My Newest Work

[acox4t4]

Howdy all. I thought that I would show ya two of my latest to see if anyone is seeing any improvement or not. The multi-colored one I cut the roo lace myself. I tried to take advise giving from the hobbles that I braided and when cutting this lace tried real hard to get it the same size by cutting it all at once rather then as I needed it. The natural color one was Tandy roo. Remember I appriciate honesty so if ya see faults please don't be shy about telling me about them. I don't want to teach myself the wrong way thinking it was right, I would rather hear the negative and learn from it.

I gave away the hobbles that I had made out of roo to a cowboy today. I'm hoping that they will be used and he will give me feedback to how they hold up. I took them into a horse tack shop today and he told me that they were to big, so I showed him how they can adjust to fit the horses legs. Then he told me that when adjusted that they would be to far apart. So I took them to a cowboy that does alot of riding checking cows and uses hobbles alot and gave them to him. When he looked at them he couldn't believe that the tack shop owner would say they wouldn't work, that he thought they were great. He didn't want to take them knowing how much work I put into them ect but I told him that they were not for sale that I realized that they were not purfect and I wouldn't sell something that I'm not proud of but they were usable and told him that if he would use them it would be a great help to me to hear how they do. He finally agreed to take them. I've rounded up cattle with him and he rides a nice filly that I would like to have so my goal is to get good at making horse tack, then make him a matched gear outfit and hopefully talk him out of his filly. So here is my latest work for you all to give me advise on please. Thanks Annette

[8thsinner]

Hi acox.

I'll chime in here

I like the colours you used, and the round braids seem pretty straightly braided, But I do see some faults that are easy ish to over come

First most obvious one, is either split your leather so it's thinner or bevel it so it sits beside itself nicer. Either or both will greatly improve your work.

You can get a fairly reliable splitter made by youtubing, board leather splitter. Very minimal tools, or search this place and you will find lots of versions that work.

Your widths seem good, but the spanish rings on one seems to waver a little.

Second major issue I see is the turks head on the first pic, you should have done another pass. And hammer it a little more, it seems slightly larger on one side.

I like most especially the simplicity of the tan one, turks seem good here but there is a little bit sticking out of the right one that can be trimmed off.

Hope that helps.

[roo4u]

i agree with 8thsinner....lace needs to be beveled. also that turkshead needed another pass. also the tension on the ring knot to get it looking smooth. the lace cutting just takes practice. did you split that lace to even it out? if you dont have a splitter there are plans on here to make yourself a decent little splitter out of oak. youve done woodworking before so you shouldnt have any trouble building it. i just posted the link in another post

i think you have made real progress so far so keep working

[roo4u]

here is the link for the splitter.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=787&st=0&p=28154&hl="splitter"&fromsearch=1entry28154

[KnotHead]

Hi Annette.

I will agree also with the others. But will add that you progress has greatly improved. Please keep braiding and practicing. As with any art it all takes time and much practice and with that time comes a keen eye to your own art. You'll start to develop better skills and habits to your own style. Stay on the road and be steady with practice and even you will see the differences between you starting work and the work that you progress into.

B...

[acox4t4]

Thanks all for your helpfull advice. HEHE I've only done the 6 bright 7 part knot so you all telling me to go another pass will teach me something new. Have watched the DVD of Marlinspike's Knot Works about 20 times to learn it. . Nope I don't have a splitter yet, I've been wanting one and have tried twice to make one but I didn't have any building plans to follow was just trying to look at what was out there on the internet and tried to build something like it. Both times my blade wouldn't hold, and one time when I would pull the lace through the blade would grab ahold of the lace and just cut it in half rather then shave alittle off. So thank you Roo for looking up the link to the splitter posted, and directions on how to make it. GREATLY APPRICIATED. !!! I'm game for giving making that one a try. I was scared to bevel the lace that I cut that the bi-colored braclet is made since its alittle under 1/8 inch. Can you still bevel lace that small?? I can see what you all are talking about with needing to bevel or do something different, I could see little backside frizzey's instead of it looking clean. To hopefully get better at cutting lace I've been watching off Knot Heads web site the video's on how to cut roo lace. I think I have been trying to go way to fast and not cutting the lace wide enough with the first cut so then when I stretch it and take it to my table cutter its already pretty narrow and I can't take very much off the sides which then makes it end up uneven. Plus I was cutting it as needed rather then cutting the whole thing at the same time (more good advice I got). This last time, Which I'm crying I cut up the last of my first two roo hides. I tried to take more time with the first cut, and alittle more wide so that when I went to the table cutter I could cut alittle off each side and that seemed to make it look more uniform. Well thanks again for the help. I'm glad that you pointed out the flaws to me.

[entiendo]

I think you need to roll your plaiting more. Do you wash your piece? Do you use saddle soap to grease the strings? If you washed and then rolled the plaiting between 2 boards really well you could hide that the string isn't split or beveled a little

I'd also shape the terminal knot (the knot under your herringbone) before you do the herringbone knot, then roll and shape the herringbone, that will give your piece a smoother look and a more rounded end button.

[roo4u]

hey i made one of those little splitters and its ugly but it works and thats what matters. and yes you can bevel any size lace. with rawhide you absolutely have to bevel, i practiced on the roo first so it would be easier on the rawhide now that ive started playing with it.

i used to cut all my roo with a lace maker all the same size cuz all i ever did with it was leashes. now i am cutting it differently. check out this video http://www.youtube.com/user/bernie46#p/a/u/0/aDSxaaUyXzY

it shows the right way to cut a roo and from there you can cut the size laces you need. also take a look at bernies other videos as there is really good information there from a top aussie braider. when i cut up my goat rawhides i did it like bernie shows and it is working out really well.