Essential Braiding Supplies.I realize that most here are bending paracord rather than leather, but leather work can not only be fun but also produce some nice useful items.
A few have commented on my work posted here, most stating how hard it looks….really is it easy. So the point of this post it to introduce a few resources and tools that can get anyone braiding leather in a heartbeat.
For years I have been braiding small items ranging from lanyards and baldrics to awl sheaths. In every instance I would say that the end result looks far more difficult than the actual process. I have learned very few of the bag of skills and tricks that a master whip braider likely has in his tool kit.
So that leads us to the essentials for a braiderFirst should be David Morgan’s wonderful book. Amazon carries it for a better price than David…but you have to order leather lace from him anyway, so you might as well make his day with a book order too.
The essential book…Braiding Fine Leather by David Morgan
http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=78Lace….you can use all sorts of stuff…but take my word for it and get a spool of 3mm kangaroo lace. It braids superbly, looks great in the finished item, and is durable and strong. It currently costs $1.15 per meter…so it is not cheap, but it is well worth it.
3mm Machine cut lace $115/100m
http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=484Awl ….you will want an awl with a fine, but NOT sharp point. Too sharp and awl will frustrate you….a blunt belting awl is ideal, but any awl can be dulled to work fine. The Osborn belting awl, with the wide flattened area, works perfectly to spread the braid for easy work.
Belting Awl
Semi-sharp awl.
Sharp short thin knife….really an essential that is already in everyone’s hands…but essential it is. A wharncliffe can make trimming close to your work a bit easier and safer so as to not cut into the braid…but anything that is sharp sharp sharp and small will work just fine.
Braiding Soap I make mine from lard and ivory bar soap. However a tin of saddle soap or Pecards leather dressing also works. I like the lard/ivory mix (recipe in David’s book) as it is not as slick as Pecards dressing as you braid. Saddle soap is an excellent alternative.
Nice to haves:A few other tools that come in handy sometimes are:
Smooth jawed pliers
Lacing needles, I prefer the Tandy hollow tube type.
Spring clamp
Cheap table top clamp on vise
Cutting board or piece of scrap lumber
One of my favorite leather braids I have done for calls is a short leather hanger….this can be hitched to a traditional paracord drop or used on a fancy leather lanyard too.