advice on how to continue with my learning of this hobby. So far I'm greatly enjoying the braiding shoe strings (my cat is also having fun) although my 2 rawhide attempts have been flops I've enjoyed trying and the little rawhide that I have bought pre-cut from Tandy to mess around with trying to make buttons and braid has diffently brought me new found respect for those of you that can do it. Which at some point I'm sure that I'll be asking how and the heck do ya get a wet noodle type string made into a long woven shape off a wooden stick, hehe and I'm sure that is the easy part of making a button. Thanks again, greatly enjoy you all.

Thanks for the advice on the running water method. I'm a city slicker so don't have any place close to me to do that but if I could talk a friend into checking on it for me everyday and moving the rocks I might have a way of trying that method out. If not then my plan for try #3 is going to be to scrape off the fat, then shave the hair side and scrape. Right now I don't want to worry about the hair being seen, I want something to try out the cutter/beveler that I made and other tools that I have aquired. Plus I saw a picture of some brading with the hair shaved and I kinda liked it.

Thanks much for the feedback, hopefully third time will be the charm. I don't know much about how to do this so thought it was probably caused by to much lime but wasn't sure. Since I've read and saw the pic's on how to make it and followed those directions by putting in a coffee can full but I don't drink coffee and I wasn't sure if they ment a small can or one of those big ones. Plus I didn't fill the trash can full of water just enough to cover the hide. Glad to hear from ya all it helps to know the reason rather then guessing. I didn't know if maybe the cow had something wrong with it, ringworm or something that caused it. So with the feedback my 3rd try will hopefully be the charm. I won't try it for awhile, I'm alittle burnt out plus need to save up some money again. But with deer season coming up soon and I go hunting, processed up 5 deer last year making Jerky, summer sausage, burger and have eaten almost all of it through-out the year so will need to go restock the freezer this year. Will maybe just wait and use them to save some money from buying another cow hide. Has anyone used much deer to braid with?? In the books I'm reading there was only one that made mention of using deer.

Howdy all, yep this is the rawhide rookie again. This was my second attempt at making rawhide and it looks to me like its a flop. I did the remove the fat, then put in lime water method. It was in the water for 5 days total, it started to let me pull out hair yesterday but I noticed that a slim layer was also coming off with it. Didn't know if that was suppose to happen or not so put it back in the lime water so that all the hair would come out. Well today I pulled it out and where the slim came off yesterday there were big holes and in taking off the hair today more slim came off so I'm sure this will be nothing but a holy mess. Bah !!! Any help on what I'm doing wrong would be very helpful I love feedback since I'm really wanting to braid something and this hobby is starting to get expensive without any results. One picture is from yesterday, and the other one is today with hair all out. Thanks Annette

Looks like some very nice work, and from the looks of your shop you take pride in what you do there, nice and clean. You even have air conditioner. It shows in your work your pride, and care towards detail.

Haha I was going to ask that same question about if it still fits? Model it for us so we can see how it looks on ya. Looks like a very nice piece of work even without you wearing it

I've read somewhere that you can use the easter egg dye to change the color? Anyone tried that ?

Needing some please. Here is a picture of the rawhide in progress. Today is day 4 of it being in the lime I noticed it starting to slip the hair so I pulled it out to work with it a bit and see how its going. I was using a ice scraper to run it over the hide to see if the hair was ready to come out. Some of it comes out but most is still holding strong so I'm putting it back into the lime water. Question is does this look like what its suppose to?? When I scrape it some of it comes out and has what looks to be a membrane with it, slim stuff. Is that suppose to happen? Should I take all the hide down to under that membrane thats sluffing off with alot of the hair? I thought that was what made the hide strong but its just coming off when I even pull the hair with my fingers. Its only coming off in some spots not all. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance. Oh ya I bought some 1/8 inch 20 yards long rawhide from Tandy in Wichita and was wondering what horse related project would be the best do for my first braiding attempt?

