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Braiding Fine Leather: Techniques of the Australian Whipmakers
Contributor(s): Morgan, David W. (Author)
ISBN: 0870335448     ISBN-13: 9780870335440
Publisher: Schiffer Craft
OUR PRICE:   $17.99  
Product Type: Paperback
Published: March 2003
Qty:
Temporarily out of stock - Will ship within 2 to 5 weeks
Annotation: Designed to help the beginning leather braider acquire basic skills in a straightforward manner, this book shows readers how to braid simple projects fairly quickly. With close attention to detail and a little practice using the methods described here, novices can produce attractive and enduring items from either precut lace or from a skin or side of leather.

Leather braiding was developed in Australia in whipmaking shops. The craft had been carried to Australia by thongmakers from England, who were familiar with the thongs used on finely braided carriage whips. Kangaroo leather, one of the finest leathers available for braiding, provided the material for high-quality work, and a large and discriminating market in Australia led to improvements in techniques. Using these highly refined techniques and providing complete instructions and clear closeup photographs showing each step in the process, David Morgan has created an excellent book for those who want to learn to braid leather.

A metallurgical engineer by training and occupation, in the 1960s Morgan became interested in Australian braided work made from kangaroo hide. With his wife he set up a part-time mail-order business selling a variety of Australian imports. In the 1980s he made the whips for the Indiana Jones movies, and he has been making them ever since. By 1990 he had abandoned metallurgy to run the mail-order business full time. He is now following an interest in the historical aspects of cattle-working whips.

Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Crafts & Hobbies | Leatherwork
- Technology & Engineering | Technical & Manufacturing Industries & Trades
Dewey: 685
LCCN: 2002012078
Physical Information: 0.4" H x 6.9" W x 9.9" (0.85 lbs) 160 pages
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:
In this book, David Morgan, the expert who made the whips for the Indiana Jones movies, shows how to braid simple projects quickly. With close attention to detail and a little practice using the methods described here, novices can produce attractive and enduring items from precut lace or a skin or side of leather. Braiding Fine Leather was written to help the beginning braider acquire basic skills. After completing some simple projects that can be done well at an early stage, the braider will develop the confidence to attempt more involved types of braided work, from handsome clothing accessories to practical livestock-handling gear. The book begins with an overview of materials, tools, and fundamental braiding methods. Then seven projects are presented, each adding something new to the skills already practiced. Photographs taken in sequence are used to illustrate the instructions, giving the new braider a close-up look at each step in the braiding process. The techniques used in this book come from those developed in Australian whipmaking shops, which are well-recognized for the high quality of their work. The craft had been carried to Australia by thongmakers from England, who were familiar with the thongs used on finely braided carriage whips. Kangaroo leather, one of the finest leathers available for braiding, provided the material for high-quality work, and a large and discriminating market in Australia led to highly refined techniques. Providing complete, straightforward instructions and close-up photographs showing each step in the process, David Morgan has created an excellent book for those who want to learn to braid leather.