megabit Report post Posted February 2, 2011 My next big project is to make a reata. Anything special I should keep in mind when I cut up the hide? I figure I need to end up with 4 1/4" strings 100' or longer. I generally cut a disk and cut that with a draw gauge to about 1/2" for the first pass. Should I go a bit closer to 1/4" on the first pass to try to get more length? Should I make it closer to 3/4 and try to get two strings out of the rough cut? Also I recall seeing pictures of reatas being braided where they were running threw a rounder and then perhaps on a take up wheel. Does anyone do it that way? What do you use for a take up wheel or do you just sort of coil it up as you pull it threw the rounder? Thanks, Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted February 2, 2011 Even though I havent made one, I did get 4 Strands of Rawhide for christmas and have watched it about 100 times since. I have also seen a few people braiding them on tv. On the dvd, Randy cut the string larger than 1/4" and depending on where he cut it (belly vs back) he would make it a little wider at the stretchy parts. For the areas that are fairly firm like the back, I would cut it at probably 3/8" and along the belly maybe 1/2". That way when you stretch it, you still have some to bevel. You may want to do a few practice pieces a few feet long to see how much stretch you are able to take out and how much smaller the strings get. As far as cutting a wider strip to try and get two, I wouldnt do that. The wider the initial cut on the string is, the harder it is to get the stretch out of the outside edge of the string (and the curvature from cutting it off a circle) to get it into a straight piece. I dont think I would use a rounder until after the whole riata was finished because if your riata is say 1/8" in diameter, you would need to use the hole size thats slightly smaller so that it holds the riata tight enough for you to actually pull hard at each plait. This would cause your braid to be compressed at every point the rounder held the riata more so than the other areas. I would use a vice with canvas or leather on each face to protect the strands, but a wider face thats holding the riata will be better because it spreads out the force over a larger surface area. Randy also said that if you break a strand and have to splice a section in, you shouldnt pull it through a rounder (or at least stop before you get to the splice) because the splice will be slightly larger than the other areas. What you could do is get a good clean 5 gallon bucket and put the finished section in there and as you braid and move it through the vice, just coil it into the bucket. Hope this helps, CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curlyjo Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Another way of braiding a long reata is to split your tamales in half and start braiding in the middle and you don't have such big bundle of strings to deal with. That way you can mellow out half the strings and start to braid and when you finish one side just prep the other bundles and go the other way. I know one fellow that starts multiple string Hackamores in the middle so he doesn't have to deal with large bundles of string. He just figures it all gets covered up with a nose button anyway. Brad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Thanks curlyjo, I've done that for reins and bosals, hadn't thought of it for a reata. Here is one of the pics I was talking about from Nate Wald's facebook page: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Hmm not sure whats around the riata between the actual rawhide and the rein rounder. It looks like something to protect it from the rounder it self. Not sure, maybe we should just wait to ask Nate next weekend lol Not sure where he got that rounder either, Ive never seen one like that but could sure use one CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted February 3, 2011 ive never braided a reata....but one thing i remember reading in an interview with mike beaver...he said if you break a string when braiding a reata then you end up with a shorter reata cuz he would not splice a string. what do you think he has lined that rounder hole with? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Thats interesting. Ive heard and understand both sides of it, but if Bill Dorrance felt comfortable splicing strings in with all the riatas he made, I would think it would be just fine. Now if you broke more than one, not sure how well that would hold up. It almost looks like a plastic washer or something I cant hardly see it CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted February 3, 2011 yeah...i splice when i braid...never had a problem... thats what i thought...some sort of nylon liner Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curlyjo Report post Posted February 3, 2011 I'm just guessing but I think that piece in the rounder is maybe a piece of leather to protect his reata while he's braiding. My guess is he clamps it down, braids a little, and then shortens it up and clamps it again. That way it keeps it snug but not strung out to far. Brad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted February 8, 2011 The white part around the reata as it goes through the rounder is soft mule hide. He uses the rounder to hold the reata as he braids and un-clamps it and moves it on as needed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted February 8, 2011 oh ok thanks for the info megabit. its always interesting to see how other braiders are doing stuff like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
