entiendo

Thank YOU <img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://leatherworker.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif"> I'll see if I can find the books. You know we have a saddle maker not to far from here. He's a little grumpy in my experience but it still may be worth dropping by and seeing him. Maybe he will share. there is something screwy with the edit option on this board, I have no idea why I keep get weird command when I use it.

I do have one question, is it good for the leather to sit in liquid that long? What do you use to soften it back up? Oh, well I guess that's 2 questions. thanks wantmorlandandcattle...that was all very helpful.

Very nice!! Wow, is all I have to say! Well maybe I wouldn't use Spanish rings on a bit hobble. It seems I'm always fixing those for people when they are used as slides.

Oh what fun! I haven't been able to find out how to dye with natural ingredients yet. I don't think I can just let the roo sit in the water...but I think roo would absorb the dye better than rawhide. It would seem the roo would also fade more easily. I'll keep looking though. Thanks for list of things I can use to change the color of my roo! This also has me inspired to try it with rawhide. That would be fun. You don't see colored rawhide very often.

That is really cool!! Can I really use this process to dye roo?? And you do mean red onions right??? how much water to onion? I'm going to try and just do a search. I'd love to naturally dye my hides.

thanks all. I like the idea of using totally natural ingredients like megabit suggested...I wonder if it works as well on leather.

well that's no help...

Nah, she's great roo, just excited. I haven't had a customer like yet...hopefully I won't, that can't be any fun! Bevan you better go stake out the tanneries. I think this guy needs some leather before he goes mad! Hopefully it's not to late.

Roo got me to thinking when we were taking about the purple hide. I've always wanted natural pink and light blue string and I haven't been able to get it so I thought I could try my luck with dying a bit of my own. It looks like I can't get the best dye here in California...I have to get the Eco Flow...or something like that. But I'm most concerned that the colors will come off, like I'll end up with a blue wrist. I might as well ask what the lot of you use for conditioner? I have these pieces that need cleaned and conditioned and there is so much debate on the best way to go about that.

Well that just aint right Bevan!! LOL I'm waiting patiently for my new hides too, not sent off yet. The gal waiting for her bridle....not so patiently. I'm tempted to try one of those suppliers just to see the difference, but Oz has all the colors!

For those of you that buy lace try this website. http://www.amazing-lace.net/ I know there are others but this will at least get you away from Tandy. The lace is made from the same hides I buy. Ultimately if you keep braiding you will want to cut your own lace as buttons should be made with the best part of your hide, but at least you can braid with this lace. I use 3/16" core for 1/8" string 8 plait and 1/8" core for 3/32" string 8 plait. Someone did the math for me some time ago and it's worked perfect each and every time. Buttons are another matter though. For good coverage they depend on the right size turks head. I learned how to increase bites on a turks head right here on this website a few years back, and if I can do it anyone can!

Yes, that white was bright and shiny! I'm sure it's great of show leads. LOL...be sure to let to keep us up to date on your rawhide fun!

Yes, that's why I haven't tried rawhide yet knothead. I consider it sometimes and I feel overwhelmed. Just not ready I think. I'm sure someday I will. Yes Roo, it's just a plainly died natural purple. I've seen the bright purple you could be talking about. If you use a lot of those hides I can understand why you want your hides drum stuffed. That's the only way to go when you go with those bright colors. That white was actually a chromed tanned hide. It was terrible to braid with but wasn't so bad to do buttons with. I still gave away the rest of that hide though. When you braid with good leather using chrome tanned wasn't working for me, it took the fun out of it I think.

You are no fun roo. I'll post a couple of picture of a mini show halter I made, one of my first projects and you can see how purple looks on a horse.

Ah, come on there is more to it than that.

No roo, that's my Icelandic! His name is Barney! I've only had him about 3 months. I've waited a long time to have an icy! My supplier has a natural purple that I use! Soooo pretty and would make a wonderful bridle. I actually keep hoping someone will order one.

LOL...well the pink was not my idea! But I do like to use color. My own bridle has pink buttons. Teach me how to use rawhide and I'll use it! I don't have the time to teach myself and go through the learning curve right now, horses, kids, braiding projects, a kid that's home schooled, and keeping up with all the things that need done around here! When I first learned to braid I spent hours and hours and hours a day, trying to learn to do it by look and feel, I don't have the time to devote to that right now. I keep meaning to dabble a little but I haven't yet! I really like it when someone combines rawhide and roo!

Did you use soap or fat or something to soften and slick the string a little. That helps it slide together tighter. I'm in california but I bet there is someone that can help. I can't help with the beveling as it seems each type of those tools works a little differently. I had trouble with certain hides when I was first learning to bevel too. I just had to get to know my tool and the subtle differences in the leather. Latigo is probably pretty thick though...not sure, maybe that's the difficulty.

Oh no, veg tanned. It has a finish on it. It's what my supplier calls a "finished" hide. It's also not that color all the way through. The rough out side is a very light pink. Thanks for the compliments.

Along with the plaiting, the buttons could use a little work too I think. I can't tell for sure but they look a little loose and they haven't been completely rolled and shaped. Very nice look though.

Here are a couple of my new bridles. One is pink, pink, pink...not everyone's thing. I did get another order for the green though. If anyone sees any room for improvement speak up! The pink hide was very hard to work with so it didn't roll up as nice as I would have liked. I was afraid to split it to thin because it wasn't as strong as most the kangaroo I've worked with. Another problem with those finished hides I think.

Yup Bevan, I just ordered more and they went up 10%. Few more dollars a hide. Jade 52dm veg, 0.9mm - $66.56. Now all it needs is to be converted to square yards and add the shipping. My brain doesn't work that well in the morning though so I'm not gonna do it. Here is the shipping.... $19.85 for the 1st 50dm + .23 cents par additional Here is his website, Amazing Hides but I would urge you to contact him because he doesn't do much with his website! Who knows, maybe he can get drum stuffed more consistently. I don't know because I don't request it.

I thought we all got our roo from Australia! Go figure. Where do you get yours? My hides aren't cheep and they are usually dry. I like the dry hides. I like the color better and I think they do get softer and softer over time, at least that's my experience. I just run saddle soap over them and they really aren't much different than the drum stuffed to braid. I only buy unfinished though. I don't touch the finished hides anymore unless I have to. They have very nice color, so people seem to like them, but the wonderful kangaroo feel isn't there. I have to admit though, the drum stuffed hides are very nice to work with so I can understand why you seek them out. I went and took a look at my last order. I paid 68.44 for a 58dm hide, not including shipping. Shipping starts around 25 for the first hide and goes down quickly from there. I don't know how he compares with other suppliers. I looked everywhere when I first started braiding and he was the best price and he has lots of colors. I've always been happy so there has never been a reason to look elsewhere. Chrome...YUCK...I do think they are OK if you are first learning. The string is stronger than cowhide and easier to work with than rawhide for practicing those buttons.

great explanation knothead! I want to try that gaucho with a herringbone. You don't have a picture of one do you? I saw a lovely design somewhere of a gaucho, wish I could remember where it was.

I went ahead and looked up my old thread. I forgot the misery that button put me through! LOL Maybe it will help you too because I got a lot of good advice. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=7102&hl=gaucho%20interweave&st=0