Making First Headstall...what Order Do I Do What?

[cmantz]

So, I am making my first headstall...and then breast collar. Pieces are cut out for the headstall. I am using a 8 oz. bridle leather that does not require any stain or dye.

I am planning on doubling the cheek pieces, the browband and possible the crown strap. The cheeks and browband will have a lightweight (2-3 oz) overlay on them with spots along the edge. So, what is the best order of attack?

I am assuming I do in this order:

glue

bevel edges (not sure when to do this...before they are glued, after they are glued, before the edges are sanded, after sanding???)

sand edges

burnish edges

condition

stain edges

sew

apply overlay

sew

add spots

add hardware

Is this correct?

I don't have to dye the leather for the above set but I am assuming if I do, I would dye the pieces after they are cut out and before they are glued, correct?

[JJs Leatherworks]

Christine,

Project sounds ambitioius.

Doubled up 8 oz plus an overlay is going to give you pretty thick material for your cheek and browband. Where you have to double up the straps for buckles or other hardware to be attached with chicago screws or rivets, you will have lots of skiving to do to make it manageable. I seldom make headstalls with a total thickness of more than 12 oz, many are just single thickness 8 - 10 oz.

Once your pieces are glued together, you will want to sand before doing the beveling of the edges (if your edges aren't even before you sand and you bevel first, as you sand, you lose some of the bevel). Many items, I do not sand until after they have been sewn, as sewing close to the edge with a machine will often cause small buldges in the edge by the needle holes and sanding afterwards, gives a nice smooth edge.

Depending on the pattern and layout of your spots and proximity to your sew/stitch line, with the thickness of your finished straps, you may want to consider putting the spots on the top layer before assembly (will allow the prongs to clinch the material better).

Not sure what is holding your overlay in place without seeing a pattern - will it be stitched as well? do the spots hold it in place?

Just a few considerations for your headstall project.

I hope I haven't added to your confusion. Some steps are cut and dried, but others, depending on the project can be altered. There is no one 100%correct order to do it.

Looking forward to pictures when complete.

JJ

[cmantz]

JJ

Wow...36 views and one response Thank you for that!!! I truly appreciate your offer to share some tips to me. It sometimes seems as if I am asking for the recipe for Bush's Baked Beans LOL!!! I know some of the more seasoned tack makers probably read it and thought "not this question AGAIN" but I did attempt to search the forum before I posted. Man...how I wish I could find a mentor. How nice would that be if you could just shot someone an email with the silly questions asked by most newbies?

Edges....yeah, I can see now that I need to edge after I sand I edged the top pieces (cheeks and browband) and then glued them. Then I sanded them. I hadn't edged the back so did that after I sanded and that worked out much better. So today I learned...sand and then edge!

As far as leather weights. A friend had a tack set that she bought from Heritage Leather when she was at the NFR and I used that as my "inspiration". From what I can tell they used two layers of 8oz leather and then had some hair-on overlay.

The leather I am using seems to be fairly soft so hopefully it won't be too thick.

The overlay will be glued and then sewn and then spots added to the edge so I will have to add the spots at the end. I have a Standard Rivet spot setter so hopefully they will stay in place pretty good.

I will be happy to post pics when I am done. I need all the critiques I can get so I can learn and improve. Believe me, I am my biggest critic...but I suppose I am no different that most.

[cmantz]

So, headstall is almost finished...just need to add the spots.

[Josh Ashman]

That looks nice and your craftsmanship looks great. It's a whole different thing from the kind of tack I make and use but I'm sure you'll have a lot of demand from folks that are more stylish than me

Good job,

Josh

[cmantz]

Josh...this is for my daughter who is a barrel racer . It is going on her sorrel horse so I think it will look really good on her. Yeah...probably not going to sell to many like this to ropers, reiners, trail riders, etc.... LOL!

Now personally I prefer a more traditional/functional style...but since I can't tool...or even draw as far as that is concerned...tooled leather is out of the question for me.

It is funny because every time she gets a new horse she says "I think her color will be orange"...or blue...or turquoise...or red. My response is "what about her color being leather?"

[JJs Leatherworks]

Christine,

Turned out very nice. Congratulations! Where did you source that color of hair on material?

What 'color' is the next horse going to be?

JJ

[cmantz]

JJ...that is actually not hair-on. It is "Dakota Side" from SLC. I bought a small piece (about 3 sq ft) a couple months ago and I loved the color. Looks great with the bridle leather I bought. So, I bought some more and it was totally different. Had a much more pronounced "crackle" effect on the surface and the colors were completely different (the second piece had a lot more turquoise in it). I like the color of the second piece but wasn't sure about that crackle surface holding up well especially for tack.

In all my years of sewing, I understand dye lots but this wasn't even close. The only thing they could figure out is that the first piece I bought came from a corner. I just would have expected it to be a closer match since it is a man-made effect.

Thankfully I have enough to make the breast collar and probably tie down from the piece I have.

Here is a picture on her horse. Makes her look so pretty

[JinxedDream]

That is lovely! Not my style at all but barrel racers go crazy for that stuff.

I'm starting my first headstall in a bit, when my leather order gets here from SLC. My friend wants a barcoo headstall. Aiming towards the trail and endurance market.

[cmantz]

Need more input...here are some progress pictures of the matching breast collar. I am not super happy with the stitching on these but maybe I am being overly critical.

I stitched the outer row of stitching first. Then I stitched the tabs back. Then applied the overlay and stitched that on. I think when I did the outer row of stitching I should NOT have stitched up the tabs and then when I did turn the tabs back and sewed those I wouldn't have been stitching over stitches. Thankfully some conchos will go on the tabs and help cover up that.

Would love some feedback and any construction tips you would be willing to share.