HorsehairBraider

@oltoot oh heavens! I can't recall now. When I'm braiding a project like this I always cut way more than I need, because sometimes there are minor flaws that I find when I start assigning strings to braid a certain section. I don't like a flawed piece of string in my projects so I discard that part. Sometimes the lengths that result from cutting out the flaw are useable, sometimes not. My rule of thumb is 1.5 the braided length. So if I need a braided length of 12", I use 18" strings. Sometimes I add a few inches more, "just in case". Nothing worse than running out of length of strings, when you have not yet reached the correct length for the braided piece! But basically it's experience, the tension that you have in your hands, that will tell you the correct length of strings. @oltoot oh heavens! I can't recall now. When I'm braiding a project like this I always cut way more than I need, because sometimes there are minor flaws that I find when I start assigning strings to braid a certain section. I don't like a flawed piece of string in my projects so I discard that part. Sometimes the lengths that result from cutting out the flaw are useable, sometimes not. My rule of thumb is 1.5 the braided length. So if I need a braided length of 12", I use 18" strings. Sometimes I add a few inches more, "just in case". Nothing worse than running out of length of strings, when you have not yet reached the correct length for the braided piece! But basically it's experience, the tension that you have in your hands, that will tell you the correct length of strings. @oltoot oh heavens! I can't recall now. When I'm braiding a project like this I always cut way more than I need, because sometimes there are minor flaws that I find when I start assigning strings to braid a certain section. I don't like a flawed piece of string in my projects so I discard that part. Sometimes the lengths that result from cutting out the flaw are useable, sometimes not. My rule of thumb is 1.5 the braided length. So if I need a braided length of 12", I use 18" strings. Sometimes I add a few inches more, "just in case". Nothing worse than running out of length of strings, when you have not yet reached the correct length for the braided piece! But basically it's experience, the tension that you have in your hands, that will tell you the correct length of strings.

Beautiful work, Vitaly.

Huh, something I actually know about... My husband builds guitars. Normally they are made of plastic. But I know some are bakelite. He buys from is a company called Stewart MacDonald... Here is a link: Pick guard materials They are pretty thin, I would think any really thin yet rigid material would work. I can ask him tomorrow, when he is back from work, if just a piece of leather by itself would work. I can't remember if these cover up electronics or not. Well, he will know!

Hi Christy A - I might be able to help you out here. I'm a horsehair braider but also work leather. Are you able to PM me on this site? I would need a lot more information: How much hair do you have? Is it mane hair or tail hair? and so on. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck in getting a piece made that will commemorate your horse.

Thank you, rcsaddles, I appreciate the reply.

I would say they are hitching. That is what I always see. Sadly I can not help you as I am strictly a braider. Hitching is a wonderful technique but I simply don't do it. Best of good fortune to you in learning how!

I have not been able to find the time to post here in ages. But this spring I made a headstall for someone and thought I'd share some pics. It's made of roo that I cut, skived and beveled. The knots have a foundation or casa of white horsehair and the interweave is the roo, cut down and skived finer. I cored the braids with a nice strong cord, "just in case". This was really a great project. I don't often have the opportunity to work this large. Also putting in a pic of it on the horse it was built for.

I have a cutter/skiver/beveler like you describe made out of aluminum... I bought it on eBay from the maker. His name was Clint Sims and for a while anyway he was a member here and I believe his handle here was "White Buff". I've not been around much myself, so I don't know if he is still around.

Nice work!

I've used tape, and it stays just fine. Have also used a collar made of scrap leather... you can make these any size etc. and you can smooth the ends nice. Usually, when I want the knot to slide, I put it on a leather collar, smooth or skin side down against the work, flesh side against the braiding. You can also just glue them down if they are supposed to stay still.

Most of the time people take horsehair and hitch it over the end. However some use rawhide or something and tie a pineapple knot. Personally, I just tie the knot in hair. But pretty much no one else does that. I think most people use one of the two techniques mentioned above.

