Ask the Experts about Jewelry Making

Topics: Horsehair, Jewelry

I want to make my own horse hair bracelet with my horse's tail hair. What type of clasps and beading thread should I use?

- Cathy

After thoroughly washing and drying the horse hair, gather hair to the desired thickness and trim to 4 to 5 times the length of the finished design (especially if braiding the hair). Using wire, strong cord or thread (like Kevlar, parachute cord or FireLine®), tightly wrap and secure one end of the hair. Place E-6000® Jewelry and Craft Adhesive around the thread and the end of the hair then add a cord end to cover the end of the hair and the wrapped wire or thread. Once the end is secure it can be attached to a clasp or finding using a jumpring.

Horse hair is a great medium to use when making jewelry and is very strong depending on the amount of hair used. There are many large-hole diameter beads that can be worked into the design.

For other ideas on finishing the end of your design, read the article ''A Dozen Ways to End a Necklace.''

- Maura Buckner Jewelry-Making Expert

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