megabit

Looks good to me!

Brent, If you have Braiding Rawhide Horse Tack by Robert L. Woolery he does a fairly good job explaining doing interweaves beyond the foundation knot.

Nice job on your first project! I'd tend to agree on putting a popper on one end of the mecate.

:thumbsup:

Well it is paracord so you can undo it, with rawhide you mostly have to cut your mistakes off.

Be sure to always pull the strand tight before bringing it around (pull tight, plait loose).

They are a fairly good place to start. Not nearly as time consuming or comples as say a bosal or set of reins not as simple as a scarf slide.

From left to right San Juan varnished 5/16, San Juan no varnish 5/16, San Juan Swivel 5/16 no varnish, San Juan Swivel 3/8 no varnish, San Juan Swivel 3/8 varnished and wire wrapped and San Juan Swivel 3/8 varnished and wire wrapped. hondas by ss1442, on Flickr

I used a small round leather belting as a core. Here is the thread with some pics. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=24152&st=0&p=153627&hl=reins&fromsearch=1entry153627

I just noticed you are in Belfast, does this person ride English or Western? The tack is quite different and I can't recall seeing much English tack braided. Rather than just trying to figure out what makes a whole set, you might want to see if they have something particular in mind. Speaking of 4 plait reins, the set I made myself are 4 plait rawhide and I like them fine. They should wear like iron and haven't found the larger strings to cause any problems. That being said 8 plait or more is much more typical. I like to make rugged using gear vs show/art gear. Nothing wrong with either just my preference. Mike

The tools never seem to end. ;D A fid or two and some lacing needles would be the hardest to do without. Then some form of lace cutter and a beveler for making string. Starting with paracord is a good way to get started. I haven't done much of anything other than paracord and rawhide. Real hard to beat the durability of something braided in rawhide, however it isn't the easiest thing in the world to work with. Kangaroo seems to be the most popular leather for braiding. Latigo is also popular. Books: Braiding Rawhide Horse Tack Robert L. Woolery - 1985 Encyclopedia of rawhide and leather braiding Bruce Grant - 1972 - 528 pages Gail Hought has a series of books that are also popular. http://www.hought.com/

I would say if they want cheap gear tell them to go to the local feed store and buy some no name nylon tack or better yet tell them to collect up bailer twine and braid it themself. Braiding this stuff take lots of time and time is money, non of it is cheap. Now if it is a real good freind you could make something nice and just give it to them.

Hey Hey lets not go and get CRAZY now!

I sure learned alot from Nate in February when he came to California. I am interested but don't know if I could swing the travel or not. I wouldn't count on me for your numbers at this point but keep us posted on if this is comming together.

:thumbsup: Nice looking stuff like always.

When I was getting ready to make my pair last year Nate (Wald) recomended I use a core even if it was a very small one. He felt you get a better feel on a set of reins with a core. He likes round leather belting and that is what I used.

:specool: :clapping: Neat I like it. Isn't it hard to get the dowel through the center after the knots are tied?

Here is a picture from this last weekend. It is of my mare hobbled with the hobbles I made and the reins I did hanging off her bit. It would have had the bosalita too but the judge said that was a cavason? Never mind that you could put 4 fingers in it and she could gape her mouth plenty with it in place. hobbled by ss1442, on Flickr

Alan, the body diameter is 1/4" not the string width. I think the strings on the body are about 1/8" 6 plait with no core. The nose button is calf string of a somewhat smaller width I think maybe 3/16" or a little less than that. It does have a very slight swell in the center. Lot's of good tips in your post though. I did have a reason behind the pattern change though, I wanted to just work with 4 strings but get 8 bights. Ohh and I had some good help the nose button a guy you may have heard of Nate W. I took this project to the workshop he did down the road last month. vaya con dios, Mike

:clapping:

I don't think that burner is ever going to wear through!

I have about a year ago here.

On the leash I made I did the clip end 4 strand then the body in 8 in rawhide. At the time the turn back intemidated me so I made the hand loop by going to 2 4 strand and back to 8. I don't think that one will ever come apart.

One thing you can do it put the extra strands in with the core when you drop them from the pattern. That way you don't have any ends sticking out.