Exceptional 80 foot braided rawhide reata by the late Frank Hansen of Lakeview, Oregon. The reata is the finest one I’ve ever owned. It is 6 plait and measures approximately 3/8” in diameter and 80 feet long. It is in unused condition and extremely supple. The hondo is marked F HANSEN. The late Frank Hansen, a top braider, always made his own rawhide treatment, a half-and-half combination of beef tallow and beeswax. He would rub this into his rawhide, which seemed to last forever and maintain a great feel. This reata includes an original first edition copy of the book “How to Make Cowboy Horse Gear” by Bruce Grant, which is the book Frank used that taught him all he knew about braiding rawhide.

Frank Hansen was born in Colorado in 1917 but grew up mainly in Kansas, where he attended school through the eighth grade. He was working as a cowboy by age 16, and picked up a bit of knowledge about braiding here and there, but didn’t start working at it seriously until the early 1960s. He always said most of his knowledge came from Bruce Grant’s book How to Make Cowboy Horse Gear. Frank taught dozens of other braiders over the years, made many friends through braiding, and enjoyed the challenge of working with rawhide. This reata is the real deal. Asking 995 for the reata and book..