hackamore

[Opagon]

This was a first for me and it taught me tons. I learned about how strings narrow after being pulled through too many times, width of strings compared to distance between holes and why you dont place your holes so close to the edge of the leather. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to end the braid? I am really not happy with mine.....

Thanks in Advance,

Heather

[KnotHead]

I usually will treat my strings with Pecards leather dressing before doing any edge braiding. As I go along and find that the braiding is starting to get difficult again, or there is a lot of resistance, I will treat my strings with some more leather dressing. I also don't pull my strings really tight either. I will pull it just tight enough to lay the strings down flat and then use a roller of some type to finish that part off.

Brian...

[HorsehairBraider]

Well it looks great for your very first one. On ending, I don't know if this is what you had in mind, but I might punch holes along the front part of the end piece of leather, where it goes over the metal, and try to make a complete circle, splicing it in so the sequence stays the same. Yikes. I don't know if that communicates my idea very well... In edge braiding I always try to make a complete circle with the braid, so that I could undo a few holes in the very first part and weave in the last part as I was finishing, using those first two holes or so and braiding into the part that's already there.

I try to use pretty stiff or firm leather for lacing, because it *will* stretch, and it's annoying to get to your last hole where (in my case anyway) I was matching up with the first lace I used, and have the working end be all skinny and worn out. Using shorter bits of lacing can help that out, then each piece only goes through so many holes and you splice in a new piece.

I've never seen a mechanical hack covered like that! I always saw them with braiding. That's a cool idea.

[Opagon]

Thanks Brian and Horsehair for the great suggestions!!!

I used Roo for the braiding and the dressing would have made it much easier.

On the bottom latigo I had my holes too close to the edge and it pulled through causing a few bad words. I thought that I could reuse the string but after being pulled through the first time and then being undone, I noticed that it was thinning too much. Of course I didnt notice this until a quarter of the way into relacing it...lol On one end of the hack I must have cut the latigo wider or it stretchedas I had to loop around the edge to make it tight enough. The turn back ends of the braid look good but its the start/finish ends that I need to find a better way for.

I am not sure how the edge would lay on the Horses nose if braided all the way around.

Do you think that it would be higher than the leather and cause a rubbing point?

Ahhh...the learning curve.... I bartered out cattle time for this so hopfully I will get handed another one so I can try again.

Keep Braiding,

Heather

[HorsehairBraider]

On how it would lay on the nose... What I was envisioning was going through the two layers all the way down to the end of the leather, and then switching to the outside layer only (that layer that you see, and that is *not* against the horse's nose) and going through just that one layer, then going through both layers going back up the other side.

You can see why I don't write braiding books. I am no good with written explanation! I'm a lot better in a one-on-one situation. Being able to explain it in words is most definitely a gift, and one that I do not have.

Anyway, I don't think braiding along the outside bottom edge would cause any problems, but then I don't have it in my hands and you might be able to see something I can't.

Maybe the person will like it so much they will brag to all their friends, and you'll get a bunch more orders in! I have to admit, sometimes when I finish a special job, I have that thought and sometimes it scares the heck out of me! :D