The guy who ordered this vest supplied the elk skin for it. I suggest that it would be better if I used my moccasin cowhide leather for the 1/4" wide laces. They are much stronger than elk skin lacing would be, and would make the vest stronger in just the right places - the seams and edges. So, the seams. edges, shawl collar, and pockets are all braided with cowhide leather.
Over the last 40 years, I've custom built hundreds of vests - you can see over 50 of them on my vests home page. While they are all braided, that's pretty much where their similarities end. After seeing the many features I can offer, folks contact me with their own ideas/designs and we discuss how I should build one for them. Each vest ends up truly being a unique, handmade, long lasting, one of a kind piece.
