Timothy

Thanks Hedge, I figured if I washed it off I was O.K. I'm glad you told me you washed your braiding after you were done. One of the reasons I asked the question was because I have been reading about all of you using saddle soap for braiding, casing and edge slicking and no one ever said anything about rinsing it out, so I wondered what kind of soap you were using. By the way, the reason I researched this was because a customer asked. He had been told to use saddle soap to preserve his fine handmade boots. He evidently used the canned type (without rinsing) and eventually ruined them. Thanks Again, Timothy

I like it because its not the normal pineapple interweave. I did something similar the other day and untied it because it didn't look normal. Now I've got to play around and see what I can come up with. Thanks for sharing, Timothy

Howdy, I have been doing some reading on the internet about the different types of saddle soaps available. I know some people that use it for everything: cleaning, conditioning, polishing, breaking in new boots, and everything else; and others who never use it at all while taking care of their leather goods just as well (or better.) Here are the types of saddle soaps I have found so far: 1. Cream type- yellow and white, sold in cans. 2. Bar glycerin. 3. Lyquid glycerine- I think Leather New and Lexol pH leather cleaner fall into this category. 4. Conditioner sold as saddle soap that's not (more like a leather balm than anything else). It seems that the canned saddle soap is highly alkaline and can "burn" or dry out leather if not rinsed off. I sell boots for a living and have always recommended saddle soap as a cleaner for very dirty boots that should be lathered and rinsed off to get rid of the dirt, before applying the approppriate conditioner - and never on exotic leathers. I like the canned saddle soap for boots, but prefer the liquid (or bar glycerine dissolved in water) for cleaning saddles and other large, tooled articles, mostly for its ease of use. So my question is what type(s) of saddle soap do you use and why? Also what about Murphy's Oil Soap? I've used it before too. I figured the best people to ask were the craftsmen thierselves. Thanks to all who reply. I'm hoping to learn something new here. Timothy

Thanks for this tutorial. I'll have to make one of these myself. I think I'd rather use a knife I can resharpen rather than swapping razor blades all the time. Looking forward to the bevelling pics. I need some help in that area. Timothy

Nice rod case. I've been looking forward to seeing what you came up with. I am adding a link to a page with pictures on how to to tying the terminal turks head knot. The only instructions I could find were for three stranded rope, but if you do a search for footrope knot you may be able to find more. (Same knot, different name.) www.ropeworks.biz/reader/footrope.pdf Hope this helps, Timothy

I think I made the Sheath just to try the Lacing! I got the lacing pattern from Bruce Grant's book Leather Braiding. You canalso find it here: http://www.kingsmerecrafts.com/page100.html Thanks for all the kind words. Timothy

Here is one that is a much better representation of the quality work I do. I posted the one above out of sheer frustration trying to get this rawhide to respond the way I want. After I did I was embarrassed that I didn't just throw it in the trash and start over. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this rawhide now.

Here's a little key fob I made trying to get the moisture right. I'm still unhappy with it but I'm putting it up as a reminder to keep trying. Its just a four strand braid with 5 part four bight turks heads in the herringbone interweave. The knots are simple, but getting the hang of working with rawhide is a challenge when you are used to rope and soft leather lacing. Alan, I may have to take you up on the offer to compare notes even thoughI don't have much to compare yet. My stuff is simple working gear. The reason I haven't dove into this sooner is because I don't know anyone else around here that braids. That is where this forum is outstanding. Thanks, Timothy

Howdy, I wore out the cheap sheath that came with my Leatherman, so I decided to make a new one. I used a piece of probably 6 ounce latigo, then wet molded the front around a piece of wood cut to size. That took two tries as it was my first try. I stitched the belt loop with a lockstich awl, and laced the edge with the Mexican basketweave edge braid. Lessons Learned: 1. Leave more leather to mold. I used the width plus 2x the thickness plus 2x 3/8 inchfor lacing. Next time I'll add at least another 3/8". 2. Use flat slits instead of round holes. Since I made this I made a single prong lacing chisel, and I'll probably order a set in the future. 3. Mold the belt loop before sewing. I finally wet it and wore it a while. Also finish edges of belt loop better. 4. Backstitch belt loop instead of trying to just tie knots. All of the methods I used came from this forum. It wasn't that hard. I can't believe I carried that cheap factory sheath all these years. I've got a couple more knives that need sheaths and I've seen patterns here I like so I'll put the lessons learned to use. Any comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Timothy

Thanks, I was thinking about the same thing. Its a matter of whether the waste from cutting a circle out of the oval is greater than the waste from trimming the oval. I've been playing with scap pieces trying to get the moisture right for cutting strings before I butcher up a good piece of hide. So for I'm spending more time stropping or replacing razor blades than cutting. Hope to do the final trimming and cut acing sometime next week and will get pictures when I do. Timothy

