Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

3i6CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTtil you can squeeze water through it, then wring itout, work by hand until dry, and finally smoke likebuckskin. But such leather is of inferior strength,as the alkali weakens the fibers; it remains slippery;and it draws dampness till it rots. Plain rawhide,suppled with grease or oil, is stronger than any tannedleather.Lace-leather is cut of uniform width by the followingmeans. With a pair of compasses (a forkedstick with pencil or metal scoring point attached toone leg will serve) draw a circle on a piece ofhide; cut out this round piece with a keen knife;make a starting cut of the desired width on theedge of the circular piece of hide. Drive an awlor a slender round nail into a board, and alongsideof it, at precisely the width of the lace, stick theknife, edge foremost, and inclining a little to therear; then lay the round bit of hide in front of theknife, draw the cut strip between the awl and theknife and steadily pull away; the round leather willrevolve as the knife cuts its way, and the awl, actingas a guage, will insure a uniform width of lacing.The same method is used in cutting shorter thongsfrom the side of a skin or piece of leather.How to splice thongs is shown in Fig. 185. Cuta slit in the end of each, a little longer than widthFig.185.—Splicing thongsof thong, slip b over a, bring end of b up throughthe slitin a, and draw tight.A RiATA.—To make a rawhide riata: selectcarefully skinned hides that have no false cuts inthem. A 30-foot riata will require two large cowhidesif it is to be made three-stranded, or fou '