Rawhide for hafting???

[sakimoto]

Greetings everyone!
Does anyone know where to get rawhide to attach a stone to make a war club? I am trying to make a war club similar to the American Indian style. I bought some rawhide lace that was about 1/4 of an inch wide, but it was to thin for what I wanted. The stone is about the size of a baseball. I have seen clubs like this in caveman movies, but I have also seen pictures of American Indians with the same type of clubs. I was under the impression that rawhide when wet would stretch and allow one to tie things to something. And then as it dried the rawhide would shrink and harden to hold the object with a grip of iron. I tried to use the rawhide bones that one can find at Wal-Mart, but when it is wet it does not stretch or shrink, but it does turn hard. I guess it would be good to cover a shield with, but not for hafting. I already bought some rawhide that is to thin, but in the advertisement it looked pretty good. I guess they fooled me. I was thinking of using elk rawhide. I have only seen it sold in rounds of about 12". Any information will be deeply appreciated.
Thank you!
Sakimoto

 

[Rupestris]

Seems reasonably priced here: http://www.furandhide.com/showcat.asp?id=44

Keep us posted. I'd like to see the finished product.

 

[Macmac]

Maybe that Elk will work if you cut a long strip AROUND the circle. Probably you will need more than 1 'round'. Most thong strips are cut this way, but starting with a longer circle.

Before you do this in raw hide try it on paper first.

 

[sakimoto]

Will try it!

Thanks for the info and the website but I think the rounds will do it for me. By the looks of things I think I will need about two.
Take care!
Sakimoto

 

[Macmac]

You might consider making hide glue, or maybe buying some. Raw hide scrap, fish hides, sinew from chicken, and grisel from red meat can all be combined with a little water and simmered slowly, and be made into a glue so strong, that when it dries, it will shrink to the point of pulling a chip of yer best pyrex brownie dish. Please don't ask how I know. :banghead:

 

[sakimoto]

help!

I bought some rawhide and I let it soak for about 24 hours. It got flexible but it would not stretch, and it did not shrink! I could tie it etc. etc., but it did not shrink. It got hard and molded to the club I was making, but it did not shrink. I was under the impression that rawhide would stretch when wet and you would tie it to something and it would shrink and and bind the object tight. I remember watching the old western movies where the indians would bind a captured calvery soldier and tie him up with rawhide especially the neck area and he would slowly die from the rawhide shrinking and choking him, but......thats just the movies. I bought some rawhide strips 1/2 x 1/8 of an inch. very strong. It just did not stretch or shrink. I must be doing something wrong or missing a process somehow. The hide is water buffalo. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Sakimoto

 

[Macmac]

Some leathers are more stretchy than others. I made, or tried to make mocs of horse hide and I can't turn them, because they will not stretch.

It might be you need deer, moose, or elk to get what you want. The deer family seem to have hides that will stretch more than others as I see things.

I have no idea abut water buffers since none live in the USA so far as I know.

I am not sure I would give up on water buffer so fast, and might try soaking it again, and really work at stretching it, then sew and bind it as tight as you can, to heat it to speed up drying.

I made a drum from a hollowed quaking aspen section, with deer hide as the drim cover and more in long thong to lash it on. In use and time the cover bewcomes loose, but heating the drum by a camp fire with great care, tightens it right up again.

Build a frame and stretch the hide, scrap it wet with a paint scraper, or a disk of metal you cut from a 55 galllon barrel or something. Pull it tighter, then heat it and see if it bends the frame.

 

[theotherwaldo]

If you can't get strong, stretchy rawhide anywhere else, I suggest that you go to your local store and get some large rawhide dog chews. There's enough untreated leather there for several projects.

 

[CWL]

How about sinew rather than rawhide? It will stretch and then shrink after drying. Here's a source:

http://attilasarchery.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=71