Nice work! Good luck in finding "time", lol!

Nice work as always and happy birthday! Yeah just you wait - you start working in silver too and you will have no more "free time" on your hands! Folks will be lined up for blocks!

How cool. I so admire this type of work. I would love to be able to do some of it in miniature.

Nice to see this. Great work! Must be an absolute pleasure to use it.

When I was younger I did not have a way to bevel so I never did! The horses never cared one way or the other. I think it is a matter of taste. I've rolled things on my (first well cleaned off) kitchen counter, but I do tend to braid smaller things. I like doing it with my foot but some of my stuff is so small I can't do it that way. You do what you can and what works.

Very nice! Smooth and lovely work. Well done!!

KarlB... what I would suggest is to find someone relatively close, and pay them for lessons. What you are asking is impossible for me (personally) to do, because *I can't see you*. When I work with someone in person, it's really easy for me to see what the issue is. Online? Impossible for me. I have people call me on the phone or email me etc. No matter if you call or email me, I *STILL* can't see what you are doing. I would need to see you in person. So look around, maybe ask here, if there is someone who is somewhat close to you, contact them, and set up a working relationship. I think that is the best way to success, particularly if you are having difficulties.

A real pleasure to see that - it brought a smile to my face! What a lucky horse/owner combo, to get to use something like that!

Very nice and a great idea. Beautiful work, as always!

Right, good points and good advice. Thanks very much.

I'm working on a headstall and I've come up with a design questions. I'm hoping folks who have used one ear headstalls can give me some advice. Now, I've used a one ear... but some of them have two, one ear parts - if you see what I mean - and I've never used one of those. The lady wants this for her show horse. It's to have two, one ear parts on it. I was thinking of having these hooked together right in the middle at the top of the poll. Will this in any way affect the functionality of the headstall? Or would I be better off making the two one ear parts totally separate from each other, so that they could be moved to fit each ear? I'd sure appreciate any advice folks might have. I want her to be very happy with her headstall, but as I say I myself have never used a headstall exactly like this, so I am not sure about how it will work out. Thanks!

Hi Bill - nice to know there might be local interest! Most of the people who contact me live out of state, some even live in different countries! It seems there is a need for braiding teachers.

It all depends on what you think "looks good". That will be different for different people. I would suggest to do a mock braid with a lot of different colors, see a place in the braid you admire and trace where those colors are in the braid, and then put the white strands in those locations. You could use colored cord like they have at Walmart in the craft section, parachute cord etc. As you gain experience you will be able to decide ahead of time what sort of pattern you'd like to achieve, and will understand where to put strands in order to get that pattern. But, it takes practice, practice, practive.

Thanks for the idea Aaron. The closest Tandy is an hour and a half away... kind of a commute. Still, a great idea. Maybe I could do it for one day a month or something. I would not want to drive there and back all the time, as it's 3 hours out of my day for just driving. My specialty is of course horsehair braiding. The people who contact me specifically want to learn to braid hair the way I do. Only thing is you kind of need at least some experience to do it; still, starting out with beginners is an idea. I think even beginners could at least learn to braid the lengths; a 4 strand, 8 strand etc. There is a local (well - relatively local. I am kind of in the middle of Nowhere.) community college, but I also know the owner/manager of the Holiday Inn Express. I was going to approach her and see if I could get some kind of group rate for students, they could stay there for the weekend/whatever, and she probably has a room where I could teach. That is only a half hour to 45 minute drive one way (depending on weather and traffic) so it's a little more doable. Of course the students would have to travel, but I had the impression that some people were willing to do this. I think I read once that Gail Hought teaches classes this way - students actually travel to her, and she teaches them. If I were teaching horsehair braiding, I would also have to supply the hair... but that is not a problem at all. However supplying the lacing for leather braiding seems a little overwhelming, unless they were buying from the local Tandy. Or I could get parachute cord, *much* cheaper...