duckster: i would tan the hide before i cut it into strips silly that way it would be nice a soft.

Warm Water: just make them as you please! you can crosscut them (cutting them so the hair is perpendicular to the strip of skin) or cut them normal. i think the only way you could mess up would be to have the cuts be un-even. as far as how wide to cut them, 1/8" or 1/4" should be good. 1/4" is pushin it tho lol. o and make shur the hide is tanned before attempting to make strips. one it will be easier to cut them and two if it isnt tanned, the hard brittle skin will snap when you try to wrap it