entiendo Report post Posted August 4, 2008 OOps...Broke a string while braiding an 8 plait dog leash. I've never had that happen before, what do I do?? Help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted August 4, 2008 dont ya hate when that happens.... ok heres what you do....get a bottle of elmers glue... skive the top of one end and the bottom of the other...taper the ends to very thin especially the top one you want it to not be visible...they need to overlap for enough distance that the splice will be under a couple of passes...this insures that it will be protected...try to have the end of the splice fall at a point that it will be under the braid. i use a hand held skiver that i got at tandy uses the same razor blades as my lace cutter...you can do it also with a very sharp knife or an exacto knife...just be careful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Yes, I hate when that happens....Grrrrr... Glue, huh. I don't have anything to skive it, but that makes sense. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ptanks56 Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Tandy LC "Safety Skiver" easy accurate and cheap about $6.00. Super Skiver is terrible and twice the price. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 4, 2008 (edited) Well......I talked to my mentor and she said that Gail (master braider) suggests to pull that string out and add another. That's not good news because this was a small hide and I don't have anymore string long enough to do that. She said I could skive it but I should add a button or it will sometimes roll over on itself with use. OK then, so I'm going to skive it AND add a button and hope I can make it look right. I've never skived a thing in my life and this roo hide is .8, so I guess I better get good quick. I have a list of things I need to get from Tandy, I'll add the skiver, thanks. Edited August 4, 2008 by entiendo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Bell Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Entiendo, your reputation will be resting on that splice. I have a box full of buttons and pieces that did not turn out like I would have liked. I've gone through a lot of string but that is what it takes. ALL of the top braiders I know of have thrown away pieces too and some actually keep their mistakes to show to aspiring braided to show them what it takes to do good work. Since I make my own rawhide it is like throwing out several days work from the making of the hide to the making of the string but I want to try and produce the best I am capable of at the time. If I were braiding something and a string broke I would either start over or throw it away. If I miss a braid I start over. If the button is wrong I cut it off and start over. This happens a lot but it is the braiders tuition! That is how you get better and that is what it takes to produce top quality gear. I may splice it and keep itfor myself but I would never splice it and sell it! You can do what ever you want but that is what I would recommend. Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell So feel this drum beat as it plays within playin a rythm fightin against the sistem Bob Marley - One Drop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted August 4, 2008 well of course you would not want a broken string in a very high quality piece such as gail makes...if i could get 1500 for a hackamore i wouldnt splice either. im not sure what your mentor means by roll over...ive never had a splice come loose, but im careful to bury the part when the top strand ends under a braid. i suggest you get the feel of the skiver on a few pieces of scrap before tackling the actual pieces that way you wont end up butchering your working strings. heres a tip...after you apply the glue and put the strands together clamp them a bit while the glue starts to set i use a hemostat the added pressure really helps the pieces bond tight especially make sure you get the end of the top strand so that it wont come loose on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 4, 2008 (edited) That's what my mentor said Alan, she wouldn't send out a piece that's been skived either, but she'd keep it herself for her own use. Her suggestion was to pull out the piece while adding a new one, she said it doesn't really take that long and the piece would be good as new. But I just don't have the leather to do that. You just made up my mind though, it can be a 4 foot leash rather than a 6 foot and not have any mistakes in it. I just wish I had more of that hide because this was my very first commissioned piece and she doesn't want a 4 food lead. I'll double check to make sure I don't have one more string that long.Roo4U...From what I remember, she said that she used a spliced leash for a utility leash. It got wet, stretched, dragged and used. The splice didn't hold and it turned and showed the core underneath. Roo, you sound like you're confident in the work that you do, I'm just afraid it won't hold up.... Edited August 4, 2008 by entiendo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted August 4, 2008 i was just offering the how to to fix the strand...whether you do that or pull the strand or chuck it and start over is all up to you...i have never had one come apart but when i first started doing splices it was as repairs for leashes that people had damaged or let their dogs chew and had sections that had to be replaced...always we warned them it may not hold...but it always did and it was certainly cheaper for me to fix it than for them to have to buy a new leash. even had to replace a few snaps that broke from other braiders using really poor quality hardware. i have a ton of scrap pieces not long enough for anything im thinking of making myself a patchwork leashe by splicing together a bunch of pieces in all different colors. good luck with whichever route youtake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Thanks Tracy, just as I suspected you are a master at piecing things together. If I was more confident or it was my own leash I would do it your way for sure. And I'm still actually tempted to, it would be so much easier...But if it didn't hold...that wouldn't be good at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Good news....I found a string long enough. I can't believe I found one. It's taking forever to replace the old string though, but it seems that string had a few other imperfections in it, so it all worked out.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
superchute Report post Posted August 5, 2008 splice it with masters glue and would be like splicing the lace on a billfold if you mike a nice long splice the braid will grip it and it will be good Russ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entiendo Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Well I decided not to splice it but to back out the broken string. It took FOREVER to do that. At least 3 hours. I would have been better off undoing the braid and then doing it again, but it's done. Thanks for everyone's help. I'll post pictures when it's done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
