Tracym

Thanks so much, I did google bead reamers, but will have a look at your links. With the muranos, perhaps I'd have to remove the core, enlarge the hole in the glass, then put the core back and stretch it out? Not sure. Hmmm definitely an extra project. I do have a good dremel, but somehow I think perhaps doing it by hand would be safer first. Not sure I've reached 'artist' status yet, but I'm trying to learn. Thanks for the help.

Thank you for the reply. Many of these beads are Murano glass with silver cores though - I'm not sure those could be enlarged? The others are metal, and/or rings of crystals. I'm not familiar with a bead reamer though - would it work? Bigger hole beads, well, I don't think that's going to be an option here - I wish. I wasn't thinking of doing a lovely transition honestly, just ending 2 strands more abruptly - but glueing the ends and covering that spot with with a knot. Then the beads on the 4 strand, and adding two back (with glue and a knot). Of course, I don't know that this would work, it's just a theory.

I'm making a kangaroo lead for a friend - she needs a thicker lead, due to issues with her hand. Since I bevel, my four strand leads are quite thin, so I'm happy to make her a 6 strand. But... she wants beads on it, of course. I am trying to figure out what the best way to do this would be, as I don't think the beads will fit over a 6 strand braid - they have a 4.5mm to 5mm hole. The 6 strand would probably be thicker than that, correct?. I do use a nylon core. So I'm considering.... 1. Do a terminal knot (cover with my rein knot), and don't braid under the beads? This worries me, as I would think it would have less strength and might stretch more. 2. Braid 6 strands, go to 4 strand under the beads, and splice back in to 6 strands somehow? Cover the transition with my rein knot? Is this too complicated, and would it work well? 3. Any better ideas? Thanks!

Hadn't heard of vinegar (but there's lots I haven't heard of). The resolene does appear to work. It makes it a little more shiney and 'plasticy' than I really prefer, but the kangaroo has a fairly shiny finish anyway, so it's ok. I wouldn't use it unless I had to, with the real light colors. But at least it makes those colors possible for me. I wish I could figure out an application method so I didn't get the resolene on the top (finished) side of the leather where I don't need it - I'd prefer to just put it on the cut edges and flesh side of the lace. But I ended up getting it on all of it - I'll have to work on that.

The lead with the resolene came out fine in the end. I did have to do some more conditioning and quite a bit of rolling, but it seems like that stopped the color bleeding. I haven't been brave enough to make one with a real light color yet, but it looks good so far.

OK, thanks, I ought to be able to manage that

Do you think the Pecards would keep the color from bleeding though? I only used the Resolene to try to seal the cut edges because the beveled edges were bleeding out onto the light colored lace on the same braid.

Thanks, that's great! I still need to figure out a bead or something to make the knot over. In the example I was shown, it was hard and round - I think a wood bead. I'm trying to figure out what to coat/build up the hole of the bead with, so it'll fit tightly yet slide, and not tear up the leather. Of course, I could also try to figure out how to make a piece of leather (hmm... with my nonexistant leather worker skills... well always good to learn)

Thank you. I've got some from y-knot lace, and it's thin and nice. I do have a bit of the thick stuff left though. I do hope that the lace treated with the resolene softens up though, if feels pretty unpleasant so far. Hopefully my Pecard's will arrive in the mail today.

Thanks!

I've applied the Resolene - I did dilute it. My leather now feels quite stiff and a little tacky though - I'm hoping it just isn't all the way dry yet, and that the Pecards will help. Does that sound right?

On braided kangaroo dog leads, some of my friends have requested a sliding bead/knot. It seems what has been done on other leads is to find a round wooden bead that will slide, and cover it with a turks head. I have a few books, plus have found youtube tutorials, so hopefully I'll figure out the knot ok. What I'm wondering is - how to get the wood bead the exact right size to slide, but be tight enough to sort of stick in one place, without harming the braided leather. Does one coat the inside of the wood bead with anything? Build the hole up with anything somehow, to get just the right fit? Any suggestions? Thanks!

Thank you so much. I am making dog leads, not whips, but I presume the techniques would be the same? I also saw a book online "Braiding Fine Leather: Techniques of the Australian Whipmakers" by David W Morgan - does anyone recommend that one?

