Braiding Supplies
While the American tradition in braiding evolved mainly around rawhide from cattle, there has always been some braiding in leather, and the best of this has been in kangaroo whenever suitable kangaroo has been available. To assist in keeping this craft alive we supply kangaroo skins and lace for braiders, as well as a selection of books presenting both Australian and American techniques of braiding.
Kangaroo Leather
Kangaroo leather is by far the best leather for fine leather braiding. We supply
both skins and lace. Excess kangaroos are harvested in Australia under programs
approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife authorities. The leather we offer is
in a high strength bark tannage, and are selected for shape and minimum scars
and discoloration.
Kangaroo Skins
We offer natural and black skins drum stuffed, that is grease is worked into
the leather in heated rotating drums. Drum stuffing provides an even distribution
of grease in the amount needed to ensure optimum properties of the leather.
The natural color skins are a light tan color as received from the tannery,
but darken with sunlight. The black skins are tannery dyed, and are black through
the skin.
The skins come in three weights, light (under about 0.8 mm thick), suitable for fine braiding, medium (about 0.8 mm), suitable for belts, stockwhips and most horse gear, and heavy (about 1.00 mm), suitable for belts and heavier gear and whips. Skins are measured in square decimeters (dm2). 10 square decimeters equal 1.076 square feet. Skins average 40 to 90 square decimeters. Kangaroo skin prices are less 10% in lots of 250 square decimeters and over (assorted). Actual prices of the skins are determined when shipped, based on the actual size of the individual skins. Quantity discounts will be given at the time of shipment.
For more information on Kangaroo, please see these pages:
Kangaroo
Skins
Cutting
Kangaroo Skins for Braided Work
Cutting
Kangaroo Skins for Solid Work
Comparative
Characteristics of Kangaroo Leather
Hand Cut Kangaroo Lace
Our premium quality kangaroo lace is hand cut from well trimmed drum stuffed
skins, square cut so it may be pared to suit the work in hand. Cutting lace
by hand avoids most flaws and permits more continuous cutting. The lace is in
60 foot balls, usually continuous but may have one join. Kangaroo hand
cut lace prices are less 10% in lots of five or more balls (assorted). Quantity
discounts will be given at the time of shipment.
Machine Cut Lace
This lace is machine cut in Australia, and is a superior quality. This lace
is a less greasy craft lace, not drum stuffed. As such, it will take dye readily,
but should be heavily greased with Pecard
Leather Dressing before braiding. The machine cut lace is cut in circles
and is spliced where flawed. It is square cut and has about two to three joins
per 50 meters, up to six joins per 100 meters. We advise stretching this lace
before using it in order to evaluate uniformity. Colors are Natural or Black.
Kangaroo machine cut lace prices are less 10% in lots of three or more rolls
(assorted). Quantity discounts will be given at the time of shipment.
Braiding Books
We offer a selection of books for braiders presenting both Australian and American
techniques of braiding:
Braiding Fine Leather: Techniques of the Australian Whipmakers by D.W. Morgan
Whips and Whipmaking, 2nd Edition by D.W. Morgan
How to Make Whips by Ron Edwards
Sales of books are final. No returns or exchanges are allowed.
For more information ...
Please follow the links below for more information concerning our whips, braided
goods and related information.
Braided Goods
Kangaroo Skins
Cutting
Kangaroo Skins for Braided Work
Cutting
Kangaroo Skins for Solid Work
Comparative
Characteristics of Kangaroo Leather
Braiding Soap
Care
of Fine Leather
