megabit

That's easy 1st your rawhide needs to be drier than noodle wet and second you tie it onto where you want it to be in the first place. The wooden sticks are mostly for learning to tie the knots.

Hmmm that looks familiar. You know what, its still very nicely done. :thumbsup: I don't think I could keep track of where I was doing that big of pineapple with one string. I worked on a San Juan Honda the last couple of nights just need to put the burner on. I'll have to be sure to take some pics of it.

Yes, a second color is a big help on multiple interweaves. I kept getting lost one time and didn't have any different color string so I colored it with a sharpie. I figured it would rub off but it actual stayed colored. Faded a bit though.

So have you been over to http://straightrazorplace.com/? I have been using a straight for about 3 years now. I don't see me ever going back. Now on to your question. You could buy a badger knot for making a brush. I think they glue the hair together so maybe you could cut it into smaller knots and use that for your tassel. You can get knots here: http://www.thegoldennib.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5_9 Mike

If you can expand a 4 bight to a 6 bight you should be able to increase a 6 to a 8 or a 10, 12, 14... It just gets a little harder to keep track of where you are at. I never could really adapt to different sizes of the same knot until the little light went on inside my head and I understood what I was doing vs following a cook book. I am afraid that might not be as much help as you want but if that light comes on you will get it no problem. Mike

Thanks, Yes, those are basically the Grant Mexican swivel honda. The knife is 8 strings of calf done like I would a nose button (like in Alan's bosal tutorial). Mike

What do ya all think?

Looks really good to me. Should certainly get roanies attention or that of a errant bovine.

Thanks for posting the pics. I think I'll give that a try, sure won't cost much to build that tool, so I don't have much to loose.

Ok, I found a diagram in Worley's book:

Hmmm... I reread this and think I under stand now. Is this what you mean? (forgive my poor drawing skills)

Very nice! Wow 14 bights on that heel knot, bet that took awhile to tie.

That sound pretty slick, but I am sure having a hard time picturing it in my mind. I definitely could use some pictures if you can get them.

Haven't ever processed one myself but as I recall you have 3 main choices lime, boil or scrape. Some will cut the disk into string with the hair on and then scrape it. I think I saw someone say they used clippers to get the hair off, don't recall if they said they scraped it after or not. I suppose it depends a lot on what you are going to make with it. A reata might be ok with some stubble on it where as a show quality bosal or reins wouldn't want that.

I am in the process of cutting up some hide and always seem to have a hard time using the draw gauge to get consistent width on that first pass from a disk. I cut some last night with my heavy duty scissors instead using my thumb as a guide, that seemed to work a little better. Do they make a guide that clamps to scissors blades? or do I just need to keep working at it? Anyone else just use scissors instead of a draw gauge? Mike

Well I don't know if it would hold fast on tanned leather but with rawhide you could use crushed berries or juice. Blue berries for blue some red berry for your pink. Coffee for dark brown. Black walnut shells for black. I think KAW had a thread on it awhile back.

It is more or less the same once you start braiding, it is the string prep that changes a bit.

Your braiding on these is awesome (like always), but I can't help but think how great they would look if you used rawhide vs the bright colors.

Very nice.

Looks good to me.

Wow that looks great. Very neat project. Only think I noticed was the braid looks like it could be a little tighter in a few places. I doubt much of anyone who isn't a braider would even notice and it could just be the pictures. I would say that is clearly a piece to be proud of. Mike

I haven't done any with a twisted core. I talked to Steve Guitron about using a twisted core though and he said he doesn't anymore because of the problem you mentioned. He uses a braided core and wraps it with tape if he wants a stiffer bosal.

More or less it is the same as the Bruce Grant one. I think he goes over two under two when he comes together. I could never figure out how to do the turnback so it looked good doing that, so I go over one under one and turn back to do over two under two. Yea I had planned on the wire being covered but the burner shrunk more than I planned on.

I finished it up last night. The friend wants it heavy and asked my to wrap it with wire before I put the burner on. It is heavy.

No problem Brian, I was just happy I was right. I was certain of it but I did think I was. Your explanation was much better than my "that is just the way it is". Even if they were both right. ;D I always like to understand why of something. With braiding, or poker or many other things the reason generally comes down to math. Mike