The person who sells them says she put on in her own mouth to verify that there are no sharp edges. 
Does anyone with the rolled variety have any photos that they could share with me showing details of how they’re made? I have someone making one for me but she’d like to see some more examples before she finalizes the design. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I can try to take some useful photos this weekend. The photos on the ordering website are not bad either.
Is yours one of the Winterpast ones, leheath? We’re thinking that a rolled (rather than shaped) leather bit might work for this horse with particularly sensitive skin, but the earlier photos of rolled bits in this thread no longer work. I appreciate your offer of photos, but if yours isn’t rolled, I don’t want to waste your time!
Edited to add that upon re-reading the OP’s initial post, it seems like those ones weren’t rolled, either. I know I’ve seen photos of the rolled variety but finding photos isn’t easy when the search words could apply to so many different things!
Yes, I got mine from Winterpast and am very happy with it for my super sensitive mare. Mine is the same as someone else posted a photo earlier in this thread. I’m not what the difference would be between rolled and shaped? Mine is certainly very smooth anywhere it is in contact with my horse’s mouth and even the stitched area is very smooth.
The leather maker who is making it for me is worried that once the layered/shaped variety has been used for a certain period of time, the fibers will start to come loose and rub her. It’s for a horse who gets rubs inside her mouth from even a smooth metal bit, so we’re erring on the side of caution (and hoping that the softness of the leather will better suit her sensitive skin).
Hmm…interesting thought. Only just got mine so obviously can’t tell about long term durability, but the photo of the one being used after three years didn’t look like there was any loose fibers. However, my horse is sensitive to bits in general (due to prior abuse) rather than specifically having sensitive skin so it is less of an issue for me. Would love to see photos of the rolled one when it is made - how does one “close” the roll if not with stitching…enquiring minds want to know!
I have a hard time envisioning the rolled bit without a rough edge from stitching. I felt mine today and I think they’re just getting softer with use.
I took some pics of my very used leather snaffles (bought the day I posted this threadish). I’ll try to post them in a second from my phone.
The stitching goes towards the front so that it doesn’t end up against the tongue or the lips. Here’s a photo from a NZ guy who used to make them the rolled way (I sent along photos from this guy’s archived site to the person making mine so hopefully they’ll be enough to help):
https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/228742_184355248281606_6129149_n.jpg?oh=ab7b94e34b59cae2fa13627c20a93b02&oe=55BB1304
Beris also makes leather bits the rolled way but with a fat rubbery center, and they use slightly different stitching:
http://walshproducts.com/images/P/10220_D-Ring_mit_Lederstange_Standard%20(1024x1024).jpg
If need be we’ll try the layered variety, but since it’s being made to order anyway, I figure it’s best to start with the most likely design to work for her mouth.
Thanks for your help, and I loved seeing what your very used bits are looking like these days, eponacowgirl!
Oh, neat! That’s not what i was picturing at all, but I love the extra width added by the second “wrap.” Might have to try that for my girl who originally went in the leather bit when she’s back to work. (She’d graduated to a happy mouth mullen D because the leather was getting too skinny for her as she got more trained and responsive.)
