Headstall Question

[Tina]

I've been asked to make a headstall and I'm hoping someone here can help me... I wonder, which size (length) of chicago screws is usually used to attache the bit with?

Greatful for any input//Tina

[TracyMoss]

That depends on how thick your headstall is. I mainly make alot of harness leather headstalls and lace up the cheek pieces for the bit.

[bruce johnson]

I've been asked to make a headstall and I'm hoping someone here can help me... I wonder, which size (length) of chicago screws is usually used to attache the bit with?

Greatful for any input//Tina

Tina,

The quick and dirty answer is to use whatever post and screw length combo gives you the MOST threads in the MOST post. I have seen some that only catch two or three turns. When they loosen that same two or three turns and it comes loose, the wreck is on. There are a ton of headstalls with Chicago screw or concho with post backs that hold well, and stay tight. There are laces that hold up well too. There are laces that wear and break. There are riders that are fastidious about tightening and rechecking screws or checking laces every ride. There are some that never do, but have a good story about how they got that scar.

If looks don't matter, then the open top post and long screws really give you some purchase - the whole post length. Plus is that you can see if a screw is backing out at a glance. There are ways to lock threads. Loc-Tite makes a few different grades of locking compound. Some people coat the thread with things like Elmers glue, nail polish, Goop, adhesive caulk, etc. My first wife was taught to use strong iodine, it theoretically corroded the threads into the post threads. Made it hard to remove conchos. The JP tack tool pliers work well for me to loosen these. They are selling them in ShopTalk and ebay, maybe LCSJ too.

[kseidel]

Tina, 3/8 inch is the most common size for the bit end on standard thickness headstalls. Keith

[Tina]

Thank-you all:-)

At least I know now which size/s to order (going to get 3/8 and 1/4)

Bruce,

What you're talking about was just what I was afraid of, the thingies breaking up in the middle of a ride I'm just drawing my own patterns for this headstall and hoping it's going to look "Western" enough and be durable, geezzz I've only used typical english stuff before, this is absolutly new territory for me and I don't even have a pattern, only the measurements on the horses head. (Need a smiley here with a HELP sign *S*)

Have a great evening and again, super thanks for your input and help//Tina

[barra]

Tina. whatever you use it can be no worse than using an English inlet buckle or Pelham hook. my point being no matter what you use, if a horse is gonna break it, Its gonna break it.

On a side note. I was taught that one of the beauties of good leather tack is that in an emergency, it is meant to break unlike nylon webbing getting used today with mega tensile strength. the biggest culprit to broken bridles/headstalls is people tying up via the reins

[Tina]

Tina. whatever you use it can be no worse than using an English inlet buckle or Pelham hook. my point being no matter what you use, if a horse is gonna break it, Its gonna break it.

On a side note. I was taught that one of the beauties of good leather tack is that in an emergency, it is meant to break unlike nylon webbing getting used today with mega tensile strength. the biggest culprit to broken bridles/headstalls is people tying up via the reins

Good (breaking-)point Barra, it all make sense:-)

I've been drawing most of the day and starting to get it to were I'm happy...No hooks at all, just conchos, chicago screws, buckles and some rivets for decorations. Maybe not all of the details is what I would have chosen, but then again, I'm not the one paying or making the last decisions either. I also discover that you can almost get as much money into this as your budget allowes you to, mama mia:-)

[bruce johnson]

Tina,

My point was not Chicago screws breaking, it was the screws backing out of the post and falling off. Most are 3/8" as Keith said. Some of the low end imported stuff will have 1/4" posts. I have not ordered from everyone, but I have some posts that came with screw with no more than 1/8" of thread. Obviously those are not intended for headstalls. I have some that came with longer screws 3/16 or more of threads. These were all just regular orders from normal suppliers. The 3/8 posts usually have the 3/16" screws. I got one batch of 3/8 with the 1/8" thread screws (usually came with the 3/16" screws -explanation - That's what we were sent"). An 1/8" of screw is not a lot of thread.

Conchos are another issue. Many of the regular ones have a 1/4" post soldered onto the concho. If the concho is domed much, there is not much protruding post to catch threads of the screw. Try to use a 3/16" screw and it can be dicey. My main concho supplier offers long post and short post conchos, and has screws of different lengths. The XL screws are 3/8" of thread. I have some longer than that, I think they came from Ohio Travel Bag a few years ago. There is another issue. Some of the conchos imported by the big sellers have 4 mm metric screws. The regular ones are normally 8/32.

[Tina]

Tina,

My point was not Chicago screws breaking, it was the screws backing out of the post and falling off. Most are 3/8" as Keith said. Some of the low end imported stuff will have 1/4" posts. I have not ordered from everyone, but I have some posts that came with screw with no more than 1/8" of thread. Obviously those are not intended for headstalls. I have some that came with longer screws 3/16 or more of threads. These were all just regular orders from normal suppliers. The 3/8 posts usually have the 3/16" screws. I got one batch of 3/8 with the 1/8" thread screws (usually came with the 3/16" screws -explanation - That's what we were sent"). An 1/8" of screw is not a lot of thread.

Conchos are another issue. Many of the regular ones have a 1/4" post soldered onto the concho. If the concho is domed much, there is not much protruding post to catch threads of the screw. Try to use a 3/16" screw and it can be dicey. My main concho supplier offers long post and short post conchos, and has screws of different lengths. The XL screws are 3/8" of thread. I have some longer than that, I think they came from Ohio Travel Bag a few years ago. There is another issue. Some of the conchos imported by the big sellers have 4 mm metric screws. The regular ones are normally 8/32.

Hi Bruce,

I got the screw thingie:-) What I'm going to do is order 3/8 and 1/4 chicago screws but also extra longer loose screws. That should get me enough to wiggleroom with and get it right...Hopefully. I can not use loctite on them cuz I'm doing this headstall without a bit attached. I'm just putting in an order from Ohio (screwback conchos and things) and like everything else I guess its trial and error:-)

A question, to make "horse leather" resistant from the elements of nature (heat/water etc) I have Tan Kote at home that I was thinking of using or is there another, better product, and what to do with the backside of the leather, do I use ex. Tan Kote there to?