How to make a moving curb bit

I finally captured in camera the way I do curb bits. Let's see what kind of catastrophe this ends up being, since I'm bad at doing tutorials. The bit I'm focusing at here is like that seen below. It can be used with or without a snaffle, and by modifying it can be transformed into a pelham too.

One of the very first curb bits I made, early 2018. One square is 1 cm.

What you need:
- metal wire or jewellery spikes (not too thin or thick, 0.4 mm or slightly thicker is okay)
- round jewellery pliers (thin nose)
- jewellery side cutters

This photo is perfect, I don't need to take it million times... Except that in this you see too much stuff (like the large pliers and thick wire). Those three wires (silver, gold and red) are meant for tying flowers but work well for model horse metalware too, even for bits.

The actual tutorial:

Take some jewellery spikes (I have no idea what these are called in English, but you get the picture!), at least two. More is needed if you want to test the techniques before trying to make the actual-to-be-used bits.

If you want, you can bend the loop a bit backwards, so the seam side gets flat and more same-way with the rest of the wire. It's not necessary, but useful.

Take round jewellery pliers and hold from close to the spike's loop, the loop seam facing out of you. Bend the excess wire (rest of the wire) outwards from you.

Bend it further, so much that you get another loop. This will be the link you attach the mouthpiece to. (Here comes a notice: to make the bits symmetric to each other, I have a rule of thumb that I first bend "on the loop" and the second piece "under the loop". This way they mirror each other. I'm perfectionistic enough to do it this way. The piece seen here is made "under the loop" way and so is a shank that gets placed to the right side.)

Here's what it looks like when the loop is done:

Inside.

Outside.

To make the lower shank's rein loop, put the bit to the pliers this way. Make sure the mouthpiece loop is facing at your direction.

Notice how the mouthpiece loop is facing down/at you, to the lower jaw of the pliers.

Bend the excess wire outwards from you. This is how you mark the place to bend from.

Put that corner to the pliers' nose tip. Bend outwards from you again, so you end up with a loop. Make sure the loop goes to the opposite direction as the mouthpiece loop!

Rein end loop (lower shank's loop) ready for cut.

Done! Here's the bit right after bending and before final trimming. The mouthpiece comes later, and is made similarly as shown here.

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Extra info:

- How to make a snaffle bit (to go with this for dressage). Also shows how to make a "mouthpiece" too.

WIRE OR SPIKES?
You can replace the jewellery spikes with only metal wire too, the technique is similar. Choose a wire that looks in scale with the horse, and is strong and steady enough for use (even with a bit rough hands), but not too thick for okay shaping. (Too thick wire can harm your jewellery pliers. The only bits I do from the thick wire are the average round snaffles.) I prefer the jewellery spikes over only wire because my wire is, while being okay in thickness, a bit too soft for rougher use. I use it for extra parts like mouthpieces and other parts that I can attach separately.

When bending a curb bit entirely from wire, I start with the first loop, that is where the cheekpiece attaches to. Just a small loop that I can bend a bit backwards to make the seam side match with the resto f the wire (now it should resemble the letter P, the seam being at the P's "backside"). After that, just do the steps seen in the tutorial. And make sure the seam is siding with the mouthpiece loop.

SYMMETRY
I mentioned the symmetry I try to follow with these. When I do the bit "on the loop" way, it's a left side shank, and when I do "under the loop", it's going to be a right side shank. Doing this correctly and with good results takes some thinking (and probably few fails), but that isn't bad at all. What else miniature hobby is about, if not stretching our brain? (I used the super long shanks to demonstrate things because they have something to hold from without hiding everything with my fingertips.)

This is what I want them to look like. Symmetric.

Right shank on, left down.

See the difference in how the mouthpiece loops are made?

Right bit in the left, left in the right... Visualized in digital program to make it clear and simple. (On the right is a left shank with a mouthpiece placed rightly)

I finally documented the way how I check the symmetry and that the shanks match each other in length and which degree the parts are bent in. I place them to the cutting mat and try to match certain parts to the white lines, and check if both shanks match similarly. They will not always be exactly alike, but enough to work okay.

These are ridiculously long shanks... In case you wonder why anyone could call these realistic.

MODIFYING
This tutorial showed the basic way to make a okay length curb bit. It can be made longer, shorter, curvy, etc. too. I use various techniques to make that happen, but I may measure lengths and mark them by using my pliers, a marker, or other things I find useful.

A short curb bit is often harder to make than a long one, due to the fact that the long wire has more surface to bend, and more to hold from.