I'm off the topic here but oh my gosh I checked out your web site that it so cool. The land looks so pretty and the view of the sky ect is just breath taking, its amazing what God can do to show us he's in charge. Anyway I just wanted to tell you that I checked it out and your work you have for sale all looks great. Annette

Plan B is now in progress since my plan A didn't work. I went and got another hide today since my first attempt at making rawhide was a flop. Live and learn and I'm excited to see if this second effort produces good results. I've read alot of your post and I made me a 8X8 frame out of 2 X4's and I put the hide into that stretching it out as much as I could. I then let it sit for a little while, then cut and scraped off most of the fat. At this point there was a stiff darker covering on some of the hide was I suppose to try and get that off also? I scraped at it but it wouldn't come off, so my hide after I scraped it doesn't look all white like yours does. Ok now the hide is in a trash can with lime, I covered it with a lid should I have done that or does it really matter? So now I'm waiting for the lime to take effect so that I can continue on. Is what I've done so far sounding OK?? Thanks Annette can't wait to finally get to braid, gosh if I can't get this rawhide made right I'll never get to learn braiding. No wonder this is a lost art.

Thanks for the compliment on the wood, my biggest project was cutting out the lords prayer. Used walnut wood, then glued it to a mirror backing, and framed it. Gave it to my grandmother as a gift, when she passed it went to my parents. The idea of combining them is very interesting, I have several western patterns that I could cut out then maybe put some leather frame around it. Very interesting idea, good brain storming on your part. I've got the KHWW on my favorites now.

Thank you all for some great ideas. Yes I think I did notice that there is a Tandy store in Wichita so that will be my first call since I'm in Salina which is only about 1 1/2 hours drive. I ordered my first rawhide from Tandy but didn't thank about them to call to see if they give lessons. I'm like a sponge and wanting to soak up all the information I can, I love this site has a ton of good stuff. I've learned alot from everyones post. I'm so excited to try out some of this stuff I'm learning from ya all but so little time.

Howdy All, I'm not real good at learing from a book, I'm more hands on or watching someone work type learner. Is there anyone in Kansas or near that would be willing to show me their tools of the trade of rawhide making, braiding ect?? I'm single female, no kids (well 3-dogs and 1-cat I guess are considered my kids) have two jobs so only have one day off a week to get away for a lesson so needs to be somewhat close to where I live. I'm more then willing to pay for the lessons, your time ect I'm not looking for free advice. I'm hoping to learn this craft so that I can get rid of my part time job and do this instead. I was doing wood working scroll sawing. one of my projects but just never could get them sold. So going to try something else. Thanks Annette

Well I got one 3 inch about 30 foot long stinky mess finally hair free and hanging in my garage to dry. The really long strip is still in a 5 gal bucket and needs the hair scraped off it, how long is to long for hide to sit in water?? I'm about to give up on this first try at making rawhide and just go buy another hide but I hate to quit on it since if nothing else it would let me see if the tools that I'm going to make work before trying them out on good stuff. I've got a long 2 inch stirp that I had hanging for a week, still has hair on it but the maggots have ate most of the fat off. Right now I have it in a bucket of water so that I can try and cut the hair off but how long is to long for it to be in water?? And do ya think I could go ahead and put some lime in it to get the hair off that way since from what I'm reading that makes it pretty much fall off. Or I'm I just whipping a dead horse so to speak ?

Howdy Rookie here. Newbi to the max !!! I read several books so decided to try my hand at drying some rawhide. Got a hide from the butcher last thursday took it and stretched it out on a tarp for a couple hours. Cut as much of the fat off as I thought I could, then cut about a 2 1/2 inch strip around and around for about 80 foot. I now have it hanging between a couple of post. Its getting very ripe smelling, maggots ect....... From what I'm seeing here I've done it all wrong. LOL I thought I read where ya cut it into a long strip then let nature take its course so thats what I'm doing. Will this work or should I trash it and start over???