Leather Mystery Braid Cuff
- Posted on 03 March, 2017
- Braids Hairstyles
- By Anonymous
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/ca...
Making a Mystery Braid Cuff is the main point of this tutorial, but the braid itself is a great decoration. In addition to the braid, we’ll set a snap, use a Round End Punch (00076-3/4), cut parallel lines by hand and use a Leather Lace Stripper (65-2966). For a full set of downloadable instructions, please see: https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/ca... or buy the kit here: https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/ca...
Hi I'm Chuck Dorset for Weaver leather craft supply. Let'S make a cool mystery braid cup, and these are super popular because it looks impossible. It doesn't look like it should work. It'S a breeze and I'll show you exactly how it works. Now, with most of our tutorials. We'Re just going to make a simple cup, but use this as a jumping-off point for a hundred different directions. I love the mystery braids and I put it in a lot of places. First off mystery. Braid belts are one of my favorites, but also wood carrier handles or gun case handles or purse handles, because it's a very comfortable feel in the hand and it'll hold on good bit of weight. Now you can use all kinds of leather, but we need to stay above a four to five out of leather. I need some body with it because if I go to light, my strands are going to curl as I move through the braid and it's not going to look real, clean and consistent. But if you have a beautiful leather, that's a two ounce. Maybe three ounce just knock up backing onto it and it'll work just as well so again, jumping off point now: here's the thing, though, with our weights in leather we're going to use a four to five ounce natural veg. Can this is three quarters of an inch wide and I'll show you in a minute, while we're going to go with three quarters and I've cut this at about 12 inches, giving me plenty of room, so the first thing we need to do, though, is get a Measurement on our wrist now you can certainly take a tape if you don't have a tape, simply take a piece of thong or lace, wrap that around my wrist. That'S my wrist measurement now one thing here: I need to add a little distance for two reasons. First off, I don't want this tight on my wrist. I want it to be a little bit loose, but secondly, when I do a braid, it's going to chew up a little real estate, so I need to add some room for error there. So my wrist should be about a seven. It is so I'm going to add one inch to that now. This can get confusing, but I'm going to keep an eye on our 8 inches. My wrist plus one inch is my snap to snap measurement and not my end of snap. That'S confusing, but I'll show you what I mean I'll show you how to keep an eye on that. So let's go ahead and measure our strap. Now our first measure - I want one inch pass this snap, so I have room to make my round end punch, so we're going to come in from the end of our square root of one inch. That'S our first snap hole now. This is why this can be confusing. Now, if I'm going to go, my wrist 7 plus 1 is 8. I'M going to start here and go out to 8 inches. That'S going to be wrong because my snap to snap distance needs to be 8. So I'm going to move that back to there now I'm going to drop in 8 and then I'm going to mark my end and I'm going to trim that so that should be a clean, perfect fit. Now we're going to punch a round hole and a round end punch, and that's going to make this look very professional. Now, of course, the tool always preferable. The rounded punch makes this very clean, but you can also cut by hand around in and it won't be perfect, but it certainly will be close. Nice. My ends are clean and punched. Now we're going to take an 8 inch round hole because we're going to use a snap here and a snap, the post is going to fit nicely in 1/8 inch hole, it's going to be a little snug, which is just right, very clean, we're a step closer. So clean and professional now we need to parallel lines down the middle of our strap, to make our braid two ways. We can do that we're going to use a leather lace stripper, which makes it very clean and easy. It'S a great tool to have in your shot. But if you don't have that tool, I'm going to show you how to cut two parallel lines by hand, and it's relatively easy, so quick overview on this tool. This is a leather lace stripper. What I can do is lay a blade in between each of these plates. This block just comes off now. It may be a little hard to see, but I've got two blades placed in here, one at a quarter inch one and a half inch which for three-quarter inch straps going to be perfect measurements. Now I can take my mic up and I could pull there. We go see how those two blades, the leather will sit down on those two blades. I can draw this through look at that to clean parallel cuts. How easy was that? But if you don't have the tool, let's cut one by hand, now a couple of tricks to cutting by hand I'll show you every one of them. First off, though, if you've ever tried to make a a single cut, much less two cuts down a thin piece of leather can be very difficult. Very frustrating show you exactly how to alleviate that problem. Now we need to measure let's start there, so I'm going to take my square, I'm going to come in three quarters of an inch or a half of