Michael Skinner: Rawhide Braiding

Michael Skinner grew up in a cattle ranch in Jordan Valley, Oregon and now lives in Kirkland. During his childhood he was able to observe the hired hands braiding rawhide and leather horse tack, which sparked his interest in the process. His business career took him out of the agricultural field and he was unable to fully pursue that interest until 2002 when he received a WSAC Apprenticeship Program grant to study with Steve Derricott, of Boise, Idaho. Derricott was apprenticed to his father in the mid 1990s and uses a series of contrasting interweaves to create truly unique pieces of braid work. Rawhide braiding was adapted from skills used by Native Americans, Mexican Americans and other cowboys to create functional horse tack.

His work may be seen at the Washington State History Museum's Exhibit "With Our Hands"
http://www.washingtonhistory.org/wshm/featuredexhibits/withourhands.aspx

Video by Anders and Jens Lund

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Mike Skinner
• Rawhide Braiding
• cowboy
• craft
• folk arts
• horse
• tack

[chelackie]

Lovely work! Thank you for the upload .Braiding is one thing I so much want to learn .I have the Bruce Grant book but it is easier to be taught by some one I think than to follow the drawings .I have just made two bosal hangers ,the simple ones.Where might I find rawhide and braiding leather that is ready to use?

[jccrick123]

that string can you make a lariat out of of the rawhide string

[SignoroIncognito]

Fantastic. I really appreciate keeping the old crafts alive and available for youngsters- many of them are actually very hungry to learn such things- even if for differing projects- like cell-phone covers!

This way- the craft adapts to society and never dies!

Thank-you.

[H30273]

Excellent Presentation keeping the old traditions for the future

[NeveseveN777]

I noticed you had that wonderful Bruce Grant book. In the rawhide section he talks about using yellow laundry soap as a substitute for saddle soap. Do you know where i can buy that? Do you have a soap solution that you could share? Thanks. Great video.