rolling rolling rolling rawhide! (wanted)

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You must be at the same stage as me. I made a handle today for the RM crooked knife I got for Christmas. I was looking to use paracord. Is rawhide going to be better?:)
 
WANTED: has anyone got a strip (thong not jokes lol) of rawhide about a metre long to tie a crook knife blade to a handle.


Steve

There is an easy source of rawhide that is likely right near you.

Go to a pet store and purchase a rawhide chew bone for dogs (one of the kinds with knots in the end).

Soak it lukewarm water for about 10 hours and you can then unknot it and unroll the rawhide. The chew bones typically have an outer casing of leather that is the largest part (the outside of the "bone" so to speak) and inner filler of smaller leather bits.

You can cut the thongs you need from this and when it dries again it will be rock hard.

Chewbones make a great source for hafting material. Good luck.
 
To get maximum length of thong cut it in a spiral from your piece of rawhide, once it is unfolded flat and allowed to dry out to the firmness of light card/thick paper (ie not too floppy) then soak it again and stretch it straight.
If you try cutting it to soft I find it tricky to get an even thickness to the thong.
 
thanks for the quick reply, i ll also be visiting the pet shop tomorrow. Wanted to use rawhide instead of paracord in the hope it would shrink on when dry am i right in saying that?
 
is it the rawhide dog chew thats are golden/brown or the white stuff?

It can be both colours, all depends on whether or not it's been dyed or flavoured.

What you're looking for is something that appears to be rolled up thick cardboard that hasn't been compressed into a shape
 
I would really like to see any pictures of the finished articles please? I was intending to buy one of those RM Crook Knife Blades and have a go myself....:) Sounds like I need to visit a Pet Shop also. Thanks.
 

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