Preparing Rawhide

[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.

[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

[HorsehairBraider]

Great idea to post your pictures Timothy. I am by no means an expert on rawhide, but this is what I would say...

Your shape is (to my way of thinking) suspiciously too oval. In the areas where the animal's elbow and flank were, typically, there is an area that extends up toward the spine in a little triangle shape that is thinner and stretchier. So I would not trim it by the shape, I would trim it by the feel of the hide. Those areas don't feel the same; I would try and trim so that what I had left all felt about the same. You might even end up with three circles as opposed to one big oval, just depending on that individual hide.

Well, I can't wait to hear what the *real* experts have to say! That's just what my experience has been.

[Hedge]

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

Timothy, that oval will quickly give you problems as you start cutting your strings. As was suggested, you may have to divide that

piece into 2 or more circles. Check my lace calculator to give you an idea of how long a piece you can get from your circles.

[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

[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

[Hedge]

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

There's nothing wrong with cutting from an oval, Timothy. It's just that the tighter the bend, the harder it is to cut. And when you

straighten your string, that sharp radius will cause too much stretch on that side of the string. Trimming is the right thing to do, but

there's a point where you'll be trimming so much that you would more likely have lost a good bit of stock that could have been strings.

[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

[Alan Bell]

Timothy, I'm in Greenville if your ever up Hwy. 69 feel free to stop by. Maybe we can compare notes on braiding.

Vaya con Dios, Alan Bell

One good thing about music...when it hits you, you feel no pain!

Bob Marley - Trench Town Rock

[Timothy]

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

[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.

[Alan Bell]

Way To Go!!

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

The people waiting on the message that you bring.

Bob Marley - Mix Up