How To Make My Own Leather Cord

[vwdoyle]

Hello!

I was hoping someone could share with me how to make my own leather cord. I have heard of people doing it but can't seem to find out anywhere how. I was thinking that it may be the same process as sewing rounds from Al Stohlman's book but the end result doesn't seem to be the same.

Any help would be great.

Thank you!

[vwdoyle]

Is there a leather fairy that makes this stuff?

[shtoink]

I'm surprised that no one else has answered this...

I'm not sure if it's the only way, but I do know of one tool that is meant for just that type of thing. It's called a rein-rounder. It's effectively a piece of metal, or some other hard material, that has a series of increasingly smaller holes in a line in it. They typically have two halves that are bisected along the series of holes so that material can be placed in it that is not round that you desire to be so. You work your strip of leather back and forth through the holes until the desired size is reached.

I'm certain that I am leaving out a few important details, but the link above can at least show you what they look like and you might be able to find out some more details on how they work. The only other option I can think of is to make your own lace and then run one of those curved edge trimming tools that I can remember the name of before coffee has kicked in. That method doesn't compress the leather and may leave it weaker than you want, so there's that.

Hopefully this points you in the right direction. I know that rein rounders can be expensive to purchase so if your are handy with tools, you might be able to experiment in the garage/shop with your drill press and some hardwood to see if it'll do you want until you decide to purchase one. Considering you are in here asking stuff, DIY doesn't seem like that far fetched of an assumption.

[oltoot]

Shtoink gave some valuable tips for finishing it, but how do you start? Here's one way:

First decide what size you want it to be. If 1/2 then find a piece of leather. Best for this is a strip from the back of a side of strap or skirting. If you have some real dry tanned harness, that can work, too. By cutting carefully, you should end up with a piece that is about 1/16 bigger than the cord you are targeting and square. Then case it and come back to it when it is almost dry. Next edge all four sides with what you have. Depending on the tools you have, you will end up with a piece that is almost round allready or one that has X number of flat sides with sharp angles of interception. or somewhere inbetween. This is the piece that you start attacking as Shtoink has described.

[vwdoyle]

Thank you both very much for your help.

[shtoink]

Thank you oltoot, I knew that there were some details missing...

[TXAG]

How does it stay round like that after putting it through the rein rounder? It doesn't appear to be sewn together at the seam or anything like that...

[oltoot]

You see well. It (cord) is not sewn anywhere. The edges are actually forcefully rubbed into the surrounding part of the cord to be and become part of another part

[TXAG]

Hmmmm.....I guess I need to see a video of someone doing this with a rein rounder...I can't figure how it would just sort of "become one" with itself that way...

[Bob Blea]

It sounds like your using the rein rounder like a burnisher, like you are burnishing an edge. That makes sense, but I have a question: If you edge the strap on all four corners, don't you end up taking most of the grain surface off the leather? Seems like that would leave the cord kind of weak?

[bruce johnson]

That less than 1/32 of an inch of grain leather provides little strength relative overall to the rest of the thickness of the belting cord. That is kind of the misunderstood parts of leather strength. Yes, the grain section has more strength compared to the same thickness of the flesh leather. Overall the flesh leather adds more strength the thicker it gets. It is true that a folded and sewn round should have more tensile strength than a single ply thicker round, but the cost of producing a round is more then stripping out belting. Single ply belting works well for the intended purpose.

Another thing is to have the leather damp wen you pull it through the rounder. You want it to be about the moisture content for edge burnishing. Some people use plain water. The old guy who taught me used water with a little soap in it.

[TXAG]

I still don't understand how it keeps it shape and/or bonds to itself after using the rein rounder...I mean is it magic? Voodoo?? What??

Edited January 23, 2014 by TXAG

[bruce johnson]

Once you edge all four edges you are giving it a somewhat rounded profile, especially if you are using an edger that leaves a rounded cut - like a Gomph round bottom edger or equivalent. You start in a larger hole and pull it through a few passes. Then step down a size and repeat until the leather is compressed and round. The deeper moisture is critical to allow the leather to compress and hold that profile.

[Northmount]

Wet forming is the answer you are looking for TXAG.

Tom

[TXAG]

Won't there still be a gap there? Because it sure doesn't look like there's one in the pic in the first post...

And if there is not a gap, wouldn't there be a ridge where the leather goes over top of the other edge?

Oh well...maybe one day I'll have a rein rounder and try it then...

Edited January 24, 2014 by TXAG

[bruce johnson]

If that is machine belting, it is probably one layer of leather - no folds or gaps to fill in. Just one ply of thick leather that is heavily edged and worked through a rounder. Heavier belting might be folded and stitched in channels top and bottom. Then the excess is trimmed the two cut edges are edge beveled heavily and rounded up. Even heavier round are made of two pieces, The outside is folded around a flat piece, sewn through in channels then trimmed and edged like the folded one piece before it is rounded up

[bruce johnson]

Here is a quick sketch of what I was trying to explain regarding the different rounds.

[shtoink]

I still don't understand how it keeps it shape and/or bonds to itself after using the rein rounder...I mean is it magic? Voodoo?? What??

It stays round for the same reasons that a tooled piece of leather doesn't spontaneously pop back to a smooth surface. Once the leather is cased properly, it behaves a lot like clay. Instead of being forced into various shapes with different tooling, it's forced into a round shape and when it dries, it stays that way as long as no other large forces are involved.

[Bob Blea]

Thanks all! I've learned something today.

Bob

[contactfrancine]

Hi.  I want to try this... is anyone from this original conversation still active? Best rein-rounder suggestions?

thanks all.

[contactfrancine]

Hi.  I want to try this... is anyone from this original conversation still active? I'm looking for one that has 2mm - smaller than 1/8" slot.

thanks all.

[jimi]

4 hours ago, contactfrancine said:

Hi.  I want to try this... is anyone from this original conversation still active? I'm looking for one that has 2mm - smaller than 1/8" slot.

Maybe you could try finding or making one of these. they were made for making shoe laces.

[immiketoo]

Another way that many people use is to cut square strips and then bevel the edges at 45 degrees.  Moisten the strip and roll them on  a flat surface with a smooth plank of wood or other  smooth rigid item.  Apply pressure as you roll back and forth and this will eventually make a round, although its more time consuming than using a rounder.

[contactfrancine]

On 3/16/2019 at 4:03 AM, jimi said:

Do you know what this tool is called?

 

Edited March 21, 2019 by contactfrancine

[jimi]

I think in French it is called Coupes-lacets.