I received some lace from y-knot - it seems to be very nice, thin and soft. So please forgive the beginner questions, but using Pecard's to dress the leather and Fiebing's acrylic resolene to seal it, is the right order to do things? Dress it with Pecard's (instead of the Lexol that I have been using) Stretch it Bevel it Seal with Fiebing's ? braiding soap here? White saddle soap... or more Pecard's? Braid it Rolling Final finish coat if necessary (I have a glossy spray, protectant, from Tandy I've been using) I'm happy to read up on this, or buy another book, if anyone can recommend anything. I have Bruce Grant's encyclopedia, but that doesn't really seem to address this sort of thing, with the kangaroo lace.

Thanks everyone. I am going to look into those products.

Thank you very much. At least with this leather, I am obviously not getting it prepared well enough. I will try to find some better products. I really appreciate the help.

Thank you, I'm leaving town so cannot get any photos at the moment. I ordered some lace from a different source (y-knot) so perhaps that will solve the problem. I do have some questions about conditioning though... Based on prior advice, I've been putting lexol on the lace, then stretching it when wet (this seems to work). Then, once basically dry, braiding it. Then conditioning the finished braid before final rolling. But I have to do a lot of rolling to get it soft and smooth, which seemed to bring out the problems with the black and pink leather. Is there a better regimen? From reading here, it sounds like I should soap the strands, and braid while 'wet'. And use a finishing coat. But I have also read elsewhere about people soaking the leads in conditioner overnight, etc. Should I need some sort of conditioning in addition to soap and finishing coat?

Well I am now completely frustrated. This new leather is just awful - it is so thick, I beveled and beveled it. It's stiff on the front, but soft and shaggy on the back. As soon as I condition it, it swells up. No matter how hard I try, the braid ends up too thick. I coated it with finishing protectant spray before I braided it, and again before I rolled it. Black bled onto it again, it's ruined. Lots of hours and $$ for nothing. I guess others can work with this leather ok, they must know something I don't. I am so sad about this, this one was a special present for a special occasion. And now it won't happen

The leather is from Birdsall. What happens though, I think I have figured out now, is that when I bevel it of course where it's beveled it's no longer sealed. Since the latest leather is thicker, I have to bevel more, practically splitting it, and more is exposed. It was pretty horrible for me haha, completely wrecked a braid that I have to do over in a hurry. Shellack - interesting. Sorry, I am very new to this - is that a special leather shellack? Not what you put on furniture?

Thanks. By the way, it bleeds like crazy in plain water, no rubbing needed - I tried it, got black water. And it never stopped, no matter how much I rinsed it. I have some sort of finishing spray from Tandy, but I was using it on the finished braid. I can try using some on the flesh side, before braiding, maybe that will help. And I'll look for the product mentioned. As for cutting my own lace - maybe in the future. I don't know if I'll have enough volume. Plus, everyone seems to want colors (blue, green, pink) so I'd have to learn how to dye it too. Maybe one day.

Yes, it's from Springfield. The latest stuff is much thicker and stiffer than the rolls I got before. It's not quite the same as my previous orders. I don't think it would braid up nice without something on it. But in any case, people will want to clean it - so if the dye is coming out with the Lexol, I'm afraid it will do the same when they clean it.

Hmm my post didn't show up. Apologies in advance if it now shows up twice. What I discovered is, the leather doesn't bleed much right off the roll, even if I put a scrap in water. But - once it's beveled, it bleeds like crazy. Not sure what to do about that. Where does one find a bar of glycerine? And how big is a bar? Sorry about the newbie question, google let me down on this one. I'll look for the fiebings soap in the meantime, but if it bleeds in water, won't it bleed using the soap too? I really like to do a last conditioning before the final rolling, it seems to help. Is this to be expected, or is this a bad batch of leather?

Well when this stuff comes off the roll, it is pretty dry and stiff, sigh. I'll see if I can find the Fiebings saddle soap - thank you. The only thing with the olive oil - on the lighter colors (natural, pink, etc.) won't it darken the leather? I wasn't thinking all this bleeding was good, the first leather I got didn't do that, the recent batch is. I might try to make my own braiding soap - what do you suggest?

I mentioned this in another post, but that was in the suppliers forum, probably not the best place. I have made some kangaroo dog leads, and I've been happy with how they turned out. I use purchased lace. I generally conditioned and stretched the leather, braided it, then conditioned it again before rolling. But this last batch of leather I got, the color bled, particularly the black leather. Unfortunately, this completely ruined one lead, as the black was braided with a lighter color. Is this bleeding of color normal? I just used Lexol. I realized doing some more, it got on my hands when I was stretching the lace. What can I do about this? Do all the conditioning before braiding it? But people need to be able to clean it once it's done... Thanks!

Hmmm now one roll I have of black, when I condition it (Lexol) the color is bleeding off on my hands. Is that normal, to be expected?