How do you...

[megabit]

I am working on my first bosal. I have my core braided up and 8 strings cut and beveled to cover it. Now how do I get the braid started?

Do you guys just try to hold everything in hand? Clamp it down in a vice? Clamp it to a table with C clamps and a chunk of wood. Do you clamp just the string or do you clamp the core too?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

[rgerbitz]

I mark the middle of my strings and the middle of my core then will tie the strings to the core at this point. I will put half of the strings in a bar and then braid the other half down. There is no ceramony to how I start, I usually have to undo some of the braiding when I start back in the middle to get everything started in the right direction.

Hope this helps,

Rob

[HorsehairBraider]

I just tie things too. If it's handy, I use a rubber band. I can slide things around under the string or rubber band and get them the way I like them.

When I start braiding I do clamp it all together, or alternately, I use my string to tie it to whatever I'm bracing against. (A fence post etc.)

Just a suggestion on thread titles... if you name it something specific, it will help people search through and find the info they need. If you titled it "How do you start braiding a bosal" then people who were interested in that could find it... and those of us who might have an opinion on it would be more likely to respond.