Annie B

Beautiful! I also like the knot and button selection. Unique! Can I copy it? LOL.

Thank you, the knots and buttons will be for reins. I don't know about the knot, but my strings usually get thinned down to about 1.5/32 for knot strings. A little thinner if the knots are going to be smaller like on reins or bit hobbles.

Thanks. I think the headhunter knot will do just fine, plus it shows the third pass. ann

Bruce Grant's "Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding", page 133 for the side button. I am finding the instructions pretty vague. On figure 6 it shows the UOUO pattern. In figure 7 it goes on to start the second pass. Step 7 would apparently be an UOU and then follow to the right of the standing end. I can get through the second pass, but need to make a third pass. When finishing the second pass, will someone please explain figure 13 further? If I make a 3rd pass, how do I finish off step 13 and do I then follow my second string? My second question is splitting rawhide for braiding strings. I am cutting them 3/32", but is there a standard thickness for knots and buttons? I've always just done it by feel, but would like to be more consistent. Thank you. I have learned a lot from the tutorials and topics. Ann

Hello 8KCAB I definitely bevel both sides of rawhide. If I'm going to finish with 1/8" or 3/32" lace, I usually split it when it is about 3/8" wide. Then I cut my strings the final width. With the type of braiding that I do, I rarely go any wider than 1/4" finished strings. Bevel the flesh side first. Bevel the hair side last. You should not have to adjust your beveler. You'll take slightly more off the flesh side when doing it first. When you switch to the hair side, only a fine sliver will be taken off. When you bevel, only take off a minute thread....like a piece of thread for sewing...even less if the lace is very fine (3/32" or less). You just want to knock off the edge which will make it smooth to the touch and lay better when braiding. We all have our own preferences and ways of doing things, so try everybody's advice but keep what works for you. Ann

Thank you! We live in an awesome area. Yes, I think your rawhide is too wet. That was good advise to roll it more loose. You shouldn't see any "water" or white areas. What are your plans for it? It looks pretty thick and might be easier to split in narrower strips if possible. When you do start splitting it, you should not take any more off than as if you were peeling a sunburn. Somebody told me that and it was a very good description and one that I could remember! You want to keep that rawhide transparent. Ann

Hello 8KCAB- I am in the process of making lace from a rawhide round (from Bill Confer - Tejas). I'm no expert, but this is how I do it. First I put water in the bathtub and soak the round for a few minutes. Shake the water off, roll it and put it in a burlap sack and then into a plastic trash bag. Secure the bag. I store it in the garage during the winter because it is definitely cool enough. Summer, it would have to be refrigerated. Do this every morning until the rawhide "bends" but does not fold over. I then take the round and use my string cutter, cutting the whole thing no more than 1" wide. After that, I cut the 1" into 1/2" and make them approximately 13 feet or so in case I want to braid reins. When the strips are 1/2", it is fairly easy to split. It should split more like butter, but just take a tiny bit off at a time. I usually go through the splitter 4 times until I get the thickness I want. If you have to pull too hard, chances are the blade is not sharp enough. I've found that the extreme sides of the splitter seem to be the sharpest. I do sharpen my blade regularly with a wet stone and finish with a surgical black. One thing I found this time was that it is better to split the rawhide when it is a little dry. Otherwise you are going to overwork it and create those dreaded white areas. It's also easier to bevel when it is a little on the dry side. My thumb is a bloody mess, but the rawhide lace is nice and pretty. Drier is definitely better than too wet. I've ruined a lot of rawhide because of impatience. Good Luck! Ann Hello all. I am attempting to make my own rawhide string. I have a Hanson string cutter and a side of rawhide from Tejas Industries. I cased the hide according to instructions found in Hought's Romal Reins book. I have a few questions I was hoping someone could help me with. 1) How would you characterize the way the strips feel as you run them through the splitter? Should they cut like butter, or does it take some muscle? I find myself pulling too hard, and I think the hide may be improperly tempered or the blade is not sharp enough. I have always made fine screwdrivers out of my pocket knives with a sharpening stone... 2) I thought I had let the hide dry enough before I put it in the plastic sack. However, I found drops of moisture in the sack after 24 hours. As per my instructions, I took the hide out and let it dry a few more hours, and returned it to the sack. I then cut my strips with a draw gauge, and rolled them up hair side in. I stored them in ziplocks in the refrigerator for a day. When I took them out to split, there way a bunch of water droplets in the bag. Does this mean that there is still too much moisture in them? Any replys are appreciated!

Thanks CW, I finished the bosal and all turned out well. I had 4 interweaves and added a 5th at the center to close up any remaining gaps. Tried something different this time. When I started the first interweave, I stayed higher up when going under the x at the top. That worked out well and I didn't really need a ring knot. Thanks for the help and advice. Ann

Hey Thank you, I am going 8-bight and sometimes 10. I reworked the foundation the way Nate suggested, wrapping it with excess kangaroo and one wrap of tape. CW, I think you saw my bosals at the workshop. My strings may be too dry and I will try them a little softer. Yesterday may just have been a bad day. ann

Hello Alan, I am new to this web site. I have been braiding 7-8 years and thought I was doing fairly well. I have a bosal that someone is interested in, but decided to change the heel knot because of gaps. Now, for the life of me, I cannot do the heel knot. It has been maybe a year since I have braided a bosal, but in the meantime I make horsehair tassels as ceiling fan pulls so that I can practice the heel knots. My first problem is that the rawhide wants to slip down from the top of the heel knot. I have been using Gail Hought's instructions. I'll probably end up having to do 4 or 5 interweaves to cover the heel. Is there a step by step tutorial somewhere? Can I just do an 8-bight herringbone? (I actually tried it 3 times and I'm messing that one up too.) Any advice about this would be greatly appreciated. Ann

Yes. Nate really doesn't like anything "synthetic" (that is the impression I got). I wanted to do round knots and he had me tie a 4-strand ring knot as the foundation base. It is actually turning out really well. He builds foundations up with leather or rawhide and I believe uses Barge cement. The reason he does not like tape was that over time it will basically disintegrate and turn into dust. One foundation that I have used and like is to glue the area that the knot is to be braided over, glue a strand of excess leather lace, taper the ends and make a foundation. If it needs to be built up further, small strips of kangaroo or another thin leather would work. I think it is ok to use 1 wrap of tape. He just didn't want the foundation to be all tape. I didn't really say what I do with the lace. I wrap it around and around until I have covered the area to be braided.

Hello everyone from the Bonita - Nate Wald braiding seminar. What a great workshop. Nate was a wonderful teacher, taking a lot of time with us individually as well as a group. The lightbulb finally went on with that 4-strand ring knot. It really is a nice foundation for the round buttons that I am braiding over it. The masking tape is now out in the garage with the paint supplies. LOL. I would like to keep in touch with members from the class. I can pretty much figure out who you all are from your names or where you are from. It was a pleasure meeting you all. Ann