How to Braid Leather & Raw Hide

Working with tanned leather, also known as raw hide, allows a craftsman to make a variety of useful crafts, from bracelets to reins to belts. To make the leather used more aesthetically pleasing, many leather workers elect to braid their leather straps prior to attaching the buckles or clips required to complete their projects. Braids can be woven through a variety of styles, including three strand braids and four strand braids, each with their own unique final product.

Things You'll Need

• Leather strap
• Knife
• Sinew

Instructions

Three Strand Braid

1. Cut the leather into three even strands of leather, leaving a section of uncut leather at the top to hold the pieces together.

2. Pass the left strand over the middle strand and under the right strand, making it the new right strand.

3. Pass the new left strand over the center strand.

4. Pass the new right strand over the center strand.

5. Continue weaving, alternating passing the left strand then the right strand over center.

Four Strand

1. Hold four even straps of leather together with their ends even, then bind the straps using sinew.

2. Place the binded straps down, with the long ends facing up, so the ends lie in an X shape.

3. Pass the lower right section of the X straight up over the upper right section.

4. Pass the upper right section to the left over the upper left section.

5. Pass the upper left section down over the lower left section.

6. Thread the lower left section under the lower right section.

7. Pull the loose ends to tighten.

8. Repeat the knot to create a braided chain.

References

• Autry National Center; Justin McInteer; Luis Ortega's Rawhide Artistry