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Cool so we are completely talking about the same knot. Grants book just show putting under a string or so. I put two strands threw the core and that gives me four working ends or four strands. Which sounds like what you do too.

Just about the same, but this has the strings going all the way through the body of what you are putting the button on vs just under a single string or two. If because of the core it is impracticable to push straight through the body you can put it under 2 or 3 strings to get them coming out at 90deg angles.

Here are the photos for the tutorial, they might help. photos

I took some pictures a couple of weeks ago with the plan to do a tutorial. I'll try to get it done soon.

Looks great as usual Brian.

What I am talking about is I would want the connector (not the actual reins) to break easier, so if the reins get hung up on something in a wreck the connector breaks instead of cutting up the horses mouth. Here is the set of reins I made (my braiding isn't as nice as yours) that shows the thin leather connectors I used. finished romal reins by ss1442, on Flickr and here are some that Martin Black sells. Not trying to start a fight just trying to explain my comments. All of your stuff sure is nice. Mike

The braided ones sure do look nice, I'd just rather have something that would break vs hurting my horse.

Very nice work like always. Only thing I don't care for is the braided connectors and trigger clips on the reins. I like to see the rein connectors done in a thin leather like latigo (not braided). That way you build in a weak point that will break vs possibly injure your horses mouth in a wreck. Your braiding looks great though and I really like that headstall. Well I think one of those buttons might be a little crooked. Mike

Use the burner on the stove that will get hot lots faster than a lighter.

Sometimes you can hold it in a flame (I'd use pliers) and burn the rawhide out of the inside.

Those are sure nice.

Brian, It was made with four strands. I do have a pattern change it is gaucho on the ends (3 overs) then changes to herringbone.

New bosalita by ss1442, on Flickr One of these days I'll pick the right sized string to not end up crowded on my nose button.

Aggie perhaps you watch me working on mine. I started with 4 strands end ended up with 8 bights gaucho with a pattern change part way in. Also I think Nate does it like in Alan's tutorial with 2/3 on the left and 1/3 on the right.

I grabbed a few of them for you Brent you don't have to upload them here you just need to get the url from facebook and put them on here that way you don't run into the upload limits.

Thanks Buckwheat you are sure a pal. Maybe Agibraider can post a few picks. One thing I learned was that the way I was doing my multi string knots wasn't the best. I'd keep going from left to right all the way down instead of side to side. Sure is alot easier to keep straight going side to side. Also I learned you should braid well past you end point and then find the correct point and pull out your string to do the turn back.

Nice looking work.

The trick is to get to where you can increase the single X knot from 4 to 6 and understand the how and why of that. Then you just do the samething to the long knot (2X 3X...). Personally I find it easier to use multiple strings after about 2 or 3 X. (like a nose button)

The white part around the reata as it goes through the rounder is soft mule hide. He uses the rounder to hold the reata as he braids and un-clamps it and moves it on as needed.

It makes the hide harder and stiffer, you don't want it closing up on your rope.

I finished up the honda. Photo 8 Boiling honda after it has been streched and dried. sanjuanswivel_boil by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 9 Boiled, steched, dried and varnished with spar varnish. sanjuanswivel_varnished by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 10 Starting wire wrap of burner area. This adds weight and keeps it from closing up. sanjuanswivel_start_wire by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 11 Wire wrap done. sanjuanswivel_wire_done by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 12 Test fitting burner and trimming as needed. sanjuanswivel_start_burner by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 13 More test fitting burner. sanjuanswivel_fit_burner by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 14 Punching lace wholes in burner. I sharpened an old fork to punch 4 even spaced holes at once. sanjuanswivel_punch_burner by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 15 Starting to lace burner on. sanjuanswivel_lace_burner by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 16 Run end back under lace to the middle. sanjuanswivel_burner lace by ss1442, on Flickr Photo 17 Done! sanjuanswivel_done by ss1442, on Flickr

Haven't used anything but cow and calf. The calf is much thiner and uniform in thickness so it works good for small strings and you can frequently get away without having to split it. Cow is thicker and less uniform so you need to split it to be uniform. It also tends to be stronger. From what I understand horse is also thiner but very strong so it is also good for making those smaller strings but still having some strength. Haven't really heard much about buffalo I would think it is thicker still.

Thanks curlyjo, I've done that for reins and bosals, hadn't thought of it for a reata. Here is one of the pics I was talking about from Nate Wald's facebook page:

You have lots of choices for lots of different amounts of money. From what I have seen the Hansen String Cutter http://www.hansenstringcutter.com/ seems to be the most highly regarded but almost all of the ones available have fans.

My next big project is to make a reata. Anything special I should keep in mind when I cut up the hide? I figure I need to end up with 4 1/4" strings 100' or longer. I generally cut a disk and cut that with a draw gauge to about 1/2" for the first pass. Should I go a bit closer to 1/4" on the first pass to try to get more length? Should I make it closer to 3/4 and try to get two strings out of the rough cut? Also I recall seeing pictures of reatas being braided where they were running threw a rounder and then perhaps on a take up wheel. Does anyone do it that way? What do you use for a take up wheel or do you just sort of coil it up as you pull it threw the rounder? Thanks, Mike