an inch. It'S up to you. Now I'm going to make a mark at one quarter of an inch and one half of an inch. Now, let's flip our strap around Square to my edge, come in three quarters of an inch mark at a quarter, mark it a half all right, so we're marked now here's two big tricks right off the bat piece of scrap same thickness or less so I can Shore up my straight edge, if I don't have that, I press down straight edge, is going to pop up I'll get a squirrely cut. Secondly, though, and super necessary non-slip tape, because I don't want him moving up down left or right, I need a good clean cut. Now I'm going to cut to the marks closest to me, but I'm going to leave a little bit of room in there, so the pressure is on the strap and not on this piece of scrap. Now I'm lined up now, I'm going to cut the whole cut again to the marks closest to me, because I can see that now one big trick on your blade new blade, sharp blade every project every time and here's the point there. If I can't make a cut a single cut through this and cut through, I'm going to need to make multiple cuts, but here's the great thing: what I'm actually doing there by making multiple cuts, is I'm taking less pressure and more control. So I'm trading pressure for control and that's always a good call. Now I'm going to keep my blade angle, good and love it's going to do two things going to keep it from jumping by square and well ending badly. But secondly, because if I make multiple cuts, then my blade is going to follow the previous cut nice very clean cut parallel, just what I'm looking for. Alright, let's scoot that out a little bit, let's square to our marks, add some pressure and plan on making two cuts or even three if we need to need to very clean cut by hand, good edges, parallel lines. This looks great already, let's step over here and braid this now. This is going to look confusing to begin with, but it's not you'll see exactly where I'm going with everything first and foremost nail on my table best friend, worst enemy. I just have nail holes so I can drop a nail in, but then I can remove it when I'm done so don't run my hand or my project across it. Okay. So, let's back up a step, though we're going to do a three strand braid for those of us that had not done a braid, it is simple enough. All I'm going to do so. I'M going to take my right strand cross over the middle strand. It becomes the middle left over the middle. It becomes the middle right over Center left over Center, easy enough, three strand braid, but what I'm not big on is this little gully here to me that just looks odd, so I tend to go under for my first Bend under under under so now that tends To just look a little more consistent to me a little cleaner, alright, we're doing the same thing here, three strand braid, but we have to count our turns now. This won't make sense right now, but again, you'll see where I'm going with this. I'M going to do four turns I'm an untangle. Then I'm going to do two turns untangle that will be one set. So under two three four now we've got to mess down here. You want to have to make this step when you get the hang of this, but if you notice my right gran comes down through. So when I pull everything apart, there's my right strand, I'm going to take the tab go up over and down around the right. Now still got a mess, but we've only done four turns so there's number five and number six. Now I simply pull those apart and that wants to jump through there there's a set. Now I can let that go. It'S not going to unbraid on me, but here's. The big thing, because I need room every four and then every two turns to untangle. What I need to do is start very tight. Two three four. Now I take my tab. I'M going to go up over and through around that strand number five number six. Then I'm going to simply pull that through there's one set. Alright second set one two: three four: now I'm going to spread that I'm going to take my tab go up over and through. Basically I'm going around that right, strand, there's number five and number six. Now here's one of the keys I want to get as many sets in my cup as I possibly can. That'S one set and it doesn't look very good. There'S two sets that's what we're going to work on here looks pretty good, but if, by chance I can get three sets in there. That looks great a little more supple whether we might be able to pull that off, but for right now. Let'S just keep it simple all right, so I've got two sets in here. I'M going to take this, I'm going to flip it on my nail now I'm going to relax the braid, I don't have to rebreathe it. I don't have to untangle it because you'll see this braid is going to feed this braid, but now I'm reversing that. So I'm going over the center over the center and again just relaxing a little bit, but you can see how this braid is feeding this braid nice. Now that's actually pretty consistent, but let's go ahead and flip this on our nail, and we can flip this as many times as we want. It does not matter as long as our braid is consistent, so I'm just going to fine tune a little bit there. That looks pretty good. Now, we've got one more step, I'm going to take the cuff, and I'm going to run that over the edge of my paper. This is going to set the braid it's going to soften it just a little bit and it's going to make the braid a little more consistent. Well