Just wonder if people make the majority of their equipment or if they buy it. I make my own leashes and jesses. For large birds like falcons and hawks I use kangaroo leather for the jesses but for smaller species I make my jesses out of embroidery floss and swivels. I make all my own leashes out of either embroidery floss or a heavy string and never had any of them break and one leash I've been using for over 10 years! I buy my hoods and bells from Ricardo Velarde here in Utah and I use a welders glove (for large birds) or a lightweight leather/pigskin glove (for smaller birds) instead of buying an expensive one.
I forgot to mention the perches....I buy them too. I just don't have access to the equipment to make nice looking perches! Here is a pic of the jesses and leashes I make. For some reason people here really like the jesses I make for the kestrels, merlins and sharpy's. There nice but nothing that special....to me anyway! LOL I don't use a bag, I use a vest instead. It is a fishing/hunting vest you get at Wal-Mart for a whopping $12 and I slightly modify it for falconry purposes and extra equipment like jesses, leashes, hoods and swivels.
Well.... I cheated this year and bought my Hawking Bag at an Army Surplus store...
Anyway... Eddie.. any way I could bribe you to to either teach me how to tie leash's like that? Or take pictures of step by step instruction on how to make them?
Well let's see I make my own hoods, jesses, leashes ( either from parachute cord or the mending twine used for commercial fishing nets.) I have a vest simalr to what Eddie discribed though I'm looking for a carpenter's pouch to rig up. Perches I make from whatever I can find. I have a shade from a yard light for a base and a cut out from a stair case used for a log home. I also have a perch made for the back of the truck that uses a birch tree that's about an 1 1/2 thick. I made my lure though it looks more like an old wallet. In fact the only thing I've bought for falconry is a wwelding glove, bells , swivels from a tack shop, and a few good falconry books.
Making the leashes is easy. Just start your braid about 1 inch off center and make it about 2 inches long and then fold in half to make the loop and then with the rest of the strings, just incorporate them into the braid. I hope that isn't too confusing. I don't know how to explain it any other way. LOL
Making the leashes is easy. Just start your braid about 1 inch off center and make it about 2 inches long and then fold in half to make the loop and then with the rest of the strings, just incorporate them into the braid. I hope that isn't too confusing. I don't know how to explain it any other way. LOL
Oh yeah.. that totally cleared that up All ya had to say was its a trade secret Ed
Im going to make most of my equipment, personaly, i thnk it would be more fun, and more like what they did a long long time ago in a...er..*doesnt wanna get in troule because of copy right * erm... universe far far away *yes i no ther is one universe* in the book Falconry and Hawking (i thnk thats what its called) its got really good step by step for the Anglo Indian hood (tryn that one when i get real leather! ) and it also has a glove pattern that i will try out, and a hawking bag pattern!!!
Wolf, not a trade secret, just an ancient Hungarian secret (and sore fingers)! LOL What kind of bird do you have? I'll just make one and mail it to you (and I guarantee my work so if it ever frays or anything I'll replace it) but I like to match the colors to the bird! Do you just want a regular leash or do you want me to put the loops in it for a shock absorber? If your bird doesn't bate much the shock absorber is an overkill! LOL