Long curb bits also require some space between the upper shank loop and mouthpiece loop, and I do that by that same plier measuring technique as seen here (that part where I do the rein end loop).

If I want to make a pelham, I need to do some space for that too - but it can't be that much, so I use some larger pliers' nose to mark where to bend the mouthpiece loop.That way the gap doesn't end up too long, but it's just enough for a U -shaped piece to fit and move freely.

With various types of pliers, and shank lengths, it's possible to make this curb bit to look a bit western-y, curved, and so on. In this tutorial I showed just a basic shape and length that is okay for "average" type. It is also easiest to make, from all these curb bits I've invented.


USE
This bit can be used with or without a snaffle. To attach it I use contact glue, that I apply and let dry a couple of days before I get the bit to actual use.

How do I combine a snaffle to this bit? Not by glue. I make a average snaffle bit, and bend it's mouthpiece into a hook. And I put that hook into the curb's mouthpiece loop - yes, it fits there! This way the snaffle does work, too, so it's not fake. (Not saying this curb couldn't be fake either but...)

A double bit, where the snaffle is attached permanently to the curb by a oval link.

I had no pictures of this contraption, where the snaffle attaches with a hook, without the curb strap... But if you look carefully, you can see where the hook is.

More of the hook.

Leverage bits require the use of a curb strap or chain. I put the curb strap only after both bits (if used in a double bridle), and it's... Difficult. I don't know how hard it is to put when done correctly (similarly to 1:1 scale curb straps/chains), but at least I can say it goes the right way and not weirdly behind the snaffle. Because that way it's no way realistic! Usually I use a lot of time to put the bits and curb strap because of that. Yet worse as I need to find a strap that is fitting in length... And I attach it with tweezers! At this point one of the bits usually drops, because the glue doesn't stick anymore or the snaffle hook is too loose or whatever else.

But with patience and stubbornness it's worth photographing. 





Here are some pics of the bit in use. They may not be exactly the length as in the tutorial, but the technique stays same.

One of the first curbs from early 2018, it's very first time in use.

Dreamy's bit, which is quite long. It has it's problems, like the lack of length in the upper "shank" compared to the lower part.

A curb bit with a plastic bead in the upper shank. It adds length and also keeps the curb strap's hook from getting closer to the mouthpiece loop.

A longer curb bit with a bead, looking unbalanced.

Similar to above, but with more beads, now with honey color.

Here used like it mostly is meant to: in a double bridle, in dressage. (I know a flash noseband should never be used with double bridles.)

What next?

Making a moving English snaffle

Another tutorial... Now about how to make a traditional scale bit - which moves and can be placed much behind the plastic horse's lip corners. 

What you need:
- thicker metal wire (0.9 mm)
- thinner metal wire
- jewellery pliers
- larger pliers and cutters
- contact glue that dries sticky; can be replaced with tacky wax or whatever you use

Builder pliers, jewellery pliers, and the wires. Glue and large cutters are needed too, in case anyone tries to read this picture literally.

Thicker wire (0.9 mm).

The actual tutorial:

Cut at least 20 cm piece from the thicker wire.

The wire's length really doesn't matter, except that it is better to have a bit more than less.

Take the round pliers and bend a ring from it, usually as big as you can (jewellery pliers are small).

Round pliers, good for making jumprings and curves.

Use the root for this step.

A ring that's ready to be cut.

Cut that with 'builder' cutters. Then repeat making rings at least nine times, because these rings are your friends.

The big builder cutters. I can't survive without these!

Ring fresh after cut.

Do not trim them or anything.

Cut at least 20 cm piece from the thinner wire.

20 cm.

The well-known round jewellery pliers.

Make a tiny loop with the round jewellery pliers' nose.

Making the tiny loop.

The tiny loop after shaping - it's hard to photograph.

Bend it a bit backwards to make a even round loop.

This is not round, but just enough of a loop.

Then get to pliers the loop seam area and bend a bit more backwards, so it resembles the letter P.

This way the loop seam gets hidden since it's against the horse.

Take the piece and put it flat in the pliers' jaws, and let it bite. It flattens the piece, so it's even. (Make sure you don't straighten the excess wire too much from the loop seam.)

Biting the excess wire...

...and flattening the loop part to make sure it's straight.

This is good enough for me. It depends from horse to horse how much the loop should look P or should it be rather just a loop with an excess wire.

Measure about 5 mm, use the root of your pliers if that matches it enough.

These pliers have the roots in a shape of square.