that looks pretty good nice braid. So last thing we're going to set a line twenty-four snap and we're done well that looks great happy with it thus far. Now, if you want to bump up to doing the mystery braid belts - and you go up to maybe an 8 to 9 9 to 10, you can let the leather it's going to make it a lot easier on your hands. Just be cautious because it's real easy to ding those top corners and it starts to look a little bit rough, alright, so setting snaps we're going to use two very common snaps where we're going to look at two we're going to use one align 20 and align 24 line 20 goes up to about a five to six outs, give or take and align 20 for five to six outs up to about eight to nine pretty much the max. But we're going to use a line 24 because it's a very easy snap to set and we're going to use the line 24 on a lighter weight simply because it's going to be a little easier to see. But it's going to work the same way now. I'Ve got snaps set out here, so line 20 line 24. You can see the difference in the cap size and the difference in the post depth we're going to go with a 24 simply because it's easier to see now. I'Ve got these set in groups up with a line 24. Here'S the great thing: if I mix these two female pieces up, it does not matter those are going to bite. All I'm doing here is I'm riveting the female piece on to the strap with the front or the back post. So I tend to start on the back drop that on my slab or my marble. Now I'm going to take this piece, this has the inner flange on it. Now again, if I reverse these, it's no big deal, but this the way they are typically set line. 24 setter. I'M going to drop that right in the post give that to good clean pops. Now it's still spending a little bit. I don't want to hit those so hard that I knock it into next week because that's going to draw the flange in and the snap won't bite. I just need it on my strap enough to where it doesn't spin, and I don't know if you can see it, but that post has simply curled down inside now. We set our back flat, we're going to take our other side, our cap and we're going to put that in our anvil. So we don't crush that, but here's something that can be confusing and I'll show you why now this is a cup. So my snap, and isn't that gorgeous that's one of our teal teal or turquoise Wade's anyway, I'm going to be wrapping this around my wrist as opposed to the two pieces coming together say if I were going to make a keychain now we need to pay attention To that, but almost always your cap is going to go to your top grade. So I'm going to flip that in and take my female same thing as the back to good pops still spinning just a little bit one more and we have a nicely set snap. So that's easy enough, but talking again about the keychain. If we want this to come together, simply take your back piece and flip it, so your two females are together and they bite well. That is just gorgeous now. One thing on setting snaps kind of think outside your project here, because if you blow out a snap on your favorite bomber jacket purse bag, duffle holster, you can replace your own snap in your own shop in two minutes and pennies right. Okay, so the downside to that you're going to become very popular with friends, neighbors and relatives, and maybe that's information you ought to keep to yourself, but anyway, simple cuff, but use this as a jumping off point into a hundred different directions. I hope you make some great cuffs good luck with your projects. You
Comments
Dakota Millsap: I don't have any interest in leather working at all. BUT the way this guy talks and his attitude is awesome. I'm subscribing just so I can watch more leather Bob Ross.
Elizabeth OConnor: Can't believe this is free and available to the public. Thank you for your dedication to your craft and for making this an accessible hobby to everyone!
Claudio Parra: Damn! He is such a good teacher. You can tell he has a lifetime of experience and love for what he does!
Failure to Communicate: I bet it smells fantastic in his shop. Idk if it’s the leather or polish or combo but walking in a leather shop always smells so good.
CJ Ertel: I've always wondered how this was done! I love it! I am so interested in leathercrafting. I love every part of the process and all the tools involved. I'm in a really rough situation and hoping to come out of this dark place, and I think I'm going to take the leap and invest in this. I'm a beginner, with no experience but I feel naturally drawn to leathercraft and very confident that I can achieve this goal.
seitch1: This guy is like that art teacher in jr. high where you walk into class on the first day with no interest in art but because of his great attitude, patience and dedication to his craft, you develop an interest where you had none before.
Sara Pryde: This answered a question I've had for years. I finished the video and immediately made one with my brothers old scrap leather, tin snips, my pocket knife and a dull exacto knife. Not how I expected my morning to go, thank you for the inspiring video :)
cee new design: This was awesome to watch! We take for granted the craft that goes into these bracelets! Beautiful work! ❤️
DN Handcrafted: Fantastic demonstration and you are an excellent teacher! I've never done leather working before and I feel that I could make one of these. Thank you!
