curlyjo

Megabit, I think you'll be ok with 3 at 100' and 1 at 90'. Fromthe measurements I talked to you about you lose about 1/3 when braiding a 4 strand reata. And keep your plastic containers ready because I think it's going to take longer than 1 day to braid up. Also I was teasing about the paracord and lace over rawhide issue. I've lost track of the number of hackamore and bosal bodies I have hanging on the wall that are designated chew toys for the learning curve. To short, twisted, to big or to small core, and than some. But when it works all is well. Brad

If you're new to braiding, stick with paracord or lacing already made up. It's much more forgiving and can be dismantled to reuse. Mike, rawhide is great but there is to many steps between start and finish. I know what your saying but I've to much rawhide hanging on the wall to encourage starting there. Brad

I'll try to post pictures when my Gkids are here. They can figure this photo thing out better then me. I've noticed that at 58 I'm a generation or 2 behind computer literacy. I'm just happy to be able to visit here and other forums and learn and share a little bit. Brad PS I was just thinking about computers in High School. They filled an entire building and spit out cards that made no sense to me.

I should probably be more specific on the button issue. My multiple string buttons go on with one pass and no tightening but my single ring or side buttons and heel knots all have to be pulled down to finish. By one pass I mean I keep it tight from the start and enough room to fit and finish without going back and pulling snug. Maybe just lucky. Brad

I've been gone a few days and missed the discussion on wet string. I've posted before but here's what works for me. Take a plastic container( a 5 gallon bucket works for most of what I do) and put a screen up off the bottom on top of some 1/2 bricks on edge, so about 4 inches off bottom. Put about 2 inches of water in bottom of bucket and then soak your strings for just a short time and lay on top of the screen so nothing touches the water. Cover with a loose plastic bag, the clear ones work good, just make sure it is fairly sealed. The rawhide will draw the moisture up into your strings and if its warm will do it quicker. With small button string you just have to run water over them before putting them in bucket. I've also used the long storage containers for large bundles if I've run out of time between sizing and beveling. Same idea with screen over water and plastic bag cover. As far as large tamales go, I've heard of fellas just prepping half the strings and braiding from the middle out and then prepping other half and going the other way. You just have to try and see what works for you. I tried the plastic bag wrap and always had wet and dry spots. Just another idea, Brad

My cores are fairly small so I just use a finished string about 4' long, soak it up, put one end in a vice,the other in some vice grip pliers, twist til it's right and nail it to the bench top with a fence staple in front of the pliers. It's done the next day. Brad

I think what happened i s I didn't snug up on the start and when came back it was to loose to hold the foundation. I pulled it apart and made new strings as the old got a little frayed. On straight rawhide buttons I tie loose and go back and take slack out. The 5 strings I took out will be used for bracelets or foundations so no loss. Brad

Interesting subject. I just put a nose button on a bosal that was all kangaroo with a twisted rawhide core. It started with 5 strings and I didn't leave enough room to turn back for the 2nd time and it jumped over the ring button foundation and I couldn't keep it from pulling over and ended up taking it apart and starting over. All other buttons are tied and then tightened to take slack out. Brad

I'm with Alan here. 3/32x6/32 will get you a 5/16ths reata. 120' of string x 4 will get an 86' Reata. 3/8ths is to big to pack even 60' long unless your hands are huge and your arms look like Arnold S. from California. Also, I'm pretty sure Bill Dorrance had a long string at the base of his hondas to pull to get it off, not the tag on the burner. I learned from him as a teen and we practised roping all sizes of cattle and I spent a lot of time on the ground learning how to get cattle down and place ropes on both ends. And if a reata hung on one hind foot, he could dally up, we'd grab that long string, and he'd give slack and we'd pull and it would drop off.

