Rope Can

[RonaldSe]

A little introduction first. My name is George and I'm retired from the textile business after 38 years and a bad back. I been doing leather for probably 30 years or more mostly keeping my stuff together when my daughter and I would go to Western North Carolina, on the yearly wagon train. Now, the bad back keeps me off the horses, but the leather keeps me in the business. I've done some saddle repair, made custom chaps, holsters, headstalls and so forth. I really love this forum (I really spend too much time here and not enough in the shop) and have learned a great deal just reading everyone's post.

Now for my question------ I had a young lady bring me a rope can to cover for her boyfriend's birthday.

Nothing fancy, just a cross cut out and backed with hair on hide, and spots all the way around the outer edge. What weight leather do the rest of you use to cover your cans? I've seen some beautiful can on here

with some outstanding carving and stamping and think it should be more the 4/5 oz.

Thanks for any and all help.

George

[bruce johnson]

George,

I use something like 8/9 usually. Sometimes I will use light skirting, but skive the edges down to that thickness.

[RonaldSe]

George,

I use something like 8/9 usually. Sometimes I will use light skirting, but skive the edges down to that thickness.

THANKS BRUCE, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW!

THANKS AGAIN,

GEORGE

[BUBBA]

George,

I use something like 8/9 usually. Sometimes I will use light skirting, but skive the edges down to that thickness.

Bruce I saw your ad that used to be on the USCRA Forum. I really like the rope can straps and hope you don't mind but I kinda stole your idea of putting the powder holder on the strap. I just made my first can covers the other day for my nephews and also made a strap for one of them. They live in Texas and they said that they had never seen anybody else down there with the powder holder on the strap. Your work is awesome. I saved your site to my favorites and visit it quite often to get ideas and compare my somewhat beginner work to a pro. Thanks

Bruce I saw your ad that used to be on the USCRA Forum. I really like the rope can straps and hope you don't mind but I kinda stole your idea of putting the powder holder on the strap. I just made my first can covers the other day for my nephews and also made a strap for one of them. They live in Texas and they said that they had never seen anybody else down there with the powder holder on the strap. Your work is awesome. I saved your site to my favorites and visit it quite often to get ideas and compare my somewhat beginner work to a pro. Thanks

I was wondering if you could email me so that I can send you a few pics of my can covers and straps. Maybe you could take a look at them and critique them a little. Maybe give me a few tips. Thanks Bubba

[bruce johnson]

Bubba,

It isn't stealing or we'd all be in jail. One of my customers was sitting in the shop several years ago and complaining about powder getting on his watch and wallet when he put them in the well of the can. He asked me how come rope cans didn't have a pocket. Ummm, they did after that night. About a month later someone asked for a strap with a hoofpick pocket, and that was easy enough. This was about the same time that the catalog guys were selling the powder holders that hung off the back dee ring. Pretty unhandy to have it flopping around back there and maybe catching your leg on it getting across. I just stuck one down to the strap. Some of the first ones went to Texas and Oklahoma with some guys who were out here for the spring rodeos. That fall, Casey told me the outfit in Vinita OK was trying the powder pockets on straps, and when we went to the NFR a few guys were selling them.