Cutting Rawhide

[Hilborne]

I have a piece of rawhide (cow) that I have been cutting small pieces off along the edge to experiment with. Now I want to get serious about using some of it and I'm looking for the right tool to cut it with. When it's soaked I don't have a problem, but the piece is too big to get in a bucket, and I only need a square foot or so. Thanks.

Andy

[tashabear]

Bathtub?

[ChuckBurrows]

For cutting when dry - try tin snips.......

[Hilborne]

Chuck thanks for the reply. I was looking at some of your work a while back and thought I should add rawhide to my collection. I've used the tin snips, but just thought maybe there was another way. I tried your coffee recipe yesterday and got good results. Would you share your secret on how you get the antique finish? If not I'll understand. Thanks.

tashabear

Thats doable, but I just need a square foot or so out of it right now, and I have no idea what soaking it every time I want a small piece will do to the leather.

Andy

[whinewine]

Thats doable, but I just need a square foot or so out of it right now, and I have no idea what soaking it every time I want a small piece will do to the leather.

Soak it once in the bathtub, take it out, let it dry flat (outside on your deck or inside in the garage), then cut off what ever you need whenever you need it???

Edited January 23, 2009 by Denise

[Hilborne]

Whinewine. " let it dry flat (outside on your deck or inside in the garage)"

You guessed it is in a rolled up condition, and you are right. Here's the real problem, there is three feet of snow on the deck, and the garage is not heated and currently at -20F, so I'll just bite the bullet and lay it out down stairs. So to the bath tub, and then out to the garage to find my tin snips, they should warm up by the time it dries and I need some more.

Thanks guys.

Andy

[pilgrim]

Whinewine. " let it dry flat (outside on your deck or inside in the garage)"

You guessed it is in a rolled up condition, and you are right. Here's the real problem, there is three feet of snow on the deck, and the garage is not heated and currently at -20F, so I'll just bite the bullet and lay it out down stairs. So to the bath tub, and then out to the garage to find my tin snips, they should warm up by the time it dries and I need some more.

Thanks guys.

Andy

I work with a lot of rawhide. cut strings for braiding and will cut from 1-2 foot squares. I will then roll the squares in wet towels. they will take 4 hours to 24 hours to become ready to cut , depending on the thickness of the hide.

[Hennessy]

I work with a lot of rawhide. cut strings for braiding and will cut from 1-2 foot squares. I will then roll the squares in wet towels. they will take 4 hours to 24 hours to become ready to cut , depending on the thickness of the hide.

i too have cut up quite a bit of rawhide,i found a hand held electric jig saw cuts dry raw ideal,but you have to flatten your hide,it's not hard to store a flat large object,a dry spot out of reach of yer dog.a bathtub is good if your gonna use it all at once.the more you wet dry rewet rawhide the weaker it gets,i've heard of folk keeping projects in th freezer n thaw out when needed pete

[fred3777]

I am pretty new to this board, but I keep my dry rawhide rolled pretty tight. Then when I need a piece I use a bandsaw to saw off a piece, then soak to desired consistency.