Hello Dave,
OMG, I got my vest today and it's PERFECT!!!!! Yes, it is indeed a beautiful piece of leather, and not one flaw. Fits just right, and looks even cooler than I imagined. I absolutely love it!!!!! Your craftsmanship is beyond compare. Really a work of art, and just right for my cowboy mounted shooting outfit. I can't wait to show it off next weekend at our next event.
Many, many thanks!!!!!!!!!!
Julie
western leather vest with braiding
This vest was built with 4 oz. moccasin cowhide leather. The seams, edges, lapels, back yoke, and pockets were braided with 1/4" wide leather laces cut from the same kind of leather that the parts of the vest were cut from. It has (what I call) a draft flap across the back/bottom of it. These 3" draft flaps have become popular with my customers and I have built then in a variety of ways. This one is rather squared off - many others are done with various curves across the back/bottom.
Over the last 40 years, I've custom built hundreds of vests - you can see over 50 of them on my vest's 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.
