Hitched Horsehair

[mulefool]

I'm wondering if anyone here does hitching? I'm learning and have a bunch of questions, although if you don't want to be hounded by questions you might want to keep quiet. I won't ask them til I know somebody might be interested in them. I do have a question about a good knot in either leather or rawhide to cover the joining between leather and hitched work.

[HorsehairBraider]

Well I don't hitch, I braid (but I bet you already figured that out!). I know a little about hitching through knowing some hitchers a long time ago and watching them work, but I'm probably no use to you there.

On the knot tied in between the hair part and the leather, I personally would use a pineapple type knot "that fits". It would depend how big a piece you are covering, and the width of your strings, what actual knot you would use. I like the way a pineapple knot can get good and tight so that would be my choice for covering such an area.

[justken]

I'm wondering if anyone here does hitching? I'm learning and have a bunch of questions, although if you don't want to be hounded by questions you might want to keep quiet. I won't ask them til I know somebody might be interested in them. I do have a question about a good knot in either leather or rawhide to cover the joining between leather and hitched work.

Hi Mulefoot..I'll try to help if I can.I've found it's a lot easier to show how to do that than to try to tell how. You can cover ends with needle knots.I just hitch a knot.What are you makeing?

[mulefool]

Thanks guys. I guess when I think pineapple knot, I think the knot at the bottom of a bosal, but I guess it doesn't have to be that big. I've got Bruce Grants book so I will check that out.

justken, so far what I'm making is just lots of practice pieces. I've got a drawer full of stuff. But what I'd like to be able to make is some headstalls. Primarily the browband or one ear piece and the cheekpieces, butted up to leather for the ends. rather than completely horsehair. I have practiced covering the joined area with making half hitches of waxed thread. but I think I need to do something better with the base under the knot because the shape is kind of off.

I'll just ask a couple questions rather than the dozens I have for now. Don't want to overload you. Plus it would be nice to be able to sit down with somebody over a cup of coffee with hitching at hand to discuss it. it'd sure be easier.

Anyway, I try really hard to pull every thing down tight, not cut things too short when adding a pull, but on the finished piece I always seems to have a few that stick up a bit. When I press it, they seem to lay down better, but I'm worried that with use they would start to pop up again. Do they generally stay down pretty good? I wanted to find this out before making an actual using headstall. Hate to put in all that work only to have something start coming apart.

As far as the design, it seems like there might be more than one way to skin a cat. When I start to try and figure out how I will execute it I start thinking of other ways it could be done. This is the absolute hardest part for me. do you work it out a few different ways on paper first?

What type of equipment do you have? I made a lap board type deal like in Clay Christensens book, but just the other day I saw a set up that was almost like a loom to sit at, of course not exactly portable.

i'd sure enjoy seeing some pictures of your work if you're able to post pictures. Thanks!

[justken]

Thanks guys. I guess when I think pineapple knot, I think the knot at the bottom of a bosal, but I guess it doesn't have to be that big. I've got Bruce Grants book so I will check that out.

justken, so far what I'm making is just lots of practice pieces. I've got a drawer full of stuff. But what I'd like to be able to make is some headstalls. Primarily the browband or one ear piece and the cheekpieces, butted up to leather for the ends. rather than completely horsehair. I have practiced covering the joined area with making half hitches of waxed thread. but I think I need to do something better with the base under the knot because the shape is kind of off.

I'll just ask a couple questions rather than the dozens I have for now. Don't want to overload you. Plus it would be nice to be able to sit down with somebody over a cup of coffee with hitching at hand to discuss it. it'd sure be easier.

Anyway, I try really hard to pull every thing down tight, not cut things too short when adding a pull, but on the finished piece I always seems to have a few that stick up a bit. When I press it, they seem to lay down better, but I'm worried that with use they would start to pop up again. Do they generally stay down pretty good? I wanted to find this out before making an actual using headstall. Hate to put in all that work only to have something start coming apart.

