GrampaJoel

You can sew them by hand. There isn't a lot of sewing to sew on a yoke for a young girl. A simple pair can be made without sewing at all. I make chinks often, I have several styles, and I have a design that only has sewing on the yoke. You can also buck stitch the yoke on. The only limits are your skills and immagination. I have seen some imitation leather that is very light weight that would sew on a regular sewing machine, and it looks pretty real if not put under the microscope.

Put a leather needle in and give it a try. I started with a old Brother brand sewing machine. Didn't work very well though. Just not heavy enough.

Well, I've had my original class 4 for some years now. I have still found interesting ways to destroy a project with it. All due to my not checking something ( tension, bobbin, needle size, thread size, stitch length, etc..) before I started sewing. I have learned to sew a bit of scrap from my project to test the stitching results before sewing the actual project. It has saved me many a headaches. I always turn the leather over to look at the back side to make sure the thread is pulling evenly. If not I adjust the tension. There's a lot to learn, but it ain't rocket science. Or else I wouldn't be able to do it myself. Have fun Joel

Yeah I've done that. I have even broken a few. It usually comes from me pulling the leather instead of letting the machine do the pulling . You'll get it right pretty soon. I have even managed to break the needle foot on one of my machines. I am still using it in it's broken condition because I am to embarrassed to tell Steve. Ha, ha! Of course it was my fault for twisting a Hugh piece of leather in a spot where I shouldn't have. Oh well, these things do happen.

Hey, no loss really. Now you can make. A ruff out holster. I have several hanging in my shop.

Everything by machine that I can. I like the cobra models. The rest in a stitching horse by hand. Unless it is a cantle binding. Those are always hand stitched on the saddle stand. Joel

I can't tell you how to fix your machine. Nor can I tell you why things don't work and appear the way they do. What I can tell you is that I have three cobra machines. Two different sewing machines, and a skiving machine. They all work great, and, the man named Steve is the reason why I have them. He is a man of his word, and knows the machines backwards and forwards. If he can't tell you what is wrong he has a wonderful machine Machanix there name Tony who can fix it. When I have a problem with my machine, ( and you will they are just machines) I just pick up the phone and call them. I have never been disappointed. Joel

Well that's a pretty big swell to try and stretch leather over. Even a real stretchy piece. Have you soaked the belly leather real good? You could welt it. That might be easier if you know how to do a welt. You could just do a lace up in the same area, Instead of the welt. I'm not sure you will be able to get over those swells without cutting it somewhere. You might if you stretchy piece of leather is big. But you would have to deal with all the slack then. What we need is a real full time saddle maker to chime in. I make a few, but no where near a professional. Joel

I thought it was hereford, but I'm not sure. This is a big longhorn steer head carved into the lower fender and taking up most of the fender. It's a Texas made saddle. That I know for sure. Someone posted a photo asking to have one ID'ed sometime back. They got a definite answer. I just can't find the post So I'm looking for answers this way. Perhaps someone has a photo and knows who made the saddle. Thanks Joel

I saw it here I believe, and I have looked for the info everywhere, but can't find it again. I am in need of the brand name of saddle that has a large steer head tooled into the fenders. Thanks Joel

Oltoot Would you happen to have a photo you can post in regards to you plugging between the rigging and skirts method? Thanks Joel

Post up a picture when you get it finished.

Ok, I see what you are after now, after reading twinchesters reply. I would also add,,, The skirts are sewn together below the fenders. And appear to use the wear leather to hold the pieces together. ( the skirt on each side should be one piece) The stirrup straps are fitted to a poor quality ' Blevins style' buckle, and the widths doesn't seem to be even or the right width for the buckle. The front rigging looks like it is really weak. If that front jockey were to be lifted I bet the front ring is just hung with a small leather strap or something . At the rear of the saddle where the skirts come together. They appear to overlap. They should be separated a little bit so the can move independ of one another. Not real important, but the seat decorative stitching is very poorly done. Ends, and turn backs don't match. The off side has a stand alone stitch line that doesnt appear on the nearside. Again as mentioned above, the sewing on all visible sewing is way to long in length. The leather overall looks to be low quality. My main concern would be that, with all the visible problems this saddle has, how poorly is the tree itself? Next... Joel As an after thought. Please don't put this saddle on a horse and ride it. For both your safety.

