Tracym

I'm pretty happy with the show leads I have been making, but always looking to improve. Currently, I actually tie the core at the ends. This is working out, they don't stretch or break, and I can get things pretty smooth and generally put a leather knot over the knotted core to hide any lumpiness. But I am just wondering if that is necessary - if I just tucked the core back through the braid a few inches without knotting, would that diminish the strength and/or allow more stretching?

Oh no, the photo is gone - put it back! I was trying to figure out the covering for the back braiding - you said "2 Split T braids at top and bottom in 12 strand round plait herringbone braid". Any tips on where I could find instructions for that? I do have the Grant book, but find it a bit confusing at times. Last time I tried (and failed haha) it looked to me like there were only 4 strands going between the two sides of the hand loop, but you ended up with 12? I'd really like to upgrade my leads and add something like this. Thanks!

By the way, Springfield was very nice to me. Osborne was just not keeping up with the quantity Springfield needed they said. They're looking into perhaps having some better ones made. So no fault of theirs, I just prefer the Osborne needles - so do they, but hey, if they can't get enough to keep them in stock they have to do something.

Thanks. I'm taking them on and off the strands a lot, doing knots. So the Osborne ones worked pretty well. To answer my own question, sort of - Osborne sells them directly but you have to buy a pack of $100. I just googled around and found some at some sewing place finally.

When I ordered more lacing needles, and they arrived, I discovered that unfortunately Springfield has switched from the Osborne needles to the much lower quality imo Tandy ones. I hate 'em. Any idea who sells the Osborne lacing needles?

Hmmm I've used 4 strand Spanish ring knots to secure beads on leads - these look nice and would be a little smaller I suspect - would they almost as secure?

Thanks so much!

I want to make some burners for the loop ends of my kangaroo braided dog leads. Ideally, I'd like to use kangaroo leather, and then just lace it with my kangaroo lace. But so far, I can't find anywhere to get some small pieces (or scraps) of nice thin kangaroo leather to cut and use for this purpose. I'm afraid I don't cut my own lace. Anyone who cuts lace willing to sell me some scraps? Or any other ideas? I'm mostly looking for black and brown and/or tan.

On the dog leads, it sounds like it wears off pretty quick with use.

Thanks. That really is beautiful work.

Old thread, but I still remember this leash - Knothead, would you tell me what thickness leather you use for your knots?

Thanks very much.

Wow, very intricate. Beautiful! I was looking for some metal ends like that, where can those be purchased?

I think Amazing Lace is selling the same leather as y-knot. I'm not certain, but I think so.

That's a great tutorial. I'm fairly new at this, but I use that one - as it goes through the braid, I haven't found them to slip.

I have conditioned and beveled it. I just had one friend who's really worried about it, and I have seen one very nicely made lead with some sort of burner/honda, I just thought it might make mine just a little bit better.

Oh ok, thanks. But what I was thinking of was NOT using any metal at all. The end of the lead is just a braided leather loop. These are slip leads, so the main part of the lead will go through that loop, and the loop will slide back and forth. I was thinking that loop would wear the fastest, so I was thinking of putting a honda/burner on the leather loop. The rawhide sure is tough, but it is so hard (at least the rawhide I know) that I think it might actually damage the lead. Plus, these are for the show ring, so I'm not sure the appearance of the rawhide would work. So pieces of kangaroo would likely work? If I can find any? (btw, anyone that would like to sell some scraps of kangaroo, black and brown, please let me know)

I've seen kangaroo leads actually shredded by the sliding metal loop. A few of my own show significant wear very quickly. So I try to not use the rings unless someone insists. Instead of using the rings (although I did think about what you said, putting a burner on the metal) - I just use a loop of the braid. But I was thinking of using a honda/burner on the leather loop, so that that loop didn't wear out before the rest of the lead. But I suppose I could do either. I'm afraid I don't know what you mean about a cable and an eye etc. I'm not sure rawhide would have the look I want (maybe I'm wrong, but I'm guessing from what I know of rawhide). I'd prefer some finished looking leather - I suppose kangaroo would be ideal, I'll have to see if there is any way to get scraps. Would I need to do anything to the edges? Or just bevel them or something? Thanks very much for your help.

Or should I be trying to get scraps of the kangaroo leather that the lace comes from?

OK, should I be doing something like in this thread? http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=38288&hl=honda Can anyone give me some tips to get started - I am a complete novice at working leather? Is this in Bruce Grant's encyclopedia? With a kangaroo leash, what leather should I use for the honda? So I cut the piece of leather, do something (?) to make the edges nice, punch holes, and lace it up - I think. Can I use the kangaroo lace, would my 1/8 lace be strong enough? I live near Tandy leather, so I could purchse what I need there. Thanks in advance for any tips, links to a tutorial I've missed, or anything else

Thanks, I'll try that.

I've seen what a metal ring will do to a kangaroo lead (not pretty). I've been making my slip leads with a leather loop instead of a metal ring, and no complaints so far. But I'm pretty new. I think I've been turning out some decent quality leads, partly due to the tips I've received on the forum - thanks everyone. I think I once read a reference to a 'burner'. I've never been able to figure out just what that is. I think it is something to protect the end loop part of the lead from wearing? I saw some sort of extra leather on a lead, but didn't get a close look. I would like to do anything I can to make my leads last longer, and it sounds like one main concern is the leather of the loop wearing. Can anyone help me out, re. the burner or whatever else I might do? Where I could read about it, or how to add one?

That is an interesting idea. Happily, I got lucky, and (just barely) managed to wedge the beads on the lead. Since I beveled it, and rolled it a lot, I was lucky enough that the chosen bead had large enough holes, only did a little reaming on one type. Thanks everyone for the help.

Thanks so much Shannon, that is very helpful.

Sorry, the more work I do, the more questions I seem to come up with. It worked for me, to seal beveled edges of kangaroo lace with resolene (I needed to do this when mixing black and light colors in a braid due to bleeding). But, I really didn't like the finish as much - I ended up with the resolene on the top (finished) part of the leather too. I did dilute the resolene approx. 50/50 with water. Can anyone suggest a method of application so that I can get the resolene on the bottom and beveled sides of the lace, without getting it (at least much) on the top of the lace? Last question for a while, I hope! Thanks!