Maybe I'm missing something here(its happened before) but the video by Bryan Neubert, the first one, shows the easiest way to tie the multible string button. I was having a tough time starting and consistently turning back and this visual and explanation made it simple. And the easiest way to keep it straight from twisting is to draw a line down the top of where you are putting the button and keep your v's on that line. Brad

Just lay them over a barrel or something round and start scraping with a large rounded blade. Try not to move sideways and score the top grain. If the hair is long take clippers and shear it down as close as possible. You could resoak in a water trough and then put in mix to let the hair slip. Brad

If your getting your strings from Tejas, Bill Confer, just order cow hides. That will get good string from the backs and sides for bosal and hackamores and button string from the belly. If you get the rounds you can go any direction but they are pricey. You still have to split most of the time. Just my opinion. Brad

I found out today that they actually blew up a porta-potty first and then another homemade bomb blew up right in front of them. They ran after that and didn't know it had started a fire. Just lucky to be alive with all parts accounted for. One of the boys came by at noon and apoligized and the father wanted to make ammends. I told him it's up to the quarry operators as to the next step. But they were cited for trespassing, arson, and bomb making. I'm pretty sure I wont have any more problems with those two again. one more month and the whole mountain would have gone up. Brad

Sorry about that. The braiding is great as always. When I saw your picture, I'd just gotten in because some neighbor kids had torched a small office and storage container up the hill and I had to go open the gate for the fire dept. I saw the hardware and that stuck in my head. Thanks for sharing. Brad

I would really like to know where you get your hardware for the bracelets. I can't seem to dredge it up on the computer. Thanks, Brad

Thats one way. For small Bosals maybe just 2 strings the same size you are braiding( 1/4 " finished) to a 3/4 finished using 4,5,or 6 strings as a core. Just don't use big strings on small bosals or it tends to have flat spots in the finish braid. It's hard to roll those spots out when you're done. I've used twisted cores and seem to have better luck if you can let them hang around for awhile after they dry. It seems to relax the twist a little and not throw a twist into the finished bosal. Just my 2 cents and I'm always trying new stuff. Brad

OK Now I understand. I've noticed when I braid cores, I probably don't put as much time in them as I would with a finished piece. Thats just me. I generally just use 2,3, or 4 of the same size string and braid right over it depending on the finish size Bosal I'm looking for. Maybe it's just faster then braiding up a core and then braiding over to finish. But thats just me. Brad I hope I got this right, sorry about the misunderstanding.

It's just a matter of using something thats already braided and to short for anything else. I've had Bosals with twisted cores spin my heelknot sideways when out in the sun. If your happy with your own braided cores stay with them. Sometimes you can get braided material from over the border cheap and it might work for cores. Brad

If it's for a pretty good size Hackamore, braid it over a piece of Reata. Or a piece off a broken set of reins. Ebay ocasionally has some short reatas for sale cheap. 25' reata will get you 6 or 7 cores. Just cut them the length you need and hang them for awhile to get the curve out. Brad

I know you said you were looking for precut lace but if you decide to cut your own, I would recommend Hardtke in Texas. charleshardtke.com The drumstuffed colored hides have been excellent and have not had to split any strings I've used for nosebuttons and heelknots on small Bosals. I've only bought Roo so don't know about the others. Hope this helps. Brad

It seems like your core might be a little to big or you're not pushing back when you pull your strings tight. I think I would try a smaller core if you're not to far along. Brad

8KCAB,I wouldn't do any sizing until you have split all your'e string. The splitting will take most of your stretch out and then you can size them up and get more uniform string. And only bevel the top when its rawhide. You should be able to get plenty of string out of small pieces of rawhide cut in a circle, 30" diameter rounds, and work off of that. I never cut string wider than 5/16" to make hondas or smaller for Bosals and than split. Brad

Megabit, I did the same thing with rawhide. To much crowding on the nose button. I switched to Roo and it seemed to be easier. But I think the problem was not leaving enough space between strings on the first pass. And not having to worry about moisture with the Roo. I think I'm about comfortable enough to make another go at all rawhide and try again. I've been building 5/16ths Bosals but that Roo is getting a little pricey. Brad

Heres something I learned many years ago from Bill Dorrance. If you just made a bosal or set of reins with lots of buttons and you were out gathering a field of cows or steers or whatever and the fellow you are with starts looking real close at your braiding and maybe a string out of place you ask him "What do you suppose that is up on that far ridge?" and take off in that direction. Hopefully the distraction will be enough to have him forget what he thought he saw. Brad