Ostsol: Craftsmen sharing their expertise are some of the best contributors to YouTube.
Mark: Chuck, you're an awesome teacher! I'm relatively new to leathercraft, having only made 2 knife and 5 axe/hatchet sheaths in the past 2 months. I enjoy and appreciate many leather crafters sharing their craft. Nonetheless, you cover so much, including many options/variations, very efficiently. And you're a lot of fun. I was able to join a live session once and that was a hoot! Your wit is appreciated. Just now I discovered you have a link to this project and I've printed out for reference. I'm going to try and make a bunch of these for student gifts! Seems within my talent level : D Thank you!!
Claire Volger: Thank you so much for this tutorial! It’s so easy to follow and you explain everything just the right amount. Also, the explanation for the snap button is SO helpful!!!!
Netta Tal: Wonderful teaching attitude! You turned a subject that’s interesting to you into a subject interesting to everyone watching. So great seeing how much you enjoy what you do. Thank you!
Brandon Bates: This guy is a wizard with leather. So easy to learn and motivating.
Jon Crenshaw: Hi Chuck, thanks as always for a great tutorial! Quick question--how do you finish the cuff? With leather balm/atom wax? And do you finish it prior to braiding? As a wrist cuff, it's going to get wet.
Jeannie Winters: Great vid! Clear and concise! Since I'm a beader, I used this method to create a woven necklace with 30 strands of seed beads separated into 10 strands for 3 groups. Pre stitched to thin leather tabs. That was 20+ years ago and still haven't seen anything like it.
Walter Gouge: I will always remember this video being the one to start my interest in leather work, thank you so much!
ClockworkFirebird: This is so useful thanks for making it! Looking forward to trying this!
Gwendolyne Jackson: LOVE IT!!!!!!! Thanks for showing how to make it!
Magda Mongi: That was awesome tutorial, thank you! Wish I could work in such a beautiful workshop. Mine is way simpler... But I was right there, thanks to the fluidity in the presentation
Booper 343: Beautiful job! I've always wondered how this is done. Thanks!
Ken Roth: I’m doing mystery cuffs with my 5 grand girls this week! Should be fun, thanks for the tips and tutorials.
Missy Michaels: Wow! I don't work with leather, but I really appreciate being able to see the magic of how it's done. :D You're an excellent teacher. Thank you!
Gardening Magic: I have a bracelet just like that and for years, I stared at it wondering how it was braided. Now I know, and since that bracelet lost some of the braids over time due to wear (or maybe it had just one set to begin with), I was able to add a second set. It looks wonderful again. Thank you.
Texas Dog Mom: Can’t wait to see more! My husband and I have always wanted to get into leather working.
John Philip De Sesto: Man, I love this channel. This has really got me in doing leather projects even more.
Magda Januszczyk - Łabacka: Amazing lesson, great translations of every step. Thank you and best regards
Bobby Castleberry: It's been a while since I had done a mystery braid and was looking for a refresher video. Wow was I surprised to see the man who originally got me started with leather working explaining it again in his wonderful clear style. It's great to see you on here reaching more people!
Breeze Whatley-Miller: Nice video! I have always wondered just how those braids were made, because they're my most favorite leather design! Thank you for a simple, but direct & informal video!! The part about setting snaps, at the end of the video, was hilarious, yet an awesome new skill to learn about. Beautiful work, sir...Thank you! I've already subscribed, based solely on the teacher's attitude towards his audience & his whole teaching process(I'm a very visual learner).
Gibby's Wife: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS! Thank you for the great tutorial ♀️
Lenya1: Great tutorial! I always wanted to make one of these for me by myself, now I can go for it. Thank you!
Sandra Anderson: Love your easy to follow demonstration. I was worried about making these because I don't have all the fancy leather tools, but you shows me how to make them without those tools and they came out pretty good. I made those for my nephews for Christmas. Thanks.
Mr No Name: Man... you make it look soooooo easy :)
Nancy Araujo: That is fascinating! Can't wait to try it.
Grand Catsmama: Wow, thank you for show how this beautiful strap is made. I always wondered about how the braid is done.
