rcsaddles

If you are covering the edge, you can skip a hole or two, whatever it takes to fit the lace. You might try it on a couple pieces of scrap and see how it will look.

Very nice. One day I am going to have to learn to make these also.

I think I am going to experiment with this. I believe what you have told us here and I usually don't question things like this. I just want to try it myself so I can confirm what you have said and then pass it on to friends of mine. You may have "stumbled" on to something. I have some braiding I need to do in the near future so I will try this. Thanks for the information.

Sounds great. If you make a trip there, I can introduce you to the people you need to know and possibly the ones you don't. It is always a great time there.

I wonder about the beeswax in your mixture. Usually the beeswax will make it kind of "sticky". I'll have to try this for a braiding soap. Thanks for the information. Sorry your friend Arthur shows up. I've not met him yet and don't want to . Hope he stays away for a long time.

I have seen a few rawhide whips that are very nice. I have braided roo and latigo whips but not tried rawhide yet. You guys are such an inspriation. I have to get after braidign more rawhide. Going to pass on all the little repair projects and cell phone cases and such that all they do is eat up time and energy. Can't make money on them anyway. As a side note, I'm going to encourage all of you to consider making a rawhide item for the World Leather Debut for the Rocky Mountain Leather Trade show next May in Sheridan, Wyoming. They only had two items last year and I know the judge. He "yelled" at me for not entering something. I'll have an entry next time. I would also like to invite all of you to attend the trade show. I usually teach a braiding workshop and will again in 2014 if i can. I believe we need to make a showing of the braiding arts. Thanks

Rough side up in the beveler. you want to bevel the flesh side.

That is very nice.

Conchos.com is running a 25% off sale through the 26th. Just an FYI

I'll send you a pm with a link to what you might be looking for.

That is a neat little lace cutter. I'm sure Mike will be happy with it after he gets it cleaned up .

Y~KnotLace Fine Kangaroo Leather Lace Bevelers # bev503 $180.00 Combination Beveler & Lace Cutter Has a 30 degree angle attachment Has a 45 degree angle attachment Has a 90 degree lace cutter attachment Use with a single-edge blade Can bevel from 1/32” to 3/4” View details Was not sure how to attach teh picture but I use the $180.00 beveler. Works great. Wish I had it years ago.

I use parifin wax instead of beeswax on my punches. Beeswax is a little sticky and parifin is not.

My Father-in-law lives not far from Caldwell. We go down to Pocatello and across to Calswell when we go see him. Not sure if we will be going out this fall or not but if we do, I will let you know and get your number then.

Leatherpownder, I'm not sure there are many of us left that do not lime the hide to remove hair. I can't remember, where are you in Idaho? I have an aunt and uncle in Idaho Falls. Don't go see them much but if you are close, I might make it a point to stop in and meet you next time I'm there.

Those folks are really good. I will be braiding some rawhide item next year. Just don't know what at the moment.

I will admit that the way I was taught might take a little longer and be a little harder than some of the more "modern" ways but it is probably more like the original way rawhide was made. I use no chemicals or lime on my rawhide. I do use Ivory soap to make my plaiting soap but that is all. "I appreciate everyone taking the time to share. the great thing about this site is it not only helps me, but anyone who runs across it." Buck I have to agree with this statement. There is so much to learn from others and that is what keeps me coming back to here. I enjoy the willingness of others to give information. There are very few things I do with leatherwork that I will not freely share with others.

Very nice job. Do you really need to close the hole in the center? If it is just wood showing, it may just add character. Only throwing out my thoughts. Hope I didn't come across the wrong way in my earlier post. I was laughing about being blamed for this while I was typing it.

