Braiding Fine Leather

Preface ... ix

Chapter 1. Background ... 3

Technical aspects of braiding (strength, flexure, size, joins and attachments); historical aspects

Chapter 2. Tools ... 11

Knife, oilstone, hook, fid, needles, rolling board, cutting rest, cutting gauge, leather splitter, metal straightedge, leather shears, hole punch, pliers, notebook

Chapter 3. Materials ... 17

Leather, braiding soap, talcum powder, shellac, hardware, waxed thread, leather dressing

Chapter 4. Leather ... 20

General characteristics, kangaroo skins, calfskins or kip sides, precut lace

Chapter 5. Cutting Lace ...24

Overview, getting started (cutting the unusable weak and stretchy leather, cutting lace for test braids, cutting lace for projects, cutting lace from the inner uniform leather, cutting on the hook)

Chapter 6. Preparing the Lace ... 39

Overview, getting started (length of lace, paring, braiding soap)

Chapter 7. Round Braiding ... 45

Braiding overview: the patterns of round braiding (standard patterns, ring work, asymmetric patterns); mechanics of round braiding (attaching the strands to the hook, four-strand round braid without a core, stopping and restarting braiding, four-strand round braid over a core, eight-strand four-seam round braid over a core, disordered braid, untangling long strands, round braiding in other [even] numbers of strands, braiding in single diamond, width of strands); leather cores for round braids (rolling round braids)

Chapter 8. Flat Braiding ... 76

Patterns of flat braids; mechanics of flat braiding (flat braiding in four strands, flat braiding in six strands, flat braiding in eight or more strands); points to watch regarding flat braiding (evenness of the braiding, paring lace for flat work, lubrication, rolling flat braids)

Chapter 9. Getting Started on Projects ... 86

Chapter 10. Project 1: Key Lanyard, Four-Strand Round Braid ... 89

Chapter 11. Project 2: Whistle Lanyard, Four-Strand Round Braid 97

Chapter 12. Project 3: Key Lanyard, Six-Strand Round Braid, Solid Yoke or Braided Yoke ... 107

Chapter 13. Project 4: Dog Lead, Eight-Strand Round Braid ... 120

Chapter 14. Project 5: Hatband, Four-Strand Flat Braid ... 131

Chapter 15. Project 6: Hatband, Ten-Strand Flat Braid ... 135

Chapter 16. Project 7: Belt, Twelve-Strand Flat Braid ... 140

References and Resources ... 148

David W. Morgan, author of Whips and Whipmaking, Braiding Fine Leather, and Whips of the West, became interested in the subject of whips and leathercraft during a trip to Australia in the early 1960s. At that time whipmaking was an active trade there and he was able to meet a number of whip makers such as Burt Hill, Tom Hill, and W. Millowick, studying their craft in person and later through correspondence.

On returning to the U.S. he and his wife Dorothy began Austral Enterprises, importing braided leather goods from Australia. The name of the company was changed to David Morgan to reflect the broader range of items offered as the business grew, but kangaroo hide whips were still featured.

In 1976 the US government banned the importation of kangaroo so David turned to supplying the demand for whips in the US by making his own in calf skin. By the time the ban was lifted there were far fewer whipmakers active and he thought to write the book Whips and Whipmaking to better document the craft.

In 1981 the first Indiana Jones movie was released featuring one of David's whips, and that movie, with the others following in the series, along with the readier dissemination of information over the internet, have helped fuel a resurgance in whip making. Throughout his study and practice at whipmaking David shared his knowledge generously by letter, telephone and in person as well as by writing the three books on the topic, enabled by others who likewise shared their knowledge and many examples of leather craft from all around the world.

For more information about David W. Morgan please visit David W. Morgan. For behind-the-scene peeks at our company, please visit Our Blog.