MsPoisonIvy6: I've never touched a knife to leather but I swear I could make one of these perfectly after this video. Explained fully and simply and with such enthusiasm!
The Unprofessionals: I really loved it it was awesome. Keep sharing your experiences and ideas. For me personally it means a lot. It was quite mind bending but you made it look easy thanks for the lesson.
Alyssa Martin, Voice Coach: thank you so much! been wanting to do this for years! followed along and made my first one!
Barbara Armann: I made a simple comb case when I was in girl scouts about a hundred years ago!! I've always wanted to learn more and learn I did!! This guy is fantastic!! Thank you for the inspiration!!!
Heidi Peterson: I have some serious tool envy at the moment! thanks for the great video, I’m going to try 1 of these for sure
Hermit: Just made my first mystery band cuff, this is the perfect tutorial for it. Thank you sir!
Connor H.: I'm about as novice as can be at leatherwork, but this was incredibly informative and straightforward. I'll definitely be watching more of your videos to build upon my skillset.
Bart Bols: I use these in my bondage gear crafts, they look pretty and they have a nice 'stretch' to it that certain beginners like, you can buckle them tight and people can still get out if they really really want to.
BAK: Mind blown. I didn't even skip a second of this video. One of the best how-to videos I've ever seen. I wish all my old teachers could communicate that well.
KelseyPanda: I always thought these looked so cool and could never figure out how it was done, you're really good at explaining it and making it easy
Bradley Tucker: This is a very well done and easy to follow video. Thanks for doing things so well.
Alex Andra: Wow! What a great, easy to follow tutorial! I can't wait to make some braids!
Margo :3c: This is fascinating! I have a four strand leather strap and I wasn't sure what to do with it but I'm going to try out this technique of braiding on it
erepsekahs: Really excellent explanation of how to do this. I did it for years in the early 1970's....had a lot of fun and sold a ton of them.
Simon Wright: I love this channel. Great ideas all the time but without constantly plugging their products.
wrya Soor: Interesting to watch and learn from him, he’s a master ❤️
david h: The confidence you make all of your cuts and punches is impressive. Belies you experience. Nicely done.
Leetzanna Royalla: Excellent demonstration! I like knowing why as well as how. Good job! Thank you!
dario guirado: Thank you very much for the video, the best explanation of how to make a nice leather braid ... I hope you will continue with more videos like this, you are a genius, I applaud you
Lia: *EXCELLENT TUTORIAL* -- the pace was perfect, and you answered every how & why question I had. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!
sk13ppy: Thanks so much! I don't have all the tools but I'm sure I'll manage with the tools I've got and get some snaps later.
Wonderland Artwork: I went to a flea market with my mom today and found a treasure trove of metalhead belts, chokers and bracelets. One of them my mom bought and it just had the two slits, so she gave it to me to spruce it up. I braided it for her and she loves it ❤️
LovinglfDesigns: This was an excellent end to end tutorial. It covered every single question I had.
FreightTrain: This is the coolest thing I've ever seen. You make me want to try this. Great explanation and patience with the learning curve of the viewer. Thanks for posting.
Phuong Kern: Awesome techniques! Thank you
Kim Sidener: Excellent, clear, well thought out presentation, including speaking to viewer's right, not your right. Also, the words of encouragement as you showed things that are potentially confusing were very reassuring, allowing me to relax and trust without getting frustrated.
Alexander G Gilchrist III: Very clever! Awesome job, great explanation and breakdown tutorial. Look forward to other lessons
𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝘼𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙤𝙣: That has answered a question my subconscious has been secretly asking for years!! That was absolutely facinating!!
Alexa Penn: so that’s how you do that! wow! i’d still have to figure it out cause it looks like you could do it - but, it also looks pretty tricky. thank you so much. this was fascinating. :) ♀️
Shane Sims: Very nice!! your teaching method is great !!
SilverHeart Grin: You're a wonderful teacher. Thank you for the lesson!
Bay Demn: I have a ton of Weaver leather, have no idea why this popped up on my stuff, this was so amazing. I’m going to go to the saddle shop and pick up some scraps
kevin schultz: 4 years late to the party, but wow. These are incredible. Good work and great teaching style! I'm impressed!
