First Project

[Greg Tidwell]

Well, not exactly my first. I am new to braiding, and new to leatherwork as well, but since taking my first class here in Sacramento I have done a few leashes, et al. But I am wearing this bracelet around and am very happy with it. I did not bevel or cut down the thongs to a common width; I have not bought or invented a gizmo to do that yet.

This is made with some Y-Knot 2.5mm kangaroo lace. I got the latch at Hobby Lobby or a place like that. The leather smells wonderful! I am sitting here at my desk sniffing my wrist.

I am perfectly happy hearing any comments or advice you guys feel like making. I have a long, long way to go here, and would appreciate any comments.

[rcsaddles]

Looks very nice. As a suggestion, hold on to both ends and rub the flat part back and forth over the corner of your desk if the corner is a little rounded. That will make the lace lay against itself better and make it smoother. When you braid your next one, if you have any saddle soap or leather conditioner that will work for paliting saop, use it and you will get a nicer pull on the strands.

We all started somewhere and it looks like you are off to a very good start. Keep asking the questions.

[Greg Tidwell]

Thank you, Joe. I made some "braiding soap" from a recipie I got off the internet. Water, Dove soap and lard. I did put it on for this one.

When I braid round I pull on the thong before I put it into the braid, then lay it in without any tension. that seems to make the braid lay straight.

I have not done many flat braids. Last night when I was working on this one, I braided the thong through, then pulled it tight. It just felt right to do that. Was that the right thing to do? I was trying to pull the matrix tight.

Thanks!

[KnotHead]

Here's how I solve the issue of the un-even sides or the bights of the braid.

I use a cut piece of scientific grid paper. I use the grid squares to help or aide my eye balls in seeing how straight and even the outside bights are or are not. I will run about an inch of braid at a time and then check it against the grid paper. This is how I developed a more even handed braid with flat braids.

Brian...

[rcsaddles]

What I have read in a book, what works for me, and what I tell any and all of my students is, "braid loose, pull tight". That works on both flat and round.

Many people tend to pull harder with the strong hand than with the weak hand. I tend to be the opposite if I think about pulling when I braid. I know that sounds funny. I had braided about 40 feet on a reata and my rawhide instructor looked at it and asked, "How do you braid so even?" I asked her what she ment and when she explained about the lines being straight i noticed it. Since then, if I think about pulling even, I always pull harder with my weak hand. Yes, I am kind of odd.

My point is, practice, ask questions, listen to advice and take all you see, hear and learn and use the best that works for you and throw out the stuff that doesn't work.

[Greg Tidwell]

Thank you for the comments, all!

[bucksnort]

Greg, I'm with Joe, braid loose then pull tight. That way you watch your braid as it pulls tight up above & watch your tension & straightness as you go. It looks nice & some of the places that look a little off appear to me to be because your lace isn't really consistent. If you get set up to cut & split your own lace (or even up your boughten lace that will improve. Overall a nice job, keep it up. Buck

[megabit]

Braid loose pull tight sounds backwards to me. I've always pulled tight the next string to plait and then plait loose. If you plait loose and then pull tight nothing is holding the string in place. Where as doing it the other way 3, 5, 7... strands are holding it in place before you pull it tight.

I think we are most likely actually trying to say the same thing?

Mike

[bucksnort]

What, huh, now I'm all confused. Truly Mike I think we're saying the same thing. You only tighten the string your bringing into the braid & watch it up higher in the braid to keep your tension equal from side to side as opposed to trying to keep every thing tight all the time. Ah shoot, I think I confused myself again. Gonna go braid something & test out the theories Buck

[Rawhidelady]

I usually take my pounding stick (hammer handle without the head) and pound the braid flat. Or I sandwich the braid between two pieces of smooth wooden boards and use a vise to press it, or just step on the boards to press if you don't have a vise handy.