As far as the design, it seems like there might be more than one way to skin a cat. When I start to try and figure out how I will execute it I start thinking of other ways it could be done. This is the absolute hardest part for me. do you work it out a few different ways on paper first?

What type of equipment do you have? I made a lap board type deal like in Clay Christensens book, but just the other day I saw a set up that was almost like a loom to sit at, of course not exactly portable.

i'd sure enjoy seeing some pictures of your work if you're able to post pictures. Thanks!

Hi Mulefool..Finaly able to get back on here to answer some of your qustions.

Was going to tell you about clay's book.I've gotten a bunch of folks started useing his book.Like how he wrote it and it's very easy to follow.

Tieing dropped pulls..When your dropping out a pull do you tie it in on next hitch? After dropping pull out,on next round or on next "down" hitch,you lay dropped pull paralel to wrap cord then make a "down" hitch over it.Pull hitch snug then pull the dropped hitch under the wrap cord. I still will leave about a min of a 1/2" before cutting off. Sounds harder than it is,try it and you'll see.(I hope!) Also find that getting blank wet then rolling flat before pressing helps.Don't use your wife's good rolling pin,trust me on that..

I don't care for needle knots so usually will hitch over butted joints. A lot of times(most) I'll build up a foundation with white elec tape. Tape covers well and you can sew thru it while tieing off buttons.That said,I really like HorsehairBraider's knot!

Layouts..I used to use a graft paper that was made for beading(I think thats what thay used it for)I'll try and dig it out for you.Most of what I'm hitching now is for inlays or tassles.Got a whole lot of them trial and err pieces also.

Tools..I've got a bench set up that I use.I built a rack kind of afare that holds string and has 2 tensene adjusters on it. adjusters are tophat looking things that have a nut molded in top,found them in plumbing supplys at a old hardware store but thay are still being made.But a confortable chair with armrests and good lighting are more enportant to me.When I worked for the Forest Service back out in MT,I hitched out in the back country by standing on the thread that was wrapped around a nail drove in the end of a log.That was fun but like my bench better.

I'm kind of "tecno-challanged" so I'll try to find a gradeschool kid to get pictures for you.That coffee ready yet? Where do I got to go to get some? Anyway,hope I helped you a little and have fun!

[mulefool]

Thanks for all that good information. I've probably got all the books on hitching, but Clays seemed to work best for me. You know I haven't tied the dropped pull on the next round. Must have missed that somewhere, but it sounds like a good deal and I'll start doing that. I'm pretty sure I understand what you mean, but once I try it we'll find out.

I made up some of my own paper for graphing out designs, it's laid out more like brickwork, which isn't quite right either but has worked okay. It would be nice to come up with something that really looks the way the knots lay together.

When you say tassles are you talking about shoo flies? One idea I have for a bridle would have a spiral hitched rope for the throatlatch that comes together with a tassle at the bottom and then a sliding knot to tighten. If that makes sense.

Well, if you find that 12 year old kid, I'd love to see some pics of your work. The coffees always hot! It's not always good, but it is hot.

[justken]

Think it was Lenny Spurlock who showed me how to tie in dropped pulls like that. The graft paper I was useing probably looked like yours but was smaller almost oval shaped ,can you reduce yours to size? Didn't get a chance to go dig it out yet.

I make up all sizes of tassles from big shuflys down to single hair earrings.When I find that kid I'll post some pictures. Do you have any pictures of your work?

If I can help/confuse you any more ,let me know.

[mulefool]

I haven't taken any pictures, so far just a bunch of practice stuff. I do have one piece I started that I wouldn't mind getting your opinion on. It's what I would call a pretty simple design, but I 've had a heck of a time wrapping my brain around it. I got it done once, but I didn't make any notes on how I did it. I sure enjoy the process of the actual hitching, but I'm not so good at figuring out how I'm going to execute the pattern, I just kind of head out and see what happens, so far that hasn't worked all that well for anything other than a simple diamond. If I can run down a 12 year old, I'll try and get a pic and see if it can be posted here. thanks!