Windrider30 Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Ok so just learned how to do this thanks to someone here on the forums with a great video (sorry having a really bad memory day today so again sorry to who ever posted the great video) my question is this how long of a leather strap do I actually need? Now bare with me here, I have made a few "normal" bracelets before so I chose one of my templets that I know will fit me and did a quick 5 strand mystery braid once it was done the sucker is WAY to tight...where as my normal one is rather loose so how much extra leather do I actually need? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biglew Report post Posted June 19, 2015 the video was from north star leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted June 19, 2015 well ya just kinda feel your way along in that. I don't know of an actual formula for it, I could be mistaken. I just always allow a couple of extra inches over my usual length. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Thanks to the both of you for the info on the video and yeah was hoping there was a formula but ah well just leave a couple of extra inches and go from there thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halitech Report post Posted June 19, 2015 I'm not sure on the 5 braid but if I remember right, with the 3 it's add 1 inch for every 12 inch you want for the final size Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Drakkon Report post Posted June 19, 2015 It depends on how tight you braid, sometimes you can squeeze in one more row and that shortens the overall length a bit. I'm working through the same thing though, just need to remember to write down starting length, how many strands, and if it's a tight/loose braid and see what the final size comes to. Oh and don't forget the snaps! You can tweak the length a bit by moving those forward/back on the ends if you left yourself some space to work with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted June 19, 2015 I always dye the piece after cutting the strands, then put snaps on then start to braid, I plan where the snaps are going first, because last time I kind of forgot to do that and had no place for the snaps LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
impulse Report post Posted June 20, 2015 With a 5 braid, add approx 25% more to the length. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Drakkon Report post Posted June 20, 2015 I always dye the piece after cutting the strands, then put snaps on then start to braid, I plan where the snaps are going first, because last time I kind of forgot to do that and had no place for the snaps LOL How funny, I always leave the snaps for last because I like to braid really tight and squeezing the snaps through would be a pain. I always leave about 3/4 to an inch of space at the ends. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 20, 2015 It depends on how tight you braid, sometimes you can squeeze Agreed. You can't "know" how much it will draw, though you do a few you'll get an idea. This is going to be influenced by how tightly you pull the individual loops, the width of your strands, and the thickness of the leather. Without getting long-winded about it, pulling the left side strip over on a 2" wide piece TRAVELS FURTHER than doing the same thing on a 1" wide project. Thus, you "lose" more leather, though yer doin' the same thing. The people I've seen doing these (they were making belts like this was BIG in the 70's) would figure about how far the braided section should go, add about 15% to that, and cut the section strips LEAVING the ends long (and uncut). Do the twisting (not willing to call this "braiding" and offend the braiding community here, who have a category of art this type of thing doesn't even begin to address) on the twisty part, THEN cut the piece to length. You might experiment with this a bit, in the width and thickness of leather you'll be using. Take a SHORT guess, and do the twisitn'. If you don't like it, back out the braid, cut longer, and do it again. Still not long enough? Well, now you KNOW, and if it's boogered by now, you kin pitch it and be out.. like 38¢... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Drakkon Report post Posted June 22, 2015 Even if the braid ends up way shorter than you want, that's no reason to toss it. Kids wear bracelets too and it would probably fit them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 22, 2015 Ok so just learned how to do this That 'idea' was presented in several books back in the 70's, in case you ever decide you want a diagram of what they're doing. I mention it here because even though it was presented in at least three books that i know of, none of them gave a length or a percentage of "loss". Here's one of those books, still available .. https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/p-1727-ideas-for-leather-projects-vol-1-1923.aspx . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
