Harness making

by Unknown

The next part of the harness to be described is the front or forehead band. Begin work by cutting it 21 in. by 1 in., bend it down to pass easily round a 1½ in. strap, and then mark it across the length of the required opening. See that there are 13 in. between the two cross marks in the centre and sufficient to stitch down the ends beyond the openings; shave the points and stitch down the ends from the cross lines to the points.

Fig. 186.—Chain and Leather Gig Front.

It can be covered with fancy coloured or striped cloth or leather and herring-bone stitched along the centre underneath, making a cross at each end; or a chain front (Figs. 185 to 187) can be employed. In the last case a piece of patent leather must be cut of the same length as the front from one cross line to the other and of the same width as the forehead band; adjust the chain and stitch along its centre, taking the thread out at one side of the chain, and running it through the link and down on the other side close by the chain, and so on through every link; at each end through the link joint make a little chape and stitch double through it when the patent leather is being adjusted to the forehead band.

Now mark a line along the edges of the patent leather outside the chain and prick it fine, laying on the patent leather from opening to opening, and stitching double with beeswaxed linen thread and a fine awl. Stitch the patent leather across also at the ends, catching the above-mentioned little chapes. Then pare, sandpaper, black, and well polish the edges.

To make the head-piece, cut the leather 1½ in. wide and 1 ft. 10 in. long; slit it 6 in. at each end, and edge, black, and rub it well, and then crease it with a hot creaser close to the edge and at both sides of the slits. Now cut a ¾-in. chape, long enough to clasp the buckle and the head-piece and to reach no farther than the far side. Make a buckle hole in it, and edge, black, crease, and finally prick it.

Cut a loop ½ in. wide, trim it and place the chape in the buckle, tacking it exactly in the centre of the head-piece, after having cut a small nick exactly in the centre for the projecting tongue to enter. Stitch it in place, running a line across at the end opposite the buckle; then make four holes in each of the slits.

The winker strap is made as follows: Cut it from stiff leather 1½ in. by 13 in. long and remove the centre piece with a punch at the top of the slit, the last being 7½ in. by ½ in. Beginning at the slit, gradually narrow the other part to ¾ in. wide to run to the head-piece buckle at the top. Crease, black, and rub well with a hot iron and make three punch holes at the pointed end. Take the winkers and open a small slit by cutting the stitches between the leather at the top corner in the front; put a ½-in. length of the slit in each winker and stitch the points there firmly.

All that is now required to complete the bridle is the throat lash; make it 2 ft. 3 in. by ¾ in. and turn it down at each end to 1 ft. 8 in.; then make buckle holes in the bend and shave the points. Edge, black, crease and rub well, prick the bend, and put in the buckles with the bearing-rein swivels, one at each extremity. Having made a loop or two between the buckles and swivels, stitch down the chapes, going below the swivel sufficiently to keep it in place.

Put the bridle together by passing the ends of the front piece into the rosette loops, and placing one slit of the head strap on each side of the rosette loops at both ends of the front piece, the centre buckle at the top pointing in the same direction as the front. Secure the winker strap at the top buckle, and both inner slits of the head strap in the top buckle of the cheeks; then pass the billet through the noseband opening. Make sure that the noseband is buckled on the near side, and then put the billets through the cheek of the bit and up again through the loops on the outside of the noseband and cheek buckle.