Amanda Powell Report post Posted May 14, 2011 Hey guys, I apologize if this topic has already come up....I swear I came across something about this earlier, but I can't seem to find it...Bear with me. Just got some rawhide lace from Colorado Leather Goods (I'll let you know what I think of it when I get a chance to work with it!!). The lace is cut and split, but not beveled. Which leads me to my question: When beveling rawhide lace, do you want it to be dry, wet, or somewhere in between? I've managed to find all sorts of advice on how much to bevel off, do the flesh side first, etc, but as I said, I couldn't find anything about water content, even though I could have sworn I've run into it before on this forum. Thanks for any advice!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawhide1 Report post Posted May 14, 2011 Ya want it cased. Just like you when ya braid with it. If it's to dry it wont cut worth a damn. And if it's to wet it wont cut and will also stretch making it useless. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amanda Powell Report post Posted May 14, 2011 Awesome, Mike, that's just what I was looking for!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Bell Report post Posted May 16, 2011 Amanda, generally speaking, for rawhide you bevel the grain side ONLY, leather the flesh side ONLY. Vaya con Dios, Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bran7347 Report post Posted May 16, 2011 Amanda, I think it's all up to preference. I bevel all four corners of any rawhide I use. I don't believe it is a must, but i like it that way. Learning when your rawhide has the proper moisture in it was the hardest thing for me to grasp. Brandon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Bell Report post Posted May 17, 2011 Yes and no to it all being a matter of preference. Some don't bevel at all, some grain, some flesh and grain on rawhide. There are several reasons to do it either way. Rawhide is always drying and dying from the time it leaves the critter till the time it returns to dust. The strength of each strand is in the grain side. So some don't bevel at all. The problem is that as rawhide dries the edges may curl and become sharp. So some bevel the top. This also helps the strands lay flatter as they weave in and out. As one string goes over the next it has a slope to go up and down and the outer surface of the brainwork stays smoother! But each strand is a little weaker from losing the edge on the grain side. Some feel if it lays smoother with top edge beveled the better still with bottom beveled too! But again you've weakened each strand that much more. And it takes twice as long now. If you only beveled the flesh side to maintain the strength of the grain side it still may curl and become rough so we end up beveling rawhide on the grain side only. Now you know the reason for each different way of doing it so you can decide how you want to do it and explain your choice to those that come after asking you what to do! Hope I don't sound rude answering this Brandon not my intention! Vaya con Dios, Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amanda Powell Report post Posted May 17, 2011 Yes and no to it all being a matter of preference. Some don't bevel at all, some grain, some flesh and grain on rawhide. There are several reasons to do it either way. Rawhide is always drying and dying from the time it leaves the critter till the time it returns to dust. The strength of each strand is in the grain side. So some don't bevel at all. The problem is that as rawhide dries the edges may curl and become sharp. So some bevel the top. This also helps the strands lay flatter as they weave in and out. As one string goes over the next it has a slope to go up and down and the outer surface of the brainwork stays smoother! But each strand is a little weaker from losing the edge on the grain side. Some feel if it lays smoother with top edge beveled the better still with bottom beveled too! But again you've weakened each strand that much more. And it takes twice as long now. If you only beveled the flesh side to maintain the strength of the grain side it still may curl and become rough so we end up beveling rawhide on the grain side only. Now you know the reason for each different way of doing it so you can decide how you want to do it and explain your choice to those that come after asking you what to do! Hope I don't sound rude answering this Brandon not my intention! Vaya con Dios, Alan Thanks for explaining the reasons to do it each way!! It's much more helpful for me to learn things when someone explains the reasons I'm supposed to do something, instead of just saying to do it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
