troy

Ye, I like it short sweet and to the point - reminds me of a silly game we played at school at the swimming pool bubing up and down shouting bob, bob.

Hi Folks Below is shown an old deer rawhide quiver I made years ago from rawhide I tanned myself (but have'nt the time/space or strength to do now) - I would like to make more of these but can't seem to find decent rawhide - most seems to be to thick (used it for lace as well) or bleached white. I guess there is plenty of places in the states, but would prefer locations here in the UK due to postage etc. Any body know any one or place that sale this type of rawhide? cheers Paul

All sound very interesting andy - can't wait. Plus welcome, nice to see new ingrediants into the Leather pot!!! Paul

I have no plans to, but could be an idea for a comic strip the artist is thinking of - seeing as a short sword and horse bow completes the armour. A bike riding, bow and arrow throwing, sword slashing hero - just gotta think of a name now.

Cheers for every bodies feed back. Having only started this PDF writing (properly) thing a few months ago, it is hard to find a way to show these things - I have tried to guide people throught stages plus answer questions I knew I had while learning different things. Such as where do I get this or that material, how to I stand/hold the item etc etc - if there are such questions others ask but don't usually get answered, then please tell me and I'll try in next one's. I know also that it is usually pro's that write these things, having done a particular job for years - I am obviously not that being as always a jack of all trades, flurting and flying around from one skill to another - I see these tutorials like I'm a scout on a patrol and as such know better one particular area/path of land that others may or may not have any knowledge of and hope to god I know a way out of the swamp!!! Paul

Cheers guys for your help, After having looked at an e-book posted somewhere else, I now know just how damn differculty it is to make western boots (or disco floor movers - which is about the only thing they were put to use in UK.) Because of this I have resorted back to the original idea for these boots and that is that the uppers are treated as leg armour and attached at the back, resting on some black shoes I'll probably buy some where. But the idea of making boots has started a little fire of curiosity - so you never know for the future!!! Paul

Hi Major - it is the handle plus core that is 18 inches - the metal or solid bit of the handle should be only 8 inches. Paul

Ye I guess pretty is one word to describe it, but has any body looked at the PDF - is too short, too long, rubbish, misleading, fantastic, or so good I should get an oscar???? I was gonna include a short vid of me cracking it, and while warming it up I was getting loads of them but as soon as I put the camera on - stage fraint happened plus I saw just how much weight I'd put on this year, looked like the michelin tyre man - gaslly is a good word and deleted the whole thing. Paul

Below is a drawing of the sort of boots I'm after making. I see them as biker boots but am not really sure of the differeance between biker or cowboy boots - I gather there is a differance and wondered if some one has a pattern similar to those in the drawing. Also wondered what type, thickness of leather I should be using? was thinking of sole leather for the soles and thin black latigo for the tops and foot bits. Cheers for any pointers

Not sure if this is the right section for this but am planning to mould 7oz leather onto a polystyrene head in part of making a sort of wolverine style helmet (from the comic's not films) - sounds nuts I know but wondered who here has experiance with this sort of thing. I will be after creating some facial expressions but as long as I can get the basic outline of the face i.e. eyes, nose, mouth - then I'll be happy. The demand is for a sort of warrior type expression (your guess is as good as mine at the moment) but any helpful tips, like can I carve/stamp after or before moulding the leather? will be helpful. cheers for any help Paul

just made this PDF describing how to make a 6foot cowhide bullwhip - a pro whipmaker over here in the UK maybe reviewing but thought I'd post it here as well to see what others think of it. It is over 6.5mb large, contains a heap of photo's on 36 pages. I do regard my self as a beginner still at making whips and despite some very emthusiatic teachers, have sort of develop a different way to make whips without a bolster (cause no matter how I tried, I just could'nt make them!!!) plus there are other things i do differently - but have a look see - be warned it does take awhile to load. below is the finished whip I used for the tutorial. Paul

