Braiding Lace-- Why Does It Look Wrong?

[FrostFell]

Hey I bought some 1/8" suede lace, and attempted to do some 4 and 6 part round braids, rather like this and what I got was something very clunky and ragged, and you can see the paracord through the gaps. It doesnt form a smooth tube, i suppose is what Im trying to say.

What am I doing wrong, or am i simply using lace that is too "fat"? And if so, where can I get leather lace that LOOKS like what is used in that tutorial, it appears wider than 1/8" and looks much much thinner as well. Any help is appreciated!

[KnotHead]

That lace is Kangaroo and is cut, beveled and split in order to achieve that smooth round look as you are describing. There are plenty on here that sell hand cut lace. I am one of many on here that prepare lace and sell it. I have my own store here, Leather Lace

Brian...

[FrostFell]

That lace is Kangaroo and is cut, beveled and split in order to achieve that smooth round look as you are describing. There are plenty on here that sell hand cut lace. I am one of many on here that prepare lace and sell it. I have my own store here, Leather Lace

Brian...

Thanks for the quick reply Brian. Does Kangaroo lace ever come in other colors than black and brown? Like white, blue, red, pink, green, etc etc? I really was excited about doing colorful and pretty stuff for the pet/show crowd, and for myself because Im a little bit of a colorwhore

[KnotHead]

Yes. The skins can come in Red, Pink, Green and White, Blue and some other colors as well.

B...

[FrostFell]

Do you know where I can get those, in lace form I mean? Iv looked all over google, ebay, and amazon, as well listed local sellers from this site, and havent seen any kangaroo lace in other than brown, light brown,a nd black. Thanks in advance!

[rcsaddles]

Try www.y-knotlace.com Barb has many colors and sizes of roo lace. Only thing I don't like about it is that t is not beveled. If you pull tight and rool your round braiding when done, it does not make a big difference in my opinion.

Not trying to take business from Brian. I'm confident his lace is top notch.

Brian, if you are looking for other colors of roo hides, pm me and I will give you a name to contact here in the States.

Edited September 13, 2011 by rcsaddles

[FrostFell]

Oh my goodness. No offense, but is all kangaroo leather so expensive? Im scared O_O

Also, what is everyones vague guess as to the WIDTH of the leather in the tutorial I was using? 5mm? 10mm? Thanks!

[KnotHead]

Okay. I'll do that.

B...

Try www.y-knotlace.com Barb has many colors and sizes of roo lace. Only thing I don't like about it is that t is not beveled. If you pull tight and rool your round braiding when done, it does not make a big difference in my opinion.

Not trying to take business from Brian. I'm confident his lace is top notch.

Brian, if you are looking for other colors of roo hides, pm me and I will give you a name to contact here in the States.

Oh my goodness. No offense, but is all kangaroo leather so expensive? Im scared O_O

Also, what is everyones vague guess as to the WIDTH of the leather in the tutorial I was using? 5mm? 10mm? Thanks!

Yes it is and in some cases as in mine, I charge more simply because I take the time to pre-do all the work for you. I cut it, stretch it, bevel it, and split it. This way when you get it the lace from me, it's ready to be used.

B...

[roo4u]

i would not use suede lace for leashes if you are only doing 4 strand....because it is made from split hides is is not all that strong....i did a few when i first started making leashes for dog shows and i didnt like the strength or the texture of the leads...show leads must be strong.....you cant really split it down or bevel it or you lose what little strength it has...

kangaroo is a bit pricey now....when i started it was 5.25/sq ft in full skins and now its over 12.00....but it is well worth the cost....if it was me i would spend the cash on hand cut lace....the machine cut stuff still has to be stretched and beveled and sometimes split...plus it has to be conditioned during braiding or it will not braid tight on smaller braids like 4 strand leads. of course you could learn to cut it yourself...

[FrostFell]

OOOOOH I see. Yeah that makes sense, thanks everyone!

[entiendo]

I mean no offense but that's not the best tutorial. The core wasn't wrapped around the ring, so why bother using a core at all. There is a big weak spot where the leash connects to the ring. A big dog could just pop those 2 strings with ease. That lace is also really thick and her final result isn't really that smooth.

FYI, 4 and 6 strands can both be braided without a core. Try it that way first so you can get the hang of it.

Use saddle soap or something similar to make your string slick so it will slide well so you can braid it really tight.

Wash your leash after you are done and let it dry for about 45 minutes. When it's almost dry, roll it between two pieces of wood, that will smooth it out a lot. Cowhide won't be quite as smooth as kangaroo but it's a start.

I think there are instructions on leatherworker some where on how to do a turnback or a splice, because all four strands should be in the ring, not just two. The same turnback can be done on the handle as well.

[TwinOaks]

Entiendo, take another look at the tutorial and read the first paragraph, and the instructions and the caption at the top of the first pic.

The pics were taken with that lace so that the reader could easily distinguish the laces and where they went, and she writes that beveled lace yields a more professional look. It also specifies that the leash would only be suitable for a small to medium dog.

Ease up a bit, it's a basic tutorial, and we appreciate Myriam taking the time to make and post the tutorial.

[entiendo]

I don't know who she is and I'm sure she put a lot of work into the tutorial, but my comments were honest criticisms and not meant to hurt anyone's feelings, and I stand by them. It does not matter to me what size dog the leash is for, all 4 strands should wrap around the ring. And since your weakest point is at the ring that is held by 2 strands of leather, a core is moot, except if you want the leash to have a larger diameter. It will be easier for a beginning braider to work 4 strands without having to worry about a core. And while the rest is nice basic instructions, I gave further advice on how she may be able to make a leash even a bit better.

When it's all said and done this is my opinion, it doesn't have to be yours or the person that did the tutorials.

[Bevan]

Do you know where I can get those, in lace form I mean? Iv looked all over google, ebay, and amazon, as well listed local sellers from this site, and havent seen any kangaroo lace in other than brown, light brown,a nd black. Thanks in advance!

I am an aussie and will be going spot lighting tomorrow night ,, so tell me what colours you want and i will see if i can get them for you !!!

cheers

Bevan

[Jock54]

Thanks for the quick reply Brian. Does Kangaroo lace ever come in other colors than black and brown? Like white, blue, red, pink, green, etc etc? I really was excited about doing colorful and pretty stuff for the pet/show crowd, and for myself because Im a little bit of a colorwhore

Hello Frostfell, jock54 here from Australia, i have the colour charts right here with me for kangaroo lace, there are 15 colours to choose from. If you wish i can give you an address and website here in Queensland where i live, for the company that processes kangaroo hides. Packer Leather is the name, 101 Boundary Road Narangba 4504, Queensland, Australia. www.packerleather.com , phone 07 32031323. Contact them, and ask for the best quality kangaroo hides or lace, which ever you prefer. Kind Regards, jock54.