2Nd Rawhide Flop

[roo4u]

rob..

what is your source for the sodium sulfide? and how much do you use per hide. im looking for a better way to use than lime. my first hide ended up ruined like the one in this post. i was going to try to cook it but your way may be easier.

thanks in advance

[rgerbitz]

Tracey,

I cannot remember what the name of the company is without looking, it is a regional company. I just looked in the yellow pages and started calling/emailing every chemical supply company around till I found one close by that carried it. I paid $170 for 55 lbs picked up at the warehouse. I use about a lb or two per hide. It is pretty easy to use but you want to be sure and have plenty of fresh air around or some kind of special breathing gear it can be pretty rank stuff.

Rob

[curlyjo]

If you are determined to make your own rawhide then the easiest way is to take the hide, nail it to a real strong wood wall out of the sun with the flesh out. As it dries, peel and cut the flesh off until it is totally dry. Then take down, lay it over something round and start scraping with a large, sharp rounded Knife. Go with the grain but its going to take awhile to figure direction. If its long hair use clippers to shorten it up. If this is your first time with rawhide and no one to help you I would advise going with Bill Confer at tejas and getting a hide to start with. It will save you a ton of frustration and then you can work with the raw product without the first numerous steps. Ive scraped until I hurt and am glad I found a good source.Brad

[roo4u]

i agree with curly joe and the others...learn to braid first. see if you can do it, you like it etc then learn to make the rawhide. learning to braid can be frustration enough without adding the extra problem of trying to make the stuff. as i said before many braid their whole lives and never touch rawhide or leather...try cords of various sizes.

to anyone who buys from bill at tejas...what are they getting for rawhide?

[curlyjo]

I've gotten the the whole cow hides but a little to much waste with the belly. The perfect string is the 30" diameter hides. I've cut up to 200' of under 1/4 " string and then sized down from there. But it is a little thin for Honda string so I get the split bull and size accordingly. I've bought different size string precut but it seems to be cut dry and carries a circular shape to it. If you are just starting I'd go with the 30" discs as they are really free of blems and a controllable size. But you need to be able to cut small string and not waste to much. Brad

[roo4u]

what is the price difference between getting a hole hide vs buying the discs? i assume your getting them both from the same source.

[acox4t4]

Whow this leather working site rocks. You all are great !!! Everyone gives it their best shot at giving out the best information to help. I've greatly enjoyed this site and the people in it, from what I have read in other posted questions and seen the work that you do, you all love the craft and have a great heart to share it with others. You all seem like a big group of friends rather then strangers that have never met and live miles apart. Thank you every much for your time in answering my questions and giving me the much appriciated advice on how to continue with my learning of this hobby. So far I'm greatly enjoying the braiding shoe strings (my cat is also having fun) although my 2 rawhide attempts have been flops I've enjoyed trying and the little rawhide that I have bought pre-cut from Tandy to mess around with trying to make buttons and braid has diffently brought me new found respect for those of you that can do it. Which at some point I'm sure that I'll be asking how and the heck do ya get a wet noodle type string made into a long woven shape off a wooden stick, hehe and I'm sure that is the easy part of making a button. Thanks again, greatly enjoy you all.

[roo4u]

the best part of braiding is when you see your stuff being used! we used to do alot of dog leashes and because of the way i finish our leads i can tell its one of ours...so i could watch a dog show on tv and recognize our work...even though nobody knew who actually made the leash they were using.

oh wait i also like that just when you think you have it down you can go online and see someone elses work and be inspired to learn another knot or braid. you know what else? even the elite of the braiders are more than happy to share their knowledge with those willing to learn.

[curlyjo]

roo4u, the 30"discs are pricey but top quality rawhide. The whole cowhides give you more string and more options on size string. Call Tejas Industries, Bill Confer, Hereford Tx for current price list. acox4t4, reading your last entry you mentioned using noodle wet string to build projects. If your string is noodle wet, your'e not going to get anything done. You need to learn the proper moisture to work with rawhide. I'd stay with leather or Parachute cord to learn the basics before tackling rawhide unless you have someone right with you. Goodluck and keep trying. Brad

[megabit]

Which at some point I'm sure that I'll be asking how and the heck do ya get a wet noodle type string made into a long woven shape off a wooden stick, hehe and I'm sure that is the easy part of making a button. Thanks again, greatly enjoy you all.

That's easy 1st your rawhide needs to be drier than noodle wet and second you tie it onto where you want it to be in the first place. The wooden sticks are mostly for learning to tie the knots.