Hi Nuk I got some 3/16 stainless steel from a canadian company a few years ago. Been trying to find the place again but can't - still got some left and could send you a small reel I have left, probably got more then 10ft. Just PM if interested. Paul

hi geoff For the basis of a riding crop, you could use the same stuff I use for the stock of a stock whip, i.e 10 inches of copper tubing, throught which you push 21 inches of round ground steel rod (21 inches being the length of the stock) then braid over it all with 8 string (cowhide 6mm wide). the copper tubing is just there to help make a sort of taper appear, but you don't have to use it or use thicker walled tubing to increase the taper, either way you need the steel for the strength. hope it helps

Hi Horse hair I think I have the right one now - it is either the over or under hand stitch, hard to tell with the size of lace he is using but generally the under hand produces a rough finish and the over a smooth finish.

the guy from that link is in argentina, can't remeber if it is spanish or portungese they speak but have seen his work before when Ron Edwards reviewed it and imspired me alot but I feel it is one of those skills you could spend a life time trying but never quite get as good as the argentinians - but no harm trying!!!!! I saw his fid as well and ye - the mouth waters - I ended up making my own from an old large needle I found and does the job for me until the million dollar cheque arrives. I did a multipe conqustitor braid once on a handle when I first started messing with rawhide - pictured below - its not very good but is that what you were meaning horse hair. troy

Don't know about in the america's but over here you can almost guarentee that a john wayne movie is broadcasted evry other W/E - and rightly so. Guess which of many is my favourite!!

its called a mini hatchet from gransfor - can get them from here. - http://www.gransfors.co.uk/gransfors%20standard%20axes.html.

Should of said you were just out of hospital - would of sent the other clam as well, and you'd have a clamcrutch set!!!! Did it arrive OK. Paul

Just finished the fid work on the axe - did'nt quite work to plan but I'll get over it I guess. Used 42 lace in all and made it the way I explain in my fid work PDF except in this case I just double over the lace meaning that the top end can just be tied around itself - much easier then having to place a knot over rough ends. I did try and spell gransfors along the shaft, but ended up with grans so I guess I’ll have to give it to her now!! It also meant I had to make another sheath and have included the design for that if any one else has one. I made this sheath from one of Al Stohlmans books to go on the rear cinch of a western saddle for a friend and naturally one for myself. The knot on the top was devised by Chris Barr and published in a journal of the AWPA - it is a 27 bight gaucho knot, not exactly great for this type of work but I was dying to use it for some thing ever since seeing it. Paul

In that case your probably faint to hear what it's used for - it has a broom on the end now and used to sweep the kitchen floor.

Hi Knothead (like the name, I guess mine should be fidhead!!) Heres a photo of a 54 string one I did once. It is in 2mm string and found it easy to apply, rawhide and leather on the other hand are much harder to work with, but do create a much better looking article, so starting your playing with string is probably a good idea and cheaper. Only disadvantage with this string was that I could'nt remove the core so they stayed roundish.

Cheers for your comments, makes the writing worth it. Have just tried another way of affixing the first layer of lace for fid work after trying to lay 30 thin laces at the same time - just could'nt seem to get them all into place but the form their going on is of different widths, a axe handle. So instead I used the elastic band idea and layed one lace at a time using an elastic band on the top and bottom of the job, naturally this is'nt a perfect method but it got them on in the end and showed where I'd have to do interweaves for the wider parts. Will see the wisdom of my trick once finished.

Got a saddlers clam for sale, it is hardly used as I found I prefered my old way of hand sewing. £30.00 plus £9.00 post to UK. cheers paul

All sold cheers for looking

Clearing out the work table and got these items for sale - the total weight of them is about 6kg's so unfortunatly will probably only be suitable for UK members as the post abroad is huge. For the UK it is £15.00 plus asking £90.00 for all the tools, including 3 sets of althebet stamps, over 40 stamp tools, two hammers, clicker and blades, carving knife sharpener and spare blades plus others as seen in photo's below. Paypal is the best option for me, PM if interested. plus I've put all three volumes of stohlmans 'the art of making leather cases' on amazon for £9.00 each