HorsehairBraider

If there is a hardware store across the street, see if they have a hand planer. You could turn one of those upside down and it might work for splitting. In case of any confusion, I mean one like on this page, 4th one down.

I've got one more suggestion: Black is very hard to see. Change color in the knot to something MUCH lighter. If you are indeed following the string down on the wrong side (and it looks like you are) you'll be able to tell a lot easier in a lighter color. And remember, you're doing this for FUN....

No no- don't back out the *first* pass! Start by taking out the very last one you made, and go from there. You never know. At some point you might say, "well that much is OK" and then you can start going forwards not backwards. Also, write down what you take out! Maybe when you see on paper what you did, it will make sense that it was not the right move.

Yeah, it does look like you messed up on a couple of passes with the blue. Your foundation does look OK from what I can see. But all I can really say is, pull out the blue and start over. I can't tell if the wrong passes are at the start (that's what I would think is the case) or at the end... or somewhere in the middle. You did it pretty consistently though, the whole pass shows it. Using a contrasting color is good. If your pattern starts to go wrong stop right away and look things over real careful. The contrasting color will bring up a pattern pretty quick, in this case zig zags straight up and down the knot. The minute you get something in the wrong place stop and see what is going on. That's the best I can tell you, without you sitting right here and me showing you.

Entiendo - is this a knot with a foundation or turk's head that you tie first? If so, take a deep breath... and take out the blue. Then go over your foundation with a fine-toothed comb and make sure there are no mistakes in it. Once you are CERTAIN your foundation is good, and that you've got it distributed evenly, start again... and take it easy and slow. Pour yourself a nice cup of your favorite beverage and don't get in any hurry. If this is one that does not have a foundation (what I would call a "built" knot) I would suggest to just start over. This sometimes happens - you get an over mixed up with an under in one or two places and the next thing you know you have invented a new knot... one that can't be tied evenly... It's OK to start over. That's how you learn. There is a way to tie a knot like this with several strands. You might try that too, as I've personally found it a nice way to go. It seems to go pretty fast, and you don't wear the leather out pulling it through so many overs and unders.

I love your nose button. That is a great touch. I hope other people besides braiders realize just how very cool that nose button is!

Hey that's some awesome work - really nice! I find it very inspiring. And coffee - it's not just to drink anymore...

I love the way you attach the romal to the reins. That is very cool. And what a stunning bit - how great to be able to make a set to match the quality of the bit!

The family stated this year that everything should be handmade... well, I've been doing that for years and they have SO much of my stuff it's not funny! So this year, I learned how to do origami. I took some wrapping paper and folded origami boxes, and then I got some real nice new crisp $20.00 bills and folded them into various things: a shirt, a fan, a heart, an armadillo etc. and put them in my origami boxes. Done, and it's something they've never gotten from me before! But when I opened up mine - not ONE handmade gift! Not ONE! :wtf: Turns out everyone thinks I'm so "good" that nothing they made me would come up to snuff. Hey, it's not a contest! So I didn't even get so much as a drawing to hang on my refrigerator.

Hey, as long as she's happy! Someone once told me, "You don't know what looks ugly and neither do I." This is so true... And anyway, you did a fantastic job on that! Not that's it's exactly my style...

I will chime in about the McClellan being an awesome ride. I love mine, I've had it for almost 30 years now and it was older than me when I bought it... I think it's now officially over 100 years old. However... my horses are all small and narrow. I'm not a big person, I can ride the little guys and actually prefer it. Also, on the McClellan, it is possible to shift the rig and that is what I did, shifted it from dead center to maybe 3/4. It's out of the way of my leg there. Here's a pic of me riding it: I've never had it shift on me, ever, but then... I don't ride a QH either. ETA: Oh yeah, and notice I'm not using a big thick saddle pad. This saddle fits my horse well, so I use a thin blanket.

Welcome! Glad you're here. It sounds like you are going to a really cool college! What a great opportunity for you and that is great that you get access to cowhides etc. as a result. You'll do well I'm sure!

