blackhammer Report post Posted May 28, 2011 Sorry to drop so many questions on you guys. I have limited access to good hides to rawhide out. Ive got my last one cut up til Im almost out with no immediate prospects for a new one unless some of my neighbors cows die and I'm not exactly prayin for that! On with the question. Ive got enough strands cut from two different colored hides to make my first reata. Its my "get out of the house when the missus nags" project. Say a man wanted to build a 3/8ths, four strand. Im shootin for 60 ft so Im statrtin with 90, maybe 95 foot strands. About what width and thickness would I need to go with to hit the 3/8ths mark? Id like to experiment, but like I said, materials are in short supply. Also, should I use glycerin or some other type of braiding soap or none at all. Again, thanks in advance. You guys are my only source of info other than my books and limited experience. thanks in advance. By the way, Ive been braiding for about five years off and on, mostly whips in leather and chute cord. They use\ed to DRMO thousands of feet of the stuff when I was in the military! If you see a\an all od green bullwhip thats still stiff as a rod floating around, then its likely that I had a hand in the making. Thanks in advance. P.S. My father is a Southern Baptist preacher, which should explain the long winded, rabbit chasin question. Oh, and I was typing at the top of my voice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Bell Report post Posted May 28, 2011 Hey Blackhammer, Say a man wanted to build a 3/8th" reata, and say that man wanted it 60-65' long. I'd say that man better be pretty strong OR have a lot of stamina! A 3/8" reata is pretty hefty to be swinging especially if you've never done any big loop ropin' Also, there is going to be considerable breaking in time with a 3/8th" reata if it is braided right and tight! I'm just supposin these things because I notice your from Kentucky and you father is a S.B. Preacher, so puttin all this together and bein's how I knows my goesintas i'm surmising you aint swung a 3/8th reata. If I'm wrong forgive me! I'd suggest using 6/32 X 3/32 to make a 5/16 reata. especially for the first one. I'd also suggest investing in 'Four Strands of Rawhide' by Bill Dorrance w/Randy Reiman, The video Bible on reata braiding! At any rate try your durnedest to braid it all in one setting. It will be more consistent! Vaya con Dios, Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curlyjo Report post Posted May 29, 2011 I'm with Alan here. 3/32x6/32 will get you a 5/16ths reata. 120' of string x 4 will get an 86' Reata. 3/8ths is to big to pack even 60' long unless your hands are huge and your arms look like Arnold S. from California. Also, I'm pretty sure Bill Dorrance had a long string at the base of his hondas to pull to get it off, not the tag on the burner. I learned from him as a teen and we practised roping all sizes of cattle and I spent a lot of time on the ground learning how to get cattle down and place ropes on both ends. And if a reata hung on one hind foot, he could dally up, we'd grab that long string, and he'd give slack and we'd pull and it would drop off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted May 29, 2011 (edited) Thanks fellas. Very perceptive Mr. Bell. I dont have any experience with reatas, just want to try my hand at one. I was basing the 3/8ths measurements off of synthetic ropes. Curlyjo, thanks to you as well. I appreciate the information. That's why I love this place. Edited May 29, 2011 by blackhammer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