About (roughly more than) 5 mm marked by shaping a corner.

That square is 1 cm alias 10 mm wide.

Cut it.

As a whole the piece seems to be almost 1 cm long.

Make those thin pieces as much as you do the thick rings.

Now we have a) snaffle ring and b) mouthpiece. Let's assemble the whole thing.

Take a thick ring and a pair of thin-nosed builder pliers (or one builder and one jewellery). Hold the wire ends with them, then bend a bit sideways to open the ring nicely.

Thick ring opened.

Second, take a small piece, alias mouthpiece. Put the loop end to the thick ring.

Use builder pliers to bend the ring close. 'Bite' it flat.

Biting.

Now your bit (and hopefully it's pair) is done. Play a minute with the bit, because it is awesome and we are childish enough to do that.

When the bit is done, we have yet to figure out how to attach it to the horse's mouth. It depends from each hobbyist what we prefer, and if you can use Tacky Wax or something else, go for it. But I use Pattex contact glue because it dries sticky and works for metal as well as for leather.

This step requires a handmade wire tool. Take thicker wire piece and bend few loops to it's other end to make a handle. Make sure the tool is long enough (about 10-20 cm + the handle). Bend it's end with round pliers or fingers.

Wire tool's handle.

Seems it's over 20 cm long - it must be.

End bent.

To make the bits actually work-able, open your contact glue tube and blurt a bit of glue to a waste piece, like here the glue tube package remains.
Beware: I don't have experience of more than one type of contact glue, and I don't know if the other glues are sticky too or only this what I have. This my glue is meant to be applied on both surfaces and let dry a bit (about 15-45 minutes) before splatting the surfaces against each other.

Have something to put stuff to hang from if they need to dry without touching surfaces. I have this:

Put the bit and it's partner to hang in that, the 'outside' areas being against each other. This helps with gluing since you can actually see what the toe you are doing.

The seams are facing out of each other, see? Meaning the actual outsides are against each other.

Dip the wire tool's end to the glue. Apply it by stroking/petting the mouthpiece's inside area a few times. Try to add a thick enough layer of glue, so it has some sticking surface; I also cover the mouthpiece's end with glue as that could possibly protect the horse from it's sharpness.

Petting the bit.

If the glue feels difficult to apply, let it dry a bit and put more later. About three layers is usually okay, since the glue gets thicker and so has more surface to stick and so stays better on when 'put in the horse's mouth'.

Leave the bits dry for a couple of days. Just let it dry more than what the package tells you to, because you're not going to stick that bit to your horse forever. Go for example eat something or walk during waiting.

After the drying, test touch the glues. It should feel rubbery and sticky but not too soft or sculpt-able, and my glue also changes from white to transparent when dry. I found out it's better to let the bits dry for a day or couple more so the glue really is dry enough to use; if it's not, then it may either be too soft or that and so sticky that it bites some paint off from your horse when you unbridle them. Yes, I've been this stupid that I injure my models because of some bits; at least it's now proof that this glue is strong. (Maybe paint and varnish quality has some part in this; the glue sticks very well to Vallejo Acrylic varnish - better than in any other surface my horses have had - but hasn't damaged it yet at all!)

Because the contact glue is sticky, it gets all trash in it very easily. With bits that is mostly irritating, but that can also protect the horse's paint surface if there is a danger of damaging it with rough handling. When the glue is too dirty after much use, just add a new layer of glue and let it dry. You can remove all old glue first, or leave some to help the new layer to have some surface to attach in.

I personally couldn't recommend using contact glue with resins or other very high-quality models, since it would upset yet more to damage them with it than the regular factory ponies. Partly because the paintjob in resins is usually (if not always?) an artwork done by professional hobbyists, and injuring that could feel extremely bad. A great artwork is more valuable than the risk of ripping paint off from it because of some damn bit.

Storage of the bits
To keep the bits organized and away from disappearing, I keep them in some small storage boxes that have partitions in them. There they are protected from air and trash that could dry the glue in a way that it loses it's stickiness.


Some photos of the bits in actual use:

Snaffle with a chocolate brown mouthpiece - this seems to disappear quite well with dark colored horses.

Green mouthpiece. In monochrmoatic photos that could also disappear quite well.

Right placement - not in the corner of the mouth, but a bit higher! (And that mouthpiece has already some dust in it...)

But anyway, no matter what you use for attaching the bit to your horse's mouth, try to have fun with it. I've also documented a how-to for a curb bit, so let's start to wait it then!