Type Of Braid For Nose Band On Bosal?

[Melanie Wilfong]

These are my first practice back-braid/knots. I'm making a rope bosal, using woven knots for the keepers. My question is should I do a braid like this and put a woven knot on ends of the braid, or should I do a braid with finished ends on each side and just a single woven knot for the headstall keepers? I wondering if a woven knot will stay put over the braid end.

Edited February 11, 2011 by Melanie Wilfong

[Aggiebraider]

Melanie,

First off, try and post any braiding questions in the braiding section of the forum, it will typically get better responses there from the braiders that follow the section regularly.

As far as your question, Im really not sure what you are asking. By keepers, what do you mean? If you havent bought any books yet, I recommend you buying Gail Hought's books, especially her bosal books. You wouldnt need to get both of them to just start, I would just get the first. You should also get the Bruce Grant books as they cover the bosal building process quite well.

After reading your post about 10 times and looking at the pics, I think I understand what you are asking now. If you do a nose button over your body (doesnt matter if you braided the body or if you are using a rope), and you make a true nose button, the ends will stay just fine and wont need anything over top them. The way people achieve the swelled look at each side of a nose button is by building a foundation that you want (either with a spanish ring knot or a piece of leather wrapped around the body and skived), then braid the nose button over top this and the foundation of the nose button. You dont have to do this as you can just build an even foundation and braid over this, which would make a straight nose button without any swells. Kind of a personal preference as to whether you make a "moused" nose button as its called or a straight one.

Hope this helps and if not ask away and I will try and answer any other questions you might have.

CW

[Melanie Wilfong]

Melanie,

First off, try and post any braiding questions in the braiding section of the forum, it will typically get better responses there from the braiders that follow the section regularly.

As far as your question, Im really not sure what you are asking. By keepers, what do you mean? If you havent bought any books yet, I recommend you buying Gail Hought's books, especially her bosal books. You wouldnt need to get both of them to just start, I would just get the first. You should also get the Bruce Grant books as they cover the bosal building process quite well.

After reading your post about 10 times and looking at the pics, I think I understand what you are asking now. If you do a nose button over your body (doesnt matter if you braided the body or if you are using a rope), and you make a true nose button, the ends will stay just fine and wont need anything over top them. The way people achieve the swelled look at each side of a nose button is by building a foundation that you want (either with a spanish ring knot or a piece of leather wrapped around the body and skived), then braid the nose button over top this and the foundation of the nose button. You dont have to do this as you can just build an even foundation and braid over this, which would make a straight nose button without any swells. Kind of a personal preference as to whether you make a "moused" nose button as its called or a straight one.

Hope this helps and if not ask away and I will try and answer any other questions you might have.

CW

[Melanie Wilfong]

Thank you CW. I've learned a lot since posting the question. Went back and read thru Grant's book several times, practiced several times. Read thru the awesome tutorial that is posted on this site. I am practicing the method Grant uses for the nose button. Actually I had better luck getting the top bights tight holding with my thumb as opposed to tying at the top. Tying really got it messed up. Still trying to figure out how many rounds to make around the core. In the book it only shows one round but mine didn't come out right. Out of all the knots, braids I've done, this is the toughest for me. How many times should I wrap around for an 8" nose button?

By the way, I'm use leather over rope as opposed to rawhide. I'm copying an old hackamore made with 1/4" leather, so I think 3 strings will work. Core is 1 1/2" circ. The practice button is with 4- 1/8" strings of very thin roo. Don't know if that's part of the problem, but it's just not working out. Maybe my angles are large enough (in other words, it's too straight down if that makes sense). The last one I did everything was nice and tight, but the string on both ends came out UNDER both bights, where left end should finish over, right end finish under. Not sure if this is because I didn't wind around my core correctly. Pain in my rear, but I'm not giving up. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 4, 2011 by Melanie Wilfong

[Aggiebraider]

It is actually WAY easier to tie a nose button if you use multiple strands (at least for me). I learned a technique from a couple TCAA members where you use 8 strands and crown them over each other at whatever side you want to start with, then braid them down the nose foundation Over 1 Under 1. This works best if you can hang the bosal body up so its going straight down in front of you. Then once you get near hte bottom, go about an inch past the bottom knot and then start going back up with each strand, following a strand thats already there, then once you get to the top, you will start splitting pairs. Once you have everything going O2 U2, you are done. Hope this makes sense, might take pics once i actually get to making another bosal and I will post them.

CW

[Melanie Wilfong]

Thanks CW! I got it. You are right, braiding down is so much easier than weaving each string. Both ends were nice and tight. If anyone is have trouble, just keep practicing and you will get it.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Melanie Wilfong