Round Leather Slip

[unicornleather 60]

Some one was asking me about round leather slips, so thought I'd tell them on here.I made mine at least 15 years ago so it's still in good nick for it's age, although I did cheat as the round leather is manufactured like this nowadays we used to have to make what is known as ROLLED leather, which as the name implies is worked,shaped, rolled round a centre core, stitched it's entirety and then put in a rounding block and worked some more.

It's nothing like round leather yet I see abuse of the word online a lot, especially on ebay,people calling ROUND leather ROLLED leather which it is nothing of the sort!

Real hand stitched ROLLED leather and not machine stitched is top quality leatherwork and the better the quality the less you will see of the stitching either,it shouldn't be visible if it is, it's probably machine made. We use ROLLED leather for head collar throats, Arab show slips, gag roundings, luggage handles, dog collars, lip straps, pelham roundings,etc.

 

Getting back to the round leather slip, I see so many online for sale not finished off properly, the turn that goes round the ring should be shaved (tapered) down and covered in some way, if just cut and stitched round the ring without shaving it down it's likely to catch on the dog, I've seen some being used on dogs that's pulled the hair out of the dog's neck.

So chaps, if you buy a slip make sure it has a nice smooth tapered end round the ring and on the handpart, I made mine with the old countryman's way of doing the turns, I whipped it in as in second picture below, it's already stitched together under the whipping and it's very strong, this lead has held an eager full size male Deerhound in the past when the owner was struggling with him, I gave them this to play with, he behaved after that!

 

 

 

Oz

Edited September 13, 2012 by unicornleather

[Gin 498]

Some work must have gone into that. Very nice

[unicornleather 60]

Yes, it did but it's lasted so it was worth it, now if I had made it in ROLLED leather it would have lasted even longer but I really couldn't be arsed to sit and stitch a 5 foot lead!

You try holding it still to stitch it and you'll see what I mean! Oz

[chilly 59]

does any where sell quality leads like that ?

[Bosun11 537]

UL, were you making these to sell once upon a time. I have one I bought from a bloke at Lowther about 15 years since exatley the same.

[unicornleather 60]

Bosun11-I made a couple, one for the Deerhound owner as it was the only lead they could find that stopped him dragging them off their feet and one for a mate who worked his dogs.

It wasn't me at Lowther though but this is the old fashioned way of doing the turns on certain types of work.

Chilly-I have yet to see anyone else making these although I am sure there are some out there, if you are buying this sort of lead make sure the ends of the turns are covered with something, anything is better than nothing and not just left with a blunt edge showing have a look at a few on ebay up close and you'll start to see what I mean, some are better than others