You will need to measure the length of the curved strap to match the horse. A 16 hand horse will need more than a 13 hand pony. The length for the curve that you measure will be the inside of the curve. Don't make it to close to the ear as the halter will move around somewhat and sore the ear. To big an ear loop, and it will move around and not fit well. Make sure the edges that faces the ear are very smooth. Good luck, and have fun. Joel

Sure. The little 'T' shaped silver pieces are a Jeremiah Watts item. The curved strap piece just slips in and a set screw holds them in place. The little 'T's' just slip over the straight strap. Push them up and you get the curve. I'd advise a little glue inside the 't' where the curved strap goes in, just for good measure. Now, If I was doing it like the picture, I would wet mold the curved strap to help keep the curve flat and keep it from trying to straighten out. Hope this helps.

Made in Mexico, or India? I suppose you didn't pay much for it. A few hundred dollars maybe. What kind of info are you after?

Basically yes to all your questions. It can be cut as a single piece. It can be a sliding ear piece. It can be bent, (at the ear) It can be rolled and bent. It can be a piece cut in a curved shape and attached inn a permanent spot. You need to know the horses head size to make it, since it is a custom order. I guess I'm saying. The way you, or the customer wants it is the way it should be. Imagination is your only limit.

I would guess this. the harness leather was tooled/ compressed where the black material seems to be inlayed . The inlay was then glued in. Next holes punched for the spots. Spots used to add security to hold the edge of the inlayed material. The spots pushed in from the back side. The red leather was then glued on. Holding the spots backs in place. Then the sewing was done. I would use a single sided pressed foot for the sewing. Last the spot tops were riveted on. I suggest this because the compressed leather shows the flattened spot backs in relief. As apposed to hiding them completely. The square Concho's appear to be screw backs. That's how I see it done.

True not much stretch to the bridle leather. I didn't think about the stretching part. So that gives me strong reason to rethink the idea. Thanks for the tip!

Has or does anyone here used bridle leather for a western saddle? I have some nice English bridle leather that I like the feel of. Will it hold up under the use of a saddle? Thoughts? Joel

Thanks for the replies guys. Ron I think I feel the same way you do about the rivets. But all I have seen in pictures seem to use rivets, and some are laced. As far as strength, or loss of, I feel that any puncture of the straps would eventually weaken the strap. But on the other hand, I have repaired some saddles that are over fifty years old and the stirrup straps with holes seem to be holding pretty well. But stirrups don't have the constant pressure that a cinch strap does. The way the strap that wraps around the horn connects to the front ring just seems to be eluding me for some reason. i suppose i could just do it my own way. I'm just at a loss here as to the correct way to do it. oltoot I have a friend that is ageing faster than i am, and has always wanted a SamStag rigged half seat saddle. I think it would be fun to have one for myself too, and I figured it would be fun to build one. I'm not a production builder. I just do things for fun or that present a challenge to me. I do like to do things as historic as possible when called for. Hench my questions about the way a SamStag rigging attaches to it's front ring. In particular the method used on the second straps ( back half of the main strap) attachment. Thanks guys Joel

Ok, so no one has a photo, how about maybe an explanation? These photos below show the straps in different configurations. My perplexity comes from the attachment of the small strap that wraps around the horn neck, how does it attach to the ring? Some photos seem to show it not attached to the ring. Some show the small strap dissappearing behind the large strap with no apparent method of attachment. I have even seen saddles with the small strap button laced to the larger strap higher up. And just a curious question, does the SamStag rigging put a lot of stress on the front of the bars? I know a lot of questions. But I would like to build a saddle using this style rigging. I want it to be safe for the user, and safe for the horse as well. Thanks for the help Joel

Please show me a photo of the backside of the SamStag rigging where it is folded around the ring. I just can't seem to get this picture in my mind as to how the straps should go. I have looked all over the web and in the journals and magazines. But I have had no actual luck in finding a 'rear view' of the ring strap attachment. Thanks everyone Joel

You set the bar way to high for the worlds other leather workers! You sir are the master.

Very clean lines! Nice job.