Ok Guys i started a bit that im going to send to Elko if it works out and i am going to put a half breed mouth in it and i have never done one before. the question is how long do you guys make the staple in the mouth peice? Any help would be greatly appercatied!!
Vaya Con Dios
Steve

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The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds

If I'm making a halfbreed I want the staple a little longer than one on a spade. I have an old, old bit that belonged to my father in laws grandfather. It is about circa 1890, and the half breed in it is 2 1/2" long. I usually go mre like 1 1/2" or 1 3/4". I like that horse to really have that bit picked up in his mouth, and be able to feel a subtle pull. Just my opinion. There a probably as many ideas on that as there are bridle horsemen. Here is a pic of that old bit.

Thanks Jim, I was thinkin it needed to be longer than a spade but wasent real sure how much longer. I have seen a couple of old ones also and they were really long,They just looked to long. I think ill go with the 13/4
Thanks for all your help! And i appercaite your opinon!
Steve

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The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds

Hi Steve

Generally speaking the length of the half breed would depend on what you were after, either leverage or both leverage and signal. If you want some signal the length of the half breed should be at least as high as the top of the bridle rings. (Note picture of Bit Jim Posted) Most bits are built on a 2:1 ratio. The bit pictured would be fairely quick as it has a center mounted mouth, where as a front mounted mouth is slower. This IMHO.

Jim the bit you posted, do you have any history on it, is it maker marked?
That looks like a nice bit.

_________________
Norm Harris, Jr.
"The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man"

Thanks Norm, that makes sense to me and i think 1 3/4 is about what i want.This bit will be a little slower than the one Jim Posted.
Thanka again for yalls help.

_________________
The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds

Steve,
I hope you will post a picture of your bit when it's finished. I look forward to seeing it.
Stewart

I don't know really anything about the bit, other than it belonged to my father in laws grandfather. My father in law is 75 years old, and so that puts it back aways. Also the were from San Benito county CA. Looking at the engraving and compairing it to some books I have, it looks like a lot of the stuff that was coming out of San Francisco or San Jose around the torn of the century. There is no maker mark that I can make out.My brother in law gave it to me to fix. The headstall loops wore clear through, and someone had cut them off, so I welded new ones on it. It was kind of tricky to do with out getting the inlays too hot. But it dosen't look too bad. When the new parts rust a little, fron a distance you won't be able to tell it was all messed up.
Jim

Hi Jim

Thanks for the information on your bit. It is surely a nice old Santa Barbara Kissing birds Pattern, wish it could talk and I owned it. Looks like you did great job of repair, kind of scarey welding that close to the inlays, is'nt it.

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Norm Harris, Jr.
"The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man"

I was scared to death, bot it looked bad the way it was. I soaked a rag and layed the bit on it then welded a little and cooled it then did it again. It worked pretty good.
Jim

Hey Jim, I've done some of those the same way, also layed some heavey , thick peices of copper over the inlays to take up the heat, that also worked pretty good, but its still a little hairy. Keep up the good work.

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Norm Harris, Jr.
"The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man"

Norm thats a good idea,useing copper to as a heat sink.....Have any of you guys used the heat cotroll paste from brownells? it works pretty good and i think useing it and the copper would work really well.

Steweart i started taking some pictures yesterday of the bit and ill post them in sequence when im done. But i gotta warn you im even less of a photographer than i am a bit and spur maker.
Steve

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The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds

Thats another thing I did on this bit. I smeared it with that heat control paste. It helps a lot. I use it a lot When putting new bit together as well.

Jim and Steve, that shows how far out of touch I am, I have never used the heat control paste, sounds like good stuff, can you get from RIO or IJS.

_________________
Norm Harris, Jr.
"The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man"

I got it from my welding supply store.
Jim

I get mine from Brownells... i never looked at IJS or rio grand

_________________
The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds