Aggiebraider Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Howdy Everyone, I hope that everyone had a great holiday season this year and I just wanted to post some pics of a couple of things I finished over Christmas break. The first is a set of rein connectors I made for my brother's girlfriend. I am pleased with how they turned out, I used 3/32" lace for the buttons and I think they turned out well. The second and third pics are a noseband for a tiedown for my brother to use on his roping horses. I wanted to try one, because I had never seen a toedown with a noseband like this and I think it turned out all right. Im not happy with the twist in the nose button, but since this is my first one, I think its ok and it was good to finally make one. The other knots turned out all right and cover pretty well, but there are always areas to improve. The braiding on the cheeks is 16 strand. I know the noseband looks longer on the right side than the left, but I promise you, I have measured it 100 times if I measured it once and its even lol. For some reason the interweaves arent directly in the center even though I counted the number of parts and made sure my center row was set in the middle, number wise. I think maybe one side of the nose button has the passes pulled in closer together, making it all closer to the left. Critiques are always welcomed with further instruction =). Sorry for the terrible pics, I had to use my phone. Have a good one, CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Hi Aggie. Very nice work by the way. I really like your work there. I notice that the nose button has a twist to it. Maybe this is what is causing the out of center you speak of. I have never made a bosal before. But that could be it. When you wrapped the lace it may have caused a twist which is normally what will occur with that type of braiding. I know that part for sure because of the Fid Work I have done. Fid work is a very close similar technique to the bosal nose button. I have to wrap my strands the same as the nose button on a bosal. I don't know for sure. But this would seem to be the cause to me. I could be wrong though. Brian... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Hey Brain, Thanks for the kind words, and yes the twist is sure a pain in the butt to prevent. I tried my best to get my strands as adjusted as I could and then just said the heck with it, this is my first one lol. Once I get back to Texas I am planning on making a few cores with what little rawhide I have and hopefully can get this problem fixed with my next few. Have a good one, CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted January 3, 2011 hey aggie...stuffs looking good. the twist is always a pain....i just do my long buttons like that real slow and try to make sure each strand lines up. i think next time im gonna follow the tutorial alan posted and draw lines on the foundation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Looks sharp. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bevan Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Very sweet looking work there my friend Cheers Bevan www.bwrwhips.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Thanks for the compliments everyone! Bevan, I hope youre staying dry down there! I saw something on the news this morning about all the flooding they are having in Aussieland, but wasnt sure if it was near you or not. Hope all is well. CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miguelm Report post Posted January 4, 2011 awesome work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bevan Report post Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) Gday mate all is well at the moment but we do have a hell of a lot of water coming our way down the rivers , they all bottle neck just above Renmark , so i am hoping all will be well , one thing i do know , the Yabbies are going spastic at the moment and will only get better I live on the Murray River in South Oz and we are about 30 miles from the borders , Qld , Nsw and Vic are all in flood , the biggest in Qld ever , plus all the dams are full in Vic and Nsw so looks like we are in for a good one with more rain coming , bloody globel warming !!!! and you guys are snowed under ,,, what the !!! That is awesome work you have done Calvin I would be proud to have that on my horse like i am sure your brother is to have it on his ,, plus i bet the sister in law is chaffed aswell my friend Take care mate Cheers Bevan ps what helps me with the straightness in the nosebutton is , i devide the nosebutton up in length by 4 , then the circumfrence in to 4 and draw those lines in , if you build the middle up you must divide that width equal aswell , but the trick i have found is to keep a good eye on the pattern as you go , i look down the button as i go , from ring knot to ring knot !!! that is the best way i have found to get a straight line , i hope this helps you mate , it did me , Cheers again bud Bevan Edited January 5, 2011 by Bevan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted January 5, 2011 LOL I guess I should have said that they are for her horse, not her directly lol. I really appreciate that Bevan. At least the 6 year drought (or however long it was) is over with! Stay dry! CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted January 9, 2011 Very nice work, I enjoyed seeing it so thanks for posting! On the twist in the knot... a lot of that just comes with practice, I think. I'm sure your next one will be lots straighter, but you know, this one looks terrific and the person using it is going to really be proud of it, and you should be proud too. I'm guessing it's kangaroo lace? I love that little metal thing you've got at the end of the tie-down! That looks like a real handy thing to use to build a tie down with. Also, your phone takes pretty good pics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggiebraider Report post Posted January 9, 2011 Thanks so much for the compliments! Yes that is kangaroo....its about all I ever want to use anymore. I did buy some goat rawhide from Siegel's this week. They have it on sale for 8 hides for $100.....pretty good deal and it looks like good stuff....The sale is going on until the 28th of Jan so once I get mine I will let everyone know how it is. CW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgerbitz Report post Posted January 11, 2011 For a first time nose button it looks great. My first nose button looked like an attempt to braid a candy cane. Thanks for sharing Rob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peaeye77 Report post Posted February 20, 2011 hey, that's nice work. i have built several bosals of different diameters and am still fighting twist. the lines for reference on the core that bevan speaks of are a HUGE help. i have never tried his measurement formula, but want to give it a try on the one i'm working presently. i do think the biggest key is to be very accuate and precise about how your twist is laid out in the beginning and try to keep it on track as you braid along. sometimes this tends to go to pot when yu go back through to tighten if you need to do this, so try and get it as snug as possible from the start......especially if your tying over a swell, as in this one. (maybe you already knew this) but, on the bright side, YOU built this and should be proud of what you did if you put into it your best work at the time. besides, the most important part is the feel of the noseband to your horse. if you've built the right life in it from the core on up, it will serve you well as you improve the asthetics of the item. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peaeye77 Report post Posted February 20, 2011 one thing i forgot to mention........you can try putting a couple parallel lines ring knot to ring knot, a quarter turn apart, and line up the center of the crosses up with them. ( i say a quarter turn just because you can see both without turning the boasl over as you braid ) kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites