Rolled Headstall

[Rolled Headstall]

Lucky me ! The magazine was on the top of the pill !

Big Sioux Saddlery résume well what I read in it.

If you want the magazine with the instruction, they still sale it ( Leather crafters & saddlers, may-Jun '98)

http://www.leathercraftersjournal.com/product.cfm?product=130

Have fun

Thank you for point me to the journal. I have ordered one.

Al Stohlman's book on handsewing has some instruction on sewing "rounds". I also think Bruce Johnson has a tutorial on here on how to do it. As for leather, natural strap works well due to it's ability to be easily cased, molded and burnished. I've also used harness, bridle and English Bridle with good results. Those leathers will require a little more time in water, (very warm water works best) due to the waxes and tallows. Leather cut from the lower center of the hide works well, or the shoulder, if there are minimal wrinkles, for rounding. Avoid leather cut from the prime butt area. It will typically be too dense and hard and tends to crack during the rounding process. There are a few tools that make the process much easier. Round breakers, which go on the end of a creasing machine, greatly expedite the process. Also, a rounder to pull the finished piece through is almost imperative. Bruce Johnson sells them, as well as a number of other places. A rein trimmer hand tool is used to trim off the filler after sewing. A heavy edger is needed to edge the outside edges of the round. Rounds may be machine or hand sewn, with either linen or synthetic thread. With either method, the traditional way is to sew in a channel so as to hide the stitches in the finished product. Also, coarser stitches are typically used; 4 to the inch is common, but only if you hide them. Making rounds is one of my favorite jobs, but it's tough to get paid for the time required to do it correctly. Best of luck to you!

Thank you for the tips. I started off this project by purchasing a rounder. I have some English bridle leather that I think I will try to make a few rounds with. Do you have any pictures of your work?

[Rolled Headstall]

I am new to posting on this forum, been lurking for a while. There has been some really great info on here that has helped me a lot on my projects, so thank you. I am looking into making a rolled leather headstall with a flat browband. Looking to make one similar to the old timey ones in the Visalia saddle catalogs.

Wondering for some input on what type of leather do you use? Are some easier to roll than others? What type of thread to you use to sew it? And what is the process you use to sew them?