How To Make A 25 Foot Long Lead Strap

[Dwight]

I work pt at a local farm store, and a lady as I was ringing her out the other day asked if we had any 25 feet long leather lead straps. She was adamant about it being made of leather.

The store doesn't carry them, . . . so I gave her my card and told her to call me when she got a chance.

Now, . . . how do you put together a 25 foot long lead strap, . . . and NO, I'm not skinning Paul Bunyon's blue ox, Babe.

Seriously, . . . do any of you make such an item, . . . and if so, do you rivet it, . . . skive it and sew it, . . . huhhhhhh????

Thanks, . . . I got a suspicion I'm gonna get a call from her.

May God bless,

Dwight

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Dwight, I have made quite a few, usually for folks that have breeding stallions. What I do is skive both sides from full thickness, (13-15 oz.) to a feather edge, over about 3 inches or so, ( always skive both on flesh side) then glue them together so that they make a smooth overlapping joint, and hand stitch slightly over the edges of the joint. It will make a strong flexible joint. Not had any problem with any of them. I also put a three layer knob on the end of the ones I make. Much like the way you anchor the leathers on a saddle horn. The strap goes through the first layer, attaches to the second layer ( rivets) and then the bottom (first layer) the center anchor layer, and the top are glued together and stitched like a saddle horn. Makes a good strong knob on the end for grabbing.

Hope that helps, just remind the lady that the cows stop growing once they are skinned and so there is no 25 ft long pieces to make it with no seams.

Bondo Bob

[Kevin]

Ditto what Bob said... Unless you're feeling very adventurous, in which case you could get a double bend, cut out a circle, and then cut around and around just like a rawhider cutting lace. Then you just stretch it straight. I've never done it, but that's the way old timers did it.

Kevin

[Dwight]

Thanks, guys, . . . I had envisioned doing both things, . . . but with the price of 13-15 oz leather, . . . I kinda thought it best to get an opinion from someone who has "been there, . . . done that".

I really like the idea of doing Kevin's idea, I'm just wondering how many times I'll have to change the blade in my strap cutter before I get done with the thing

Anyway, . . . haven't gotten the call, . . . but I'm ready if she does.

May God bless,

Dwight

[8thsinner]

I would have to agree with the cutting it from a round, at least thats how I would go about it.

The other alternative is to offer a braided version even a 12 strand round hammered flat might do???

[Aart]

Dwight.

Sorry for this late reply. People tend to work these days.

Cut Round in a full hide. as proposed would be my option.

I was always told that stitching does weaken a strap. Now that's a topic: "does stiching weaken a piece of leather"

Twice I had to make full lenght tandem lines that way. (Once for myself (still using them) and after that another pair for a friend)

(Originally, A Tandem has got nothing to do with cycling, but is a horse drawn turn-out where two horses are driven from a two wheel cart. One in front of the other. The front one being almost free and 'kept' in between 'law and leash' .

So, for the front one you really need long straps of leather. And that -If possible- without any stichtes.

Just thought that I should share the following:

If I remember well from school (that was something like 40 years ago) this story really started in Troy - Greece (or Eastern Turkey that is I know)

The Greek god son Ilos (Zeus' I think (not sure)) was given a piece of land that could be covered with a cowhide.

He then cut round and round a very, very long strap and the surface of the troyan township roy was born. (The Troyan 'orse came later)

Best

Aart.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Either way works fine, it is just a matter of how much to charge and what the customer will pay. I have done them both ways and it takes about 3 times as long to do it in the round. If you want to make a profit you can figure how much both ways and present it to the customer. Stitched properly will be just a strong, remember not to stitch across the strap or it will weaken the strap.

Bob