Please Help

[cody harrington]

Hello everyone,

So this is my problem. I want to start braiding rawhide really bad and have wanted to ever since i spent last summer working on a ranch in nevada. I have one of grants books and his rawhide encycolopedia on the way. I'm just having a hard time deciding what to buy first. I am thinking of buy a lace master vaquero package, seems to be the most affordable but still not cheap. does anyone have an opinion on those? Any begining advise on buying and starting out pointers would be very much appriciated. I have sat on my hands long enough and have worked up my courage to go ahead and get started. Thanks!

[curlyjo]

Buy yourself some Parachute cord and practise braiding and buttons on a piece of broomstick handle. Then work with leather and figure out how to cut and split string and use that to make Anything that you are interested in. Leather is forgiving and you can stop and pick it up and don't have to worry about moisture or anything. Then work on Rawhide. I do both but it is much easier to work with leather buttons on rawhide braiding as the time frame is a lot easier. And Kangaroo, drumstuffed with color, is the best and easiest hides to cut and also the strongest. Tools are pretty basic and there are a lot of people on here that can help out. I hope this is helpful. Brad

[Aggiebraider]

I second everything Brad said. Just out of curiosity, what its the vaquero package? I've seen the lace master and met the guy who makes them and they are really nice, but there are a couple things I like about my jeuske a little more. although I will say I dont recommend the jeuske for cutting rawhide which is why I started to make my own, just haven't had time to finish it.