This was one lesson that H'lee oversaw for every batch of weyrlings. Being a tanner himself, he was intimately familiar with the construction and inspection of riding straps, even more than the average dragonrider. Dragonriders rarely made their straps from scratch. H'lee was the exception, and he insisted on completing the initial steps of strap-making, which most riders never had to do. Namely, that involved picking out the hides and cutting the straps to the proper width, ensuring that the quality his weyrlings received was the best. He also oversaw the purchase of buckles and catches. The rest of the construction was up to them and the training he gave them.
Of course, he inspected the straps thoroughly himself before they were allowed to put them to the test. And he would be spending the next week going over every inch of the straps, approving or disapproving of them. Every time he disapproved, the weyrling had to either start over or make adjustments (depending on the severity of the problem). Once their straps were given a stamp of approval, the weyrling would put them on his or her dragon to wear for the rest of the week.
K'so: Failed
K'let: Passed
Artemis: Passed
S'nom: Failed
Day 4:
K'so: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Day 5:
K'so: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Day 6:
K'so: Passed
S'nom: Passed
K'so
Some of K'so's arrogance had returned in the form of wondering why he should make his own riding straps when he could buy a set. It was hand-cramping work, stitching the leather straps together, stitching on the padding...
The first day they were to present their straps, he thought he'd done well, until he had to present them alongside his clutchmates' straps. His looked shabby by comparison. When X'kim's failed inspection, he knew his, too, would fail.
And fail they did. In fact, they failed so badly H'lee suggested he should just start over with new leather. "Your stitches are uneven and wandering. These ones that are closer to the edge of the strap will feel more strain than the ones farther in, and they'll fail. And you haven't put anywhere near enough padding here, where the strap passes between the wing and shoulder joints. Qancith with chafe his hide raw without the padding." The only (faint) praise he received was that he had made the straps long enough.
Although he really wanted to skip the next several days of inspections, he decided he should attend and work on the straps there. He begged his friend A'lo for some help with getting the stitching straight, since the bronze rider had passed inspection the first day.
On the fifth day for inspections, he presented his (much better-looking) set of straps to H'lee for inspection. He was still faulted on the padding around the shoulders as well as some sloppy stitches on his belt loops. He redid the stitches and added more padding to the straps that evening, fitting them onto Qancith to see how they felt.
They are tight where you added the extra padding. He loosened that section of straps a notch. Much better.
The sixth day, he and S'nom, whose straps had been abysmally poor the first day, both passed inspection, finally.
Of course, he inspected the straps thoroughly himself before they were allowed to put them to the test. And he would be spending the next week going over every inch of the straps, approving or disapproving of them. Every time he disapproved, the weyrling had to either start over or make adjustments (depending on the severity of the problem). Once their straps were given a stamp of approval, the weyrling would put them on his or her dragon to wear for the rest of the week.
Day 1:
X'kim: Failed
A'lo: Passed
Katarina: Failed
Z'vier: Passed
K'so: Failed
N'sir: Failed
K'let: Failed
Artemis: Failed
Fayble: Passed
D'rick: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Ashendel: Passed
Day 2:
X'kim: Passed
Katarina: Passed
K'so: Failed
N'sir: Passed
K'let: Failed
Artemis: Failed
D'rick: Passed
S'nom: Failed
Day 3:X'kim: Failed
A'lo: Passed
Katarina: Failed
Z'vier: Passed
K'so: Failed
N'sir: Failed
K'let: Failed
Artemis: Failed
Fayble: Passed
D'rick: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Ashendel: Passed
Day 2:
X'kim: Passed
Katarina: Passed
K'so: Failed
N'sir: Passed
K'let: Failed
Artemis: Failed
D'rick: Passed
S'nom: Failed
K'so: Failed
K'let: Passed
Artemis: Passed
S'nom: Failed
Day 4:
K'so: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Day 5:
K'so: Failed
S'nom: Failed
Day 6:
K'so: Passed
S'nom: Passed
So very close to getting to ride though the air on your dragons!
NOTE: Strap inspection includes the belt-strap that wraps around the outside of your riding gear.
First Post: Having your straps inspected. H'lee is checking for: solid stitching around the buckles, belt catches, handholds, and connecting straps; sufficient woolen padding (at least 1/2-inch thick) on the inside; extra length to accommodate draconic growth and bindings to secure loose ends; no stretch-marks, nicks, cuts, or tears in the leather.
Deadline: Saturday, 10/20
Next Post: Sunday, 10/21
Required Posts: 3 out of 4
NOTE: Strap inspection includes the belt-strap that wraps around the outside of your riding gear.
First Post: Having your straps inspected. H'lee is checking for: solid stitching around the buckles, belt catches, handholds, and connecting straps; sufficient woolen padding (at least 1/2-inch thick) on the inside; extra length to accommodate draconic growth and bindings to secure loose ends; no stretch-marks, nicks, cuts, or tears in the leather.
Deadline: Saturday, 10/20
Next Post: Sunday, 10/21
Required Posts: 3 out of 4
K'so
Some of K'so's arrogance had returned in the form of wondering why he should make his own riding straps when he could buy a set. It was hand-cramping work, stitching the leather straps together, stitching on the padding...
The first day they were to present their straps, he thought he'd done well, until he had to present them alongside his clutchmates' straps. His looked shabby by comparison. When X'kim's failed inspection, he knew his, too, would fail.
And fail they did. In fact, they failed so badly H'lee suggested he should just start over with new leather. "Your stitches are uneven and wandering. These ones that are closer to the edge of the strap will feel more strain than the ones farther in, and they'll fail. And you haven't put anywhere near enough padding here, where the strap passes between the wing and shoulder joints. Qancith with chafe his hide raw without the padding." The only (faint) praise he received was that he had made the straps long enough.
Although he really wanted to skip the next several days of inspections, he decided he should attend and work on the straps there. He begged his friend A'lo for some help with getting the stitching straight, since the bronze rider had passed inspection the first day.
On the fifth day for inspections, he presented his (much better-looking) set of straps to H'lee for inspection. He was still faulted on the padding around the shoulders as well as some sloppy stitches on his belt loops. He redid the stitches and added more padding to the straps that evening, fitting them onto Qancith to see how they felt.
They are tight where you added the extra padding. He loosened that section of straps a notch. Much better.
The sixth day, he and S'nom, whose straps had been abysmally poor the first day, both passed inspection, finally.