I too found this site from Knot Heads World Wide while looking for info on braiding and knot tying. I quickly became addicted and try to check whats new every day. This site has inspired me to start learning to carve leather and shown me how to do some projects that I have been wanting to do for some time. I just learned how to post pictures and will try to get up a couple of projects I'm working on for others to critique. Thanks for such a great site. Timothy

Like most of the hobbiests this is a spare time thing for me so I didn't get much done tonight. I did get a picture of the soft spot in the hide. My marks were not showing up oncamera so I used my tools to show the outline. It looks like I'll wind up with a circle from each end and cut my strings directly from that instead of trying to cut a wide strip first. I was doing some thinking and was wondering what is wrong with starting from an oval? The lace cutter I am using is one I made after seeing the ones in Bruce Grant's Leather Braiding and it works from the outside, not the inside like the Craftool lacemaker. (Just bought the Craftool one, used it once so far and like it.) I've cut some laces out of leather that started out egg shaped and just trimmed the narrow end off as needed. Doing this I've been able to cut down to a Quarter size disc in the center with no problem. I can see how a circle gives less waste when starting from the center, though. Hopefully I'm making enough mistakes that others can learn from them. Timothy

Horsehair Braider and Hedge, Thanks for the responses. I was trying to judge where to cut by feeling the hide, there's just a couple of spots I feel need trimmed more. Tonight I'm going to try to finish trimming. I think I'll cut some test strips from several spots and use them to judge where I need to trim. Also I'll be hand cutting the inital wide strip (no draw gauge yet) with a compass and knife, so I didnt think a long oval shape would be a problem. Will look at cutting multiple circles though. Hopefully Ill have more pictures later tonight or tomorrow. Timothy

Posted above before I was ready. Where my hand is in the above picture still feels soft. Should I trim more? The next step is to spiral cut a 1 1/2 inch strip from the oval, correct? I am looking forward to crittisizms and comments. I will try to work on it more tomorrow (Or later today, at this point.) Goodnight for now, Timothy

Let me start by saying this is the first time I have starteed with a hole ide to make my own strings. I have gotten my info on how from this site. I decided to post pics of each step cutting the hide and let the experts correct me when I mess up. Hopefully this will turn into a tutorial so I can do it right next time and it will help others as well. I started with a side of 2-3 ouce rawhide from Zack White Leather. Then soaked the hide in a trash can of water to soften and laid it out flat. The first cut was made down the back. Next I found the soft areas of the neck and belly by feel and cut them off. Here is the ovaland the cut off.

Beautiful Saddle. I like the simple lines and slick leather. Congratulations on the nice job.

I've used plain beeswax to make hot wax to treat boots and saddles. You can get it at craft stores for about $15 a pound in the candlemaking section. All I've used on saddles for years is cheap (generic brand) olive oil after learning that from a saddle maker. When I was doing a lot of riding in the rain I would melt beeswax into the oil as a final coat to seal the leather. I also use the same mixture exept thicker ( less olive oil) as my boot oil in the Winter and spring when mud gets deep around the barn. Idon't mind the leather getting wet but wet feet just ruins my day. Wipe it on and use a hair dryer to melt it in. It doesn't darken leather as bad as mink oil, and buffs better. As for parrafin I was taught never to use petroleum products on leather. Check out the sno seal website. They have good info on waterproofing. http://www.atsko.com/products/waterproofing/sno-seal.html Boot care article: http://www.atsko.com/articles/footware/boot-care.html Leather care article: http://www.atsko.com/articles/footware/pro...ng-leather.html Hope the links work. It's the first time I've tried to post them. Sorry to get long winded. My day job is selling boots and hats. I see lots of leather that's not taken care of properly so I made it a point to learn about the subject. I hope this helps. Timothy

Rawhide, Thanks for the reply. I'll start by trying to make one. I've got enough scrap wood to experiment a little and see if I can make it work. It was a very rewarding experience to cut cut my own lacing the first time on tools I made and then braid something useful. I am interested in Jim Downey's tool, though. I think saw his contact info on here somewhere. Thanks Again, Timothy

I've tried cutting a bevel by hand with an Exacto knife or a razor blade, but its time consuming and not very even. I'm trying to use thinner laces and it doesn't take a big slip to ruin a lace. I've never used or even seen a beveler, and can't afford $400 for one of the professional cutter/splitter/bevelers yet. (That's on my wish list.) I have built my own lace cutter and splitter so I'm open to ideas for a beveler as well. Thanks, Timothy

Smilin Jim, I'd like to thank you for the splitter design. I have made one and it works great. Thanks Again, Timothy

Thanks for the warm welcome. Tim

Hi, I've been reading this forum for several weeks and have learned alot. I've been braiding for several years and have recently started working with leather. I've been working with lots of old haystring to make everyday working headstalls and reins. I'm poor so I use what I have. Bruce Grant's Leather Braiding has recently inspired me to start trying fancier work. I'm not very good with computers, so my posts will probably be few and far between. Thanks for such a great site. Tim