Rachel Sookiekat: Thank you for this! I'm a beginner and trying to learn as much as I can. I'm about to invest and get my main materials. My question is, what is the best way to seal this after we make it with it having the braid? Do I just use Fieblings leather balm and buff it as well as I can over the braid?
Melanie C: This is AWESOME! Great content, wonderfully delivered!
Amy Parsons: I've been looking for a good tutorial on this to make Braided vest extenders. Thank you!
JULES: Definitely making for bag handles & tiny zipper pulls!! Thank you!!
Lydia H: Amazing, was always curious how that was done.
Traci Oneill: Love these videos. Super new to leather work and these videos make it very approachable. Thank you!
Kelly Williams: Seriously excellent job! I love how organized you were, quick you were, and the words were exactly what needed to be said! You could teach other video makers how to do it! Thank you for not wasting my time!
M&K M: I've always wondered how that was done. That was awesome! Gotta try it myself now.
Bruce Cheaney: Used to braid a lot of roping reins and had not thought about the mystery braid until I saw your tutorial. Great Tips!
dennis langston: Back in the 70's , my brother and I made leather cases for Bic lighters for friends and family. I put "mystery" braids around mine. I learned how by unbraiding an old purse strap. Watched many people try to find where it was "spliced" .
Galen Mullenax: Love Leather Projects and you make them look simple!! Great shop too!!
bob bobbing: your like the bob ross of leather. such a soothing lesson
Charlotta Rosenberg: This was a great tutorial, thank you!
Smile: What an awesome guy, so incredibly passionate about his work....respect
ANANTHARAM B A: Greetings,. Was absolutely thrilled with the instruction -especially the unravelling bit. Thanks for helping me to figure it out. have actually finished 3-key chains in the 20 minutes after watching the video. (From some scrap leather pieces). Look forward to more of these videos with tips. The whole video is brilliant , and worth every minute.
Erica the Fae: Gosh, I remember this from my after-school-club activities: there was a older guy who showed us how to do (simple) leather crafts and he did the braiding for us - I was so mystified!
Elli Cooper: I was making these in the early 70s. In fact, my wedding headband was a blue velvet one that my daughter used too.
Khan Loo: Thanks for sharing this knowledge. Awesome. I am rope knotting person, but this is great too.
theaberrantdon: I really enjoyed your video. Thanks! I never knew snaps were that easy!
DokDream: One of the better "how to" videos. Very well done.
Elizabeth Ramirez: I also loved the close up and very useful demostration of how to detangle twice and how each of them where very different acording to the amount of sets doneand the explanation of start braiding under instead off over for a better clean look. I suscribed
Lamar Carter: I as a young boy in Miami Florida took classes at Tandy leather school and have loved leather working,I’ve made wallets,belts, and handbags for my late wife.Once I’ve even made a pair of chaps with a matching vest for my Harley days but your right leather work is remarkable I loved it. I still from time to time make some projects but people don’t understand the time and work that goes into projects that may require extensive hand carving the desert rose or a pair of running horses on leather they try to talk you down on the price,so in my older years I just make things when I can. Thanks for the tutorials it’s always good to see others master the craft
John Z: I love how energetic and enthusiastic this guy is. He loves working with leather and that's awesome.
Droitzel Glaedr: You're very clear and you've got great charisma. I was only mildly interested in how these braids worked- I figured there was some sort of trick to it- but you carried me through the whole process without losing my concentration once. That's a feat and a half for someone with a bad attention span like me XD
53prime: And just like that I've managed to become wildly interested in leatherwork. Great video!
Tim Thomson: Thanks for the info, well done video and easy to understand. I always wondered how that was done
Rainbow Hands 18: I learned the technique of making a leather braid cuff from this video. Thank you Chuck and Weaver Leather for sharing this! Cheers!
RITA GOIS: Uau que lindo seu trabalho...
Travis Burgett: I love this so much found totally on accident my new favorite
Hobbs Coblin: I have always wanted to know how to do this! Thank you!
NayNay A: I've never worked with leather, but I really enjoyed watching this guy work. Very informative. It was fun to watch! I subscribed ❤
Siwy: Świetne. Zawsze się zastanawiałem jak to jest zrobione. Wspaniała robota