A few leather projects completed in the past

[8thsinner]

Braided leather cord, out of untanned calf skin, sealed ad ends with dental floss.

My first ever snake whip, still around here somewhere.

A mini bull whip which actually cracks made for a friend in canada

Mini bola, made from 2mm nubuck calf skin.

Another mini bola from blue cow skin, and twisted strands to save weight.

Regular sheath with choil cut out for shaving wood.

Braided edge rat sheath

Rat engraving for the rat howler

Braided throwing knife handle made from cow skin.

Leather watch strap and base.

I have sinced changed the strap to 2mm 12 strand black pig skin

Pineapple knot illustration, this is the best braided knot there is.

Picture guide on making the cowbow button knot with a leather thonging needle.



Hope this gives you something to droll over in some way.

 

[Buckshot]

Some very nice braiding there 8th.
Can I ask why you use calf skin rather than kangeroo? I thought most of the pro's use roo.

Loverly work though.

Mark

 

[andyn]

I was half expecting some of your "other" leather work to be on display!

Very nice work!

 

[stovie]

Well, I'm impresed. Good work'n 8th

 

[redcollective]

One question: what's a bola?

 

[running bare]

One question: what's a bola?

its a form of weapon that you twirl around and throw at a preys legs to bring it down
or with rocks in the ends to knock it out.

hope that helps

tom

 

[running bare]

stovie

you know what happened to the joke thread about best nd glitter???

 

[8thsinner]

Buckshot
The pros do, the primitives didn't.
Also the pros usually have credit cards.....I don't.

There is nothing wrong with the strengths that I use, My nubucks tested breaking strain on the four strand cordage is 45 lbs, using archery scale.
The pigskin isn't tested but is't far off it either.
It's also a much bigger challenge to get a decent usable whip with less than perfect materials, much like the bamboo bows....Not perfect but when done right they work, and thats the piont.
The skin I most want to make into a whip though is actually squirell, problem is that I would need over a hundred and fifty of them...




Andyn
I doubt most of you would want to see my as you so gracefully put it other work, whips however have a practical purpose for cutting berries and nuts out of trees, or apples, and even cutting the base of nettle stems.
The other thing is that most of my other work is only displayed on the very naked women.....not sure the censors would let it slide.



And your spot on running bear.
The bola (argentine word) was of spanish origin, I know there are many other cultures which use them even today, but for some reason the spanish word stuck. Boladeros was the proper name.
And heres how to make a practice one, full scale.
Materials needed
Three padlocks
18 feet or so of cord, spectra, paracord etc.
knowledge on tying a knot.

Each line should be slightly shorter than the last by a cm.

I will get a tutorial on this done soon for you.



And thanks for the encouragments

 

[running bare]

mannnnnnnnnnnn.
your gonna have your work cut out to get that many squirrels let alone tan 'em and braid 'em!!!!

all i can say is best of luck made. the mere thought of it sends me into fits of panic at the work involved

tom

 

[stovie]

stovie

you know what happened to the joke thread about best nd glitter???

It bin bushwacked.....

 

[running bare]

guess some people have no sense of humour or in denial that theres a big bad world out there

 

[andyn]

Every joke is at someones expensive, the blondes/middle east/women/irish/english/celebrities, these things just have to be giggled off. I'm sure that no offence was meant?

I'd much rather here a joke about somebody/something than read someone opinion about them and persecute them.


P.S Sorry 8th for hijacking this thread.

Your leather work is brilliant, have you thought about doing production for sale? I've certainly got a couple of things that I want braiding for.

Cheers.

 

[Stew]

That snake whip is very ool.

The black works really well - it could be a snake.

 

[scruff]

8th those whips look cracking mate

the bolas are pretty inspiring too.

nice work

 

[match]

I'm sure I posted this yesterday, but now I can't see it anywhere...

Just wondering if anyone had plans or designs for a whip, or knew of clear designs online - I've had a good search about but can't seem to find any anywhere that make any sense to me

 

[Toddy]

I'm sure I posted this yesterday, but now I can't see it anywhere...

Just wondering if anyone had plans or designs for a whip, or knew of clear designs online - I've had a good search about but can't seem to find any anywhere that make any sense to me

Hi Match,
I've got a book on leather braiding that has patterns for quirts and the like among the designs. If you pm me your address I'll post it through for you to have a read.
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[tomtom]

Fantasti work my friend, thanks for showing us.. can i ask is there a reason you use dental floss for binding the ends?

 

[8thsinner]

Yes there is a reason for using dental floss.

Firstly, it is very strong, 15lbs tested even on a cheap version.
Secondly, when wrapped on properly and tightly, it becomes completely transparent.
It squeazes out the oils from the leather making it very dry and eventually harder.
This makes it perfect as a boot lace type end. IMO
You can use other things to wrap the ends, fibres, sinew, etc but dental floss is cheap, you get lots of it etc

As for whip designs there are a few around the internet I think, but I lost addresses last time comp crashed on me.
The encyclopedia of rawhide and leather braiding is a good book for over all works.
David morgans whip book isn't really good for design work but has interesting histories and tips, I don't know of any others.

Hope that helps