20/24 Braid Kangaroo Leather Romal Reins

Over 1344 feet, greater than one quarter of one mile, of black, red, and saddle tan kangaroo leather is used to handcraft this set of romal reins.  Reins are a 20 braid over 1/4" leather core.  Romal is a 24 braid over 3/8" leather core.  All braided leather is manually stretched, cut, split and beveled.

Set contains 123 visible buttons and 100 groundwork buttons. 

At the bit end of reins and both ends of romal there is a long, tapered black pineapple button with three herringbone interweaves of black, saddle tan, and red.  Over 32 feet of leather lace is required to complete visible portion of button.

Turk's head button with gaucho interweave serve as rein wear leathers.  Rein connectors are an eight braid with three visible buttons.  The end of each connector features a round, black Turk's head button with black herringbone interweave and red leather center.  Red Turk's head button with gaucho interweave comprise the slide and button attaching connector to rein.



Rein and romal repeating button sequence includes black Turk's head with red herringbone interweave, black Turk's head with saddle tan herringbone interweave, black Turk's head with black herringbone interweave, and black Turk's head with black gaucho interweave.  Between each button in repeating sequence there is a two-pass, red Spanish ring knot.

Rein slide is a large, round black Turk's head button with three interweaves of black, saddle tan and red.  Almost 15 feet of leather lace is used to tie visible portion of rein slide.  Rein slide and tapered pineapple button interweaves are identical.

Twelve braid rein and romal connector has the same button sequence as rein connectors.

Popper is comprised of four pieces of black kangaroo leather.  Two filler strips of kangaroo leather have been cut smaller than exterior to provide weight and contoured definition to popper.  Popper is double-needle, hand sewn at 12 stitches per inch using approximately 17 feet of red silk thread.  When hand sewing an item with two needles, one needle is inserted from the back and one needle is inserted from the front in the same hole at the same time.  The thread crosses over itself in each hole.  This manner of sewing produces locked threads that will not unravel for several stitches if broken.  A red Turk's head button with herringbone interweave requiring over 10 feet of leather lace attaches popper to romal.

This particular set of romal reins received the Best of Show award during the Western Design Conference 2013, Jackson, Wyoming.