# Braiding horse hair



## Jgrden (Mar 26, 2011)

In my attempts to make a keepsake horse hair pen there have surfaced some issues. The horse hair was soaked in vinegar for a week to make it pliable. Three ten strand length of hair were pressed between two boards. As the horsehair was braided, one strand would wander into the next. How does one make the ten stands hold together while braiding? Glue, lotion, oil. It has to be something that can be used in Alumilite.


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## Drstrangefart (Mar 26, 2011)

How about blasting the Bejeebers out of it with hair spray?


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## ed4copies (Mar 26, 2011)

John,

Please consider that some of us have done that WHILE the mane and tail were on the horse!!  If the strands are the same length, approximately, you just keep pulling them down and wrapping left over center, right over center.  Helps to wet your hands every once in a while.

Oh, and a reassuring "Whoa" will quiet the continuous head motion as you get near the ears!!  Careful though, forelocks are tricky!!:biggrin::biggrin:


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## Jgrden (Mar 26, 2011)

ed4copies said:


> John,
> 
> Please consider that some of us have done that WHILE the mane and tail were on the horse!!  If the strands are the same length, approximately, you just keep pulling them down and wrapping left over center, right over center.  Helps to wet your hands every once in a while.
> 
> Oh, and a reassuring "Whoa" will quiet the continuous head motion as you get near the ears!!  Careful though, forelocks are tricky!!:biggrin::biggrin:


Heh, heh, heh. :wink: Wetting the hands might work. The water will evaporate before wrapping and setting in resin.


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## CSue (Mar 26, 2011)

LOL!  

Now are you going to wrap the braid around tube before the resin?


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## Sylvanite (Mar 27, 2011)

Are you making a simple 3-strand braid where each strand is a bundle of 10 hairs, or are you trying to weave flat sections that are 10 hairs wide?

If you're doing a simple braid, you might try wrapping a small rubber band around each bundle.  Keep them near the braid as you tie, rolling them down as you go.

If you want to keep the hairs flat, you might consider tying each bundle into a 10-strand flat sinnet first.  Otherwise, you're going to spend a LOT of time keeping the hairs straight as you go.

I'd probably make 8-12 flat sinnets and then coachwhip them around a tube before casting.

Another option would be to use individual hairs, but tie them in the style of a tubular friendship bracelet.  Both appraches would be particularly interesting if made with contrasting hair from different breeds.

Regards,
Eric


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## Jgrden (Mar 27, 2011)

Sylvanite said:


> Are you making a simple 3-strand braid where each strand is a bundle of 10 hairs, or are you trying to weave flat sections that are 10 hairs wide?
> 
> If you're doing a simple braid, you might try wrapping a small rubber band around each bundle.  Keep them near the braid as you tie, rolling them down as you go.
> 
> ...


Three stands made up of ten hair to each. Thirty hairs in the braid. The first attempt yielded six inches. It covered one half inch of the cigar tube. At this rate it will take twenty-four inches of braided horse hair to cover the tube. Some things I have learned:



The stands need to be wet so that pieces of hair don't wander
The selected hair needs to be LOOOOOOONG
Plan on doing it in ONE sitting
Reviewing the six inches that was done shows that it will be absolutely beautiful when done. 
To answer the question, it is a three strand braid.


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## Jgrden (Mar 27, 2011)

Sylvanite said:


> Are you making a simple 3-strand braid where each strand is a bundle of 10 hairs, or are you trying to weave flat sections that are 10 hairs wide?
> 
> If you're doing a simple braid, you might try wrapping a small rubber band around each bundle.  Keep them near the braid as you tie, rolling them down as you go.
> 
> ...


Eric; I am not smart enough to figure out how to braid a tubular style. It would the answer. I guess it is like wrapping a May Pole, but I cannot figure out how to do that.


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## Sylvanite (Mar 27, 2011)

Jgrden said:


> I am not smart enough to figure out how to braid a tubular style. It would the answer. I guess it is like wrapping a May Pole, but I cannot figure out how to do that.


Check out Another Coachwhipped Pen which I posted to show how to do coachwhipping.  It is, in fact, a maypole braid.

Regards,
Eric


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## Chasper (Mar 27, 2011)

In primative archery we make bow strings using the cordage method (same as making rope by hand) using milkweed or horseweed fibers.  It should work the same with horse hair, and I think this might be a better alternative than braiding.  The fibers/hair do not need to stretch from end to end, just so they overlap in the twisting.  Here is a tutorial on cordage.
http://www.primitiveways.com/cordage.html

You will find more at this site:
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/forums/66/String-Making-Resource-Information


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## Jgrden (Mar 29, 2011)

Chasper said:


> In primative archery we make bow strings using the cordage method (same as making rope by hand) using milkweed or horseweed fibers.  It should work the same with horse hair, and I think this might be a better alternative than braiding.  The fibers/hair do not need to stretch from end to end, just so they overlap in the twisting.  Here is a tutorial on cordage.
> http://www.primitiveways.com/cordage.html
> 
> You will find more at this site:
> http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/forums/66/String-Making-Resource-Information


WOW, this is good.


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## TellicoTurning (Mar 30, 2011)

Jgrden said:


> ed4copies said:
> 
> 
> > John,
> ...



And if you're working towards the tail, might keep "stuff" off your fingers...:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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