rawhide1

Paul Nice looking work on the handle! The knife is pretty cool looking too. Mike

Hilly For making jewelry I think you'll want to use calf rawhide or slunk (unborn calf) They will be pretty thin hides they should work great on smaller items. If you are making a larger item some thin cow will work good. You can order some good precut strings from Bill Confer at Tejas Ind. I don't have his contact info. handy as I'm at work. But I know it's in some of the old threads. I can post it next day if someone else doesn't. Good Luck!! Mike

Very nice work! Mike

Item is sold!!!!!! Mike

Thanks fellas for the answers! Mike

Rick I second everything megabit said. Nice looking slides!! Mike

KnotHead Looking good!! I can't wait to see it finished. I have one to build in a couple months for a ladies B-day. So here's a ? what is the average length for a lead. She has a blue heeler I was thinking 3-4 feet. (I'm not trying to hijack your thread) Thanks for posting Mike

use the hell out of it!! What's it good for if it aint being used or send it to me and I'll use it!!LOL Mike

megabit I can see improvment the hatband looks good. From what I can see of the pineapples they look more symetrical (sp?) than they have in the past. Keep up the good work!! Mike

Knothead That's a dang nice looking fid!!! Thanks for the info. Mike

entiendo That turned out great!! The interweaves look good just the right amount to break up the black. I'm glad ya got it worked out. Let us know how ya do at the fair. Mike

Interesting stuff!! While digging thru a box of junk I found a tube of rouge. The brand name is Dico and it's marked as CR1. Further down it says this is for chrome (I think it's brown or a real dark red). My question to everyone is can I use this on my round knife and swivel knife and other cutting instruments. Or is there a different one I should use. Thanks for any help, Mike

CW Thanks a bunch!! I've got a hide that should be dry pretty soon. And I'll have to give it a whirl! Take care, Mike

CW I like that a lot!! I've been needing to buy one and I have picked one out after some great advice from folks here. But I can't seem to keep the funds in my pocket long enough. LOL Would you be able to tell me how you made the head. How wide of rawhide and is it one long strip. Thanks, Mike

Jake I want to Thank You very much for doing this as I know it's time consuming. I'm sure this will help me as well as others. And I know what you mean by it being easier to say than to type. Once again a big THANKS!!! Mike

Or open beer cans at a card game. I don't know how many guys I've seen take a swig out of someones spit can.

Cowboy316 Nice looking work!! Mike

Rick I don't do much with roo. But I bought a drum stuffed hide last year from Hardtke. I paid around 12.00 a sq. foot. The hide was 5 sq. feet so it cost me 60 bucks plus a little for shipping. It was a real nice hide and braided great. I'm not sure of the differences between the other tanning methods mentioned and one being drum stuffed. I would call them and ask what their price is now. Another place to try Panhandle leather sometimes they have some at a good price. But like I said I haven't ordered one in a while so the prices could be higher. Hardtke #(915)590-0088 Panhandle leather #(806) 373-0535 Best of luck!! Mike

I have a 15 hole rein rounder I'm looking to sell. I bought it from Smuckers harness shop. It is my understanding they had some cast from a old one they had. It's a heavy son of gun. I've been pretty happy with it. I was told when I bought it that I would need to polish the holes as the were kind of rough. Needless to say I never did so a person might want to do that. Although I used it the way it is without much trouble. It could leave marks on leather if not polished I used it to round cores for reins and on saddle skirting for handles. Reason for selling is I got a Osborne. I'm asking a $100.00 which includes shipping. Thanks,Mike

Ben I think it's a fine looking saddle especially for your second one. Let me say I've never built a saddle so take what I say for what it's worth. The thing that sticks out to me is it looks like I can see the bars of the tree just below the seat. I don't know if there is some way to build that up for a better transition or how ya go about getting it done so it would be more comfortable and not rub on your leg. I could be and probably am full of s**t as I've never built a saddle. Maybe one of the saddle makers will give their opinion. I will say that anyone that takes on the daunting job of building a saddle has my respect as it is truly an art. Mike

rookie Since I use chewing tabacca (which I need to quit due to increase in price) I have used it to dye some of my rawhide strings. I've been told that a strong tea or coffee mix will get the same result. While it would be cheaper and healther it would be harder to chew!! Mike

canemaker There's a site called taxidermy.net they have a ton of information. It's a forum just like this and doesn't cost anything to join. I will warn ya there are some real jerks on that site. But there are a lot good people who will answer your questions also. So just ignore the jerks. They also have a list of stores that carries anything you would ever need to tan a hide. Take a look and maybe it will be of some use. Best of luck!!!!!! Mike

hidepounder Here's the link I think http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=15534 I'm not sure I copied it right. But it's in a topic started by rcsaddles. Hope ya can find it. A different Mike Hey it worked!!! I just tried it. Damn I even surprise myself sometimes!!!

LINDSAY Very nice first project!! I really like the contrast with the black and white. Nice job on the stamping. The only thing I think would make it look better is if you would of used a different edge lace style. Such as the eight string round edge braid. This braid and a few more for edges can be found in Bruce Grants Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding. And I'm sure Tandy's has a book on edge lacing. Once again nice purse. Mike

HorsehairBraider Ya it's pretty tuff having to put a young one down. I think it's bothering my wife more than my daughter. But they went shopping to help them get over it.LOL Mike