What great info we have here. I'll put in the way I cut since it is different. This is the way Mary Fields taught me and it works for me so I stick with it. The hide comes off the critter and I just lay it out on the ground hair side down. I let it lay and dry until there is a little stiffness to make it easier to cut. I start in the middle using a utllity knife and cut a 1 1/2 inch wide strap or soga. I do cut out the brand before starting to cut. Here in Montana we don't have to worry much about grub holes and such. After the soga is cut, I tie on end to a post and then run the other end out as far as I can. I usually have to tie a rope to it and run it to another post and tie it off just as tight as I can to help get the stretch out of it. I then tie another rope to the middle and pull it to one side and tie off to yet another post to stretch it even more. I then take my pocket knife and scrape the hair off. I don't shave it, I scrape it. I carry a diamond steel in my pocket and use it often. Yes, it seems like it takes a long time but no longer that any other way to scrape hair. The soga will actually cup as it dries and the yellowjackets like the fat but other than that, it is not a bad process. Once the hair is removed, I soak the soga in a barrell of water until it is about like spaghetti. Don't mean to ruin anyone on any foods here. I then run the soga through my splitter until it is an even thickness. I will run it through the splitter about 10 times and just take a minimum amount each time through. After splitting, the strap will be hung out in the shade and left to dry some. When the edges are dry and hard and can almost cut you, but the center part is still pliable, then it goes in a plastic bag until it is tempered or has even moisture. Now it is ready to cut into string for braiding. This part may or may not make sense but if you look at the strap, you can tell which was the inside of the cut when you cut up the hide. I start with my first string coming off the inside. This string is the one that is used to get a good even edge to cut the next string from. I then cut my four strings for a reata from this soga. I have only used an Aussie Lace cutter to cut my strings for rawhide. Mary always used a draw guage to cut her string. Then bevel and braid. I should have said up front that this is for a reata. Knowing that you need string just as long as possible that is why it is cut the way I have described. I take as much stretch out of the rawhide before splitting so I don't have a lot of stretch when I braid. As a note as to my qualifications, Mary Fields is in the Bruce Grant Encyclopedia of Leather and Rawhide Braiding book. She was my rawhide instructor. I met Mary in 1993 when I was working in Bonanza, Oregon. I would meet with her about twice a month and we would make and braid rawhide. She was 72 when I met her and had braided 90 reatas by then. She told me that the hide from a bloated cow was not worth getting as it would be spongy. She also said some of the best rawhide comes from a Hereford cow that is about 2/3 starved to death. Mary also told me that the best reata she ever made was from the hide from her favorite horse. As always, I encourage everyone to talk to everyone they can about how to make, how to braid or anything else they can to help improve. I will not tell you my way is the best, the easiest or the only way to do things. I want you to try different ways and use what works for you. I will be trying some of the different things I have read in this thread. Anything to keep improving. Vaya con Dios.

I'm sorry, where did I come into this? I have covered some knobs before and did a handle on a drawer but not sure I posted them. I guess I will go ahead and take the blame, I can handle it. I will say that if you use round knobs instead of those flat ones they are easier to cover. Bucksnort, for that comment blaming me, I expect you to make something for the World Leather Debut at the show in Sheridan, WY. next year. I love the pull on the attic access. What a great idea. Covering the drawer knobs is a great way to use up some of those shorter pieces of lace and in the right place, can be a real money maker. I just don't happen to be in that place. I will follow this post to see how you come out on this Entiendo. I just love having fun with these posts.

Do you roll your project when you are done? I think if you put it under a board or a hard back book and roll it on a firm surface it will help the lace lay together and be smoother. Maybe you do this and it is just the picture makes it look like it is not. Your braiding is looking good.

Very nice indeed. I am trying to learn how to do a whip from the hide to finish. I admire all you folks that can do that. I spent seven months in Linville, Qld in 1988 and picked up my first Ron Edwards book. Spent some time at the World's Fair and at the EKKA.

Looks great as always.

The turksheads were braided around a mandrel and then put on to the handle. Same with teh acrual braid covering the handle. The screws were just worked thru the braid to get them into the holes. KarlB send me a message on what it is you are trying to do and I will try to help you. I can send some instructions and such. Try braiding the turks head on a mandrel and then put it onto the project and tighten it.

If you want a finished reata at 65 feet you will need to start with strands about 100 feet long. It will lose about 1/3 when braided. That is for a four strand braided, not sure what will happen with the twisted reata. When I cut a hide, I usually start in the middle and cut a soga, or strap about 1 1/4 inch wide. Then I cut strings off of it. Read thru the two tutorials on making rawhide and the rawhide tutorial. Rawhide is tougher to do in that you have to feel it to know when the moisture is right to cut lace and to braid. I can tell you what I look for and will do that this weekend when I have more time. If you have a rawhide braider in your area, get to know them and see if they can help you. More later