Back when I was merely a starving artist (now I've been upgraded to "struggling artist") I used to patch my jeans with leather. I used every leather scrap that came my way, for I just did not have the money to buy new jeans, and I certainly could not be picky about leather - I took what I could get. Anyway I had one pair that was almost all leather on the front - hair-on steer, suede, top grain, you name it - and I just threw them in the washer and yes - I then threw them in the dryer. Never had a problem, except once - a piece of leather I had just put on to patch a hole shrunk - so I pulled that piece off and put on another. I used this system to patch and care for my jeans for years. I still do it - someone just gave me an old filthy pair of real nice riding gloves. Into the washing machine they went. Now I've got a nice pair of leather gloves for riding, and they look almost new. The lady I got them from was shocked. I doubt she'll ever give me a piece of leather again. Oh yeah - and nice job! I give it two thumbs up.

I'm pretty sure this is a joke - and I do think it's very funny. When I look at the picture, it looks "faked" to me. I don't think that horse was really standing on that real nice trail with the fall leaves etc. and I don't think the kids are actually hanging on the horse, I think they were 'photo shopped' in. To me anyway, they look suspiciously identical, like the same photo just flipped! But the photo, and the idea behind it, is pretty darn funny and I am glad someone took the time to share it. Talk about people spending all their time riding, I remember talking to a WY cowboy who told me his mother "never learned to walk, until her horse went lame one day". That lady would have appreciated this joke!

We must have scared the poor guy off... either that, or that hat is taking a really l o o o o o n g time to arrive... Looks like a lot of people make stampede strings. Nice work, entiendo!

I doubt there's a "right way". The way I do it is two strands in each part of the knot. It makes it more even, in my opinion. But maybe that's just me...

A flat one or a round one? For a round one, I like U2, O1 for one side, U1, O2 for the other side. Just go back and forth from R to L, like you do in an 8 round.

Hi Casey - I don't hitch, I braid. So I can't help you out with any hitching, sorry! I do however make 1/10 scale braided headstalls and reins. Here's a pic or two for you: I made the little saddle too... it's a little smaller than the ones you make...

I got an order for a special necklace for Christmas and thought you fine people would like to see it. It makes me happy to get jobs like this, as I think it will help get braiding out there and get more people exposed to it. Hopefully once they see it they'll want more! The necklace is a gift for the mother of one of my biggest collectors. It uses the hair of 6 of their horses, 3 deceased and 3 that they still have, so it will make a terrific memory piece for the mother. Here's hoping the mother loves it and wears it to all the fine parties!

I like the shape of your bosal. Is that latigo leather you used on the heel knot? Or did you just dye some rawhide? Very nice, either way!

Hey, you've been busy if you just got the book and did all that since! I really like that book. I've heard some people say they don't like it, but it has so much stuff in it I think it is just great.

Crow - that is beautiful! Nice work! That turned out really great.

Wow - those are really beautiful! Your knots are great and I love the way you did your wear leathers. If they feel good just holding them, I bet they'll work a treat!

Here's another reason to do it that way: when you do it with one long string it has to be a *REALLY* long string. It seems to take nine years to pull it through all the passes. That said, when I do my tiny bosals I sometimes use one thread as it is hard enough to control one thread working that small, multiple threads just add to the confusion. And sometimes I use the multiple threads like shown in the Bruce Grant books, where you lay them parallel to each other and wrap the core, then turn back and basically get to where you are in your picture. Well you see, I can get a different pattern in my interweave when I do it that way. Instead of zig-zags, I can get a two-color spiral. So sometimes there's a reason to do it a different way besides convenience.

Someone had asked if I would post more work, so blame that person for this post! I've been working on a couple sets of romal reins, a headstall and a curbstrap. Here they are on a horse: And before you ask, yeah, I made that saddle and the little string girth too. The headstall is braided of horsehair and thread... and there are a couple of sterling silver ferrules: The curb strap, leather and thread with horsehair accent in the knot: And finally the two sets of romal reins: And a detail of the knots on the reins: The reins are braided of: one set is horsehair and thread, with a horsehair accent in the knots; the other set is leather (yes, I really cut and skived leather down that small!) with thread knots. Both sets have sterling silver ferrules. These pieces are being shipped off to the new owner, who will show them at the Nationals in Lexington, KY in just a few weeks. This is not the first year my work has been shown at Nationals, but this year there will be a *lot* of my work there so I am quite pleased.