Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the use of rawhide, I would recommend the short film “Lige: Portrait of a Rawhide Braider” (1985), that can be found at Folkstreams.net. The film is just under half an hour in length and is fascinating for both the people portrayed and the information it contains about the traditional working of rawhide in “the region known as the Sagebrush Corner of northeastern California and northwestern Nevada”.
The site contains many additional short films (free and licensed for individual viewing) that would interest readers of your blog – rural and traditional crafts, music, lifestyles are examined. Fascinating shorts that will bring back long forgotten memories for some and will educate many others. Regards, – J.F.