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How to make a riata


St. Louis Suomi SASS #31905

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I remember my dad telling me that rawhide string was cut in one continuous cut from a hide. I never quite figured out how that would work until I watched this video.

 

When I was about 5 I asked him how Cowboys counted cows. He told me they counted the kegs and divided by 4. I believed that for a long time!

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Guest Grass Range #51406

There is a difference between a riata and a hair rope. Any riata I ever saw was made from rawhide and if you are going to rope with one you should ask someone who knows just how to keep from breaking it when the steer hits the end. Mcartys (mecate) are always made from braided horse hair. My brother and I tried the rattlesnake not crossing a hair rope several times when we were growing up here in Montana. This is a complete fabrication as I never saw one even slow down when it comes to crossing the hair rope. Those guys making the hair ropes in the video were good and I still use a hair McCarty and cinches. If you do make a hair rope don't use you scissors to clip off the loose ends sticking out

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To ut the string e hide was cut in a circle or close to it then a lace cutter was used from the center out. Then the string was soaked and stretched IIRC then it was braided into the riata then that would be wetted streched and rounded using a hole in a block of wood that was the correct size. I tried braiding stuff, I ok with the three string flat braid four I have problems keeping track of the right string five blows my mind

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