Braided Hackamore Headstall

[Aggiebraider]

Hey, I just made a bracelet with multiple buttons from that precut Tandy kangaroo lace crap, and from the looks of the picture, you used what they call natural and then whatever they call the dark brown for the interweaves on the buttons. From what I noticed, the natural doesnt take in the moisture as well as the brown does. I was able to get the brown lace to actually turn into something that feels like leather. Also, I was pretty liberal with the soap and made sure that there was plenty of water in my sponge so I could make lather, rather than just put the soap on by itself. May help with some of the stiffness.

I would have to agree with Bevan in that I dont think your core diameter is the correct size for the width of the lace. It is entirely too late for me to go look up what you should use with 1/8" 8 strand round, but Bevan's calculation seems right.

I think that some of the button issues that others are seeing may be fixed by using the correct core diameter. But with that said, I am in the same boat as you. I am still learning how to get the foundations just right so that the buttons cover, without gaps and without bunching up or not having enough foundation.....probably like everything else that has to do with leather - just practice practice practice because it takes a certain feel lol.

Hope I could be at least somewhat of a help.

[entiendo]

For those of you that buy lace try this website. http://www.amazing-lace.net/ I know there are others but this will at least get you away from Tandy. The lace is made from the same hides I buy. Ultimately if you keep braiding you will want to cut your own lace as buttons should be made with the best part of your hide, but at least you can braid with this lace.

I use 3/16" core for 1/8" string 8 plait and 1/8" core for 3/32" string 8 plait. Someone did the math for me some time ago and it's worked perfect each and every time.

Buttons are another matter though. For good coverage they depend on the right size turks head. I learned how to increase bites on a turks head right here on this website a few years back, and if I can do it anyone can!

[Melanie Wilfong]

For those of you that buy lace try this website. http://www.amazing-lace.net/ I know there are others but this will at least get you away from Tandy. The lace is made from the same hides I buy. Ultimately if you keep braiding you will want to cut your own lace as buttons should be made with the best part of your hide, but at least you can braid with this lace.

I use 3/16" core for 1/8" string 8 plait and 1/8" core for 3/32" string 8 plait. Someone did the math for me some time ago and it's worked perfect each and every time.

Buttons are another matter though. For good coverage they depend on the right size turks head. I learned how to increase bites on a turks head right here on this website a few years back, and if I can do it anyone can!

Hello, I'm going to build this same headstall. What kind of braided core did you use for 8-plait 1/8" string? Size/type string, or is it leather cord? Thank you.

[entiendo]

I either use a nylon core (3/16 for 1/8" string) or a braided 4 plait with 1/8" string.

I highly recommend using 3/32 for a headstall. Much finer work. The same with your buttons 3/32". Keep the plaiting nice and tight and split your string to just under .1 mm and it should loop without being able to see the core.

[buckskin1]

Hello, I'm going to build this same headstall. What kind of braided core did you use for 8-plait 1/8" string? Size/type string, or is it leather cord? Thank you.

i used a 3/16 braided nylon rope don't know what brand it is, i just had it lying around i think it was purchased a wal mart.

[Melanie Wilfong]

i used a 3/16 braided nylon rope don't know what brand it is, i just had it lying around i think it was purchased a wal mart.

Oh great. Grant's book said to braid over a braided leather cord and that sounded like a huge pain. So braided over rope is ok for headstall? Thank you! I've been practicing 6 strand over rope and it looks good. After several tries got it nice and tight. I was thinking of going to 8 strand for the head stall. I've been tying woven knots over it for practice.

[Aggiebraider]

You can braid over anything you would like but something to think about is how the core material will react to water and heat. Most nylon cord should be fine and not shrink, but paracord is notorious for shrinking when it gets wet. This is why I try to preshrink any paracord that I am going to use BEFORE i start braiding. The cover doesnt actually shrink, but the core inside each strand does, and that can disfigure your braiding for sure. Also, most nylon cord that you will find at hardware stores is some what mushy (for lack of a better term) and I dont feel would make a very good core. Look for something that is fairly stiff so when you pull your strings in tight, it actually has something to pull against. I would suggest looking for Halter material (same stuff thats used for rope halters). Columbia Basin Knot Co carries a lot of different sizes, types, and colors of not only halter cord but lots of other ropes. Give them a call and Im sure the would even send you just a few feet for this first project.

You can even braid over steel cable. I think Grant makes reference to bosals that were made using steel cable for cores, and I bought some the other day for pretty cheap. Hopefully I can find time to actually do some braiding and put these cores to work.

Hope that helps,

CW

[roo4u]

what ever you do dont use cable for cores in bosals...the only exception may be tiedowns.....i have a commercially made rawhide bosal that has a cable core. you can not shape it in any way, so it may not hit the nerve points correctly. when we still used it we had to pad the thing cuz it took hair and hide off of the face on my moms horse. also it is not a legal core for the show pen in any association.

[Aggiebraider]

I dont understand how it wore the hide off your horses nose since its not the actual cable that touches the horse. To me it wouldnt work any differently than a rawhide core bosal since its still covered in lots of tape and leather or rawhide. I can understand the difference in shaping it, but I am able to shape this cable really easily and it holds its shape. Probably not as long term as rawhide would hold its shape, but personally I dont see a difference in function other than the shape. And as far as legality im going to keep these, so they wont see the inside of a show pen.

Just my 2 cents worth

CW

[roo4u]

it wore on his jaw....because it cant be shaped...so it rubbed and the rawhide wore the hair off and then rubbed the skin raw...even with extra wraps of the mecate we could not get the bars of the bosal off of the horses jaw. whereas with a rawhide core you can shape it and use a shaping block to set the shape and if you need to you can use the mecate to get the desired spread. even the paracord bosal that i braided with a lariat core i could shape with the wraps of the mecate.

i guess it depends on what kind of cable we are talking about.....what grant referenced, and whats in my bosal, is telephone or power line cable and while its not hard to get it bent around for the basic shape from there its impossible to make any adjustments its just too stiff.