Securing Braided Horsehair Ends

[Apy]

I've tried many ways to secure the ends. Lashing is okay, but if it is not covered with a knot it will slide off. Also, I don't really care for the way it looks on the finished project. Super glue is rigid, barge cement is yellow and hard to work with. Any suggestions for me?

[bucksnort]

Not a specialty of mine but I can tell you that I was taught that with horse hair you have to double your knot. So if you use say a turks head, you tie that & then follow every strand around again. If HorseHairBraider is still on this site she could help you, you might try sending her a PM. Buck

[Rawhidelady]

Tie a string around the end of your braid to hold it in place. Then separate the strands to get ready to make your termination knot of choice.

Before you start to tie the termination knot lay your clean dry horsehair across the center of the braid, you can do it in one section or two sections crossed over each other.

Tie your termination knot and when you bring the strands up through the middle tighten your knot and then carefully trim the ends flush with the bottom of the knot.

Take the horsehair and pull it together in one bundle around the knot and tie a string to hold it there. Take someelectric tape and wrap the termination knot and hair with it.

The electric tape can be trimmed to shape it as long as you quickly cover the trimmed tape with another layer of tape. I would then tie a 4 bight gaucho weave around it. Wrap the gaucho knot with one or two layers of tape of a color to blend with your final button knot. Lastly tie a final button of your choice to cover.

Best of luck.

[Rawhidelady]

Well it just occurred to me (silly me) that you were maybe actually braiding horsehair (not leather)and trying to find a way to finish off the braid.

Missed the ball, bat and the whole field on this one, lol.