How to prepare Kangaroo Lace

[jerryrwm]

Thanks guys, this is real good information for me.

I think I just start braiding without preperation, except for the leather soap.

Perhaps later if I'm really hooked to the braiding I go one step further, and making my own lace.

But for now I will use the Kangaroo Lace as is.

After all your good help I still have 2 qustions though:

1. you all mention "rolling" your finished piece. But what is that exactly, and how is it done?
2. Does anybody now a real good leatherworker in the netherlands, where perhaps I can follow some workshops?

Thanks again,

Erik

When rolling I use a piece of lumber - that is wrapped with brown wrapping paper and roll the piece on a marble slab. I have a 24" x 30" x 1" marble slab that I got from a construction site dumpster. They had cut it out of a marble counter top for a sink. I followed them down to the dumpster because they were not allowed to give it to anyone - it had to officially become garbage before anyone could take it.

Roll your braiding by holding the board at an angle rather than perpendicular to the braiding. This will prevent rolling a groove into the finished work.

Also, if you use a finish on the braiding such as shellac or something similar, roll the work between coats of shellac. It does really help smooth it out.

Jerry

[bergjes]

Thanks again for all the good advice.

It´s up to me now.

I´m just going to start braiding, and I have to learn a lot along the way.

I did some asking around here in the Netherlands but Leather Braiding is not very popular, so I will

be back for more answers here with you all.

I´ll let you know how I ´m progressing.

Greetings,

Erik