GrampaJoel

JW, Steve, Rod and Denise Nikkel, horse wreck. Thank you very much!! Between the four of you, you have set my mind at ease. I believe I understand how to choose my next saddle. Thank you all very much for your time and your patience!! Russ Thanks for your input also. I did as you suggested and looked for a saddle making school. There isn't any in either of my locations that could work for me. I would love to attend a school or apprentice for someone. But it doesn't look like it is in my future for now. It's a time thing. With all my duties around our home, I just can't go off to some other place and leave the Misses at home alone to shoulder the burden of caring for our animals and such by her self.. But it was a good suggestion just the same. Thanks gang!! Joel

Well I'm totally confused now. I looked at a 3b saddle style earlier today on the net just to see what was being made reference to. It seems it's called a Visalia 3b saddle that is being talked about. Heck they look the same as a wade to my eyes. At least from pictures on the net. So back to my original question. I guess the info I'm after is,,,,,what style of saddle would work best for long rides in the mountains as well as on hilly and flat ground. I know what catches my eye, but it may not work for what I am after. I'm not planning on ropeing steers, but I might need to help pull someone back onto the trail with a rope on the saddle horn. The saddle I have now was made by a very colorful gent out of the Bloomington area of SO-CAL.. I ask once what style of tree he used and he just avoided the answer. I bought the saddle on a friends advice. It is an ok saddle and I have used it a lot. But I feel it is poorly made now that I have some saddle knowledge under my belt. I have found that the saddle is made of cheap leather put together by Mexican workers here in the US sometimes overseen by this fellow I mentioned earlier. When I bought the saddle I was given the impression that the fellow himself had made it. So much for buying without knowing what you are actually getting.. Any way with my above mentioned preferences aside I'm looking for recommendations for a new saddle for my above mentioned needs. boy this is a long reply..

Hi folks. I am buying a new saddle. I plan on using it for trail riding. I mean real trail riding and camping. I am a avid backwoods person, but have been laid up for a few years. I'm mostly healed up now, so now I can get out again with the help of my wonderful horse. I want to buy a new saddle from a good maker. I know there are several on this forum, and plan on choosing a maker to make me one. But,,, What style or what accouterments would be the best for long rides, and heavy use? I like the slick fork, regular cantel roll, with a round skirt style of saddle, but I am more than willing to defer to your knowledge. I would love to make myself a saddle, but I am a person who knows quality and craftsmanship when I see it. Yes I do leather work, but I am not a saddle builder at this time, and I also know I can't build one saddle and have a saddle as good as I can buy from a maker (of many saddles) on this forum. Soooo my question is.... What would you saddle makers here suggest ?

I have seen the work of true artisans before. You are one of them!

The belt look good. I like your tapering . Webbing? What kind of webbing do you put in the belt? I don't understand .

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll give all of the suggestions a try as I go on to the next project. Thanks again for taking your time to help me out. Joel

Dwight The saddle looks to be a real find!! With that said, I don't build saddles yet... I have been studying on the subject though. I believe what I will share is accurate . IMHO. I believe that, yes, the screw at the red arrow is used for holding the seat on., as is,,, the concho at the cantel bottom. But be aware that the seat is also stitched to the cantel via the cantel binding. So getting the seat completely off would require removing that as well. Doesn't look like it would be a very easy job replacing the cantel cover( I think they are called a Cheyenne roll style )either. Good luck. It looks like it could be quite a cool old saddle to have.

Mike I'm using Tanners Bond Craftsman Contact Cement, that I got from Tandy . I've used it for layered edges ( see attachment below) before on just veg-tan leather and have had fine luck, but these holsters seem to leave a fine line at the seam joint. Could it be the lining that isn't burnishing well? One lining was oil tan, ( brown holster) and one lining was mission tan Pig ( black holster). I've had good luck with the oil-tan burnishing well before. First time with the pig skin. But I skived it away from the edge any ways so it isn't even at the edge. Thanks for helping Joel

Hi I'm back! I have just finished these two holsters. The edge where the two sides are glued and sewn are visible. Even with the sanding and lots of burnishing and the brown one is edge coated. ( no edge coat on the black one) Can anyone help with this problem? Thanks Joel

Very Nice!! Looks like a lot of time went into the saddle. The best part. You did it all!

5Rings No that is not rawhide. It is just another piece of 6-7 oz with the flesh side out. Here's another shot of the holster.

I have looked high and low for a stitching horse. I have even asked a friend who does beautiful wood work to make me one. It seems that he just can't seem to find the time.??? So where in the world can I purchase a good quality stitching horse? Does anyone know? Thanks Joel

No pictures?

Bondo Bob Thanks for the advice! The Al Stohlman books you mentioned are now in hands and will be the focus of my coming evenings! Thanks Joel

Dwight Thanks for the help. Actually the inside is bone finished with Gum Taganath (sp?) to a very hard state. The rest of the holster has been boned rock hard also. The customer wanted the inside flesh colored, and I did as he ask, but it is burnished real well. I've finished two other holsters since this one. They are up on the critique forum. Both boned to be hard as rocks. I know I have a long ways to go before I am totally happy with the holsters I am making. And hench my postings to this forum. I apprciate you taking the time to help me out. Thanks again for the help. Joel

Thanks you both Denise & Ben The links were great and full of the info I was looking for. The links should be pinned at the top of the page I think to help others when they ask this same question. Thanks again Joel

OK, I want to build a saddle. What tools do I need? Please tell me the tools I'll need to start and complete a western saddle. I don't mean stamping tools and such. I mean tools like a drawdown stand and stirrup stretchers and such. Thanks Joel

Thanks for the replies rayban & katsass. rayban Do you have any suggestions as to how I could get a sewing line before I mold for the gun? Help, as well as criticism is always welcome. Thanks for the belt appraisal. I sold the belt with the holster because he didn't have a gun belt. So I made this double thickness one for him. I sold the belt and holster for $20.00. I know, but at least it is some money coming in. and I'm learning. katsass I'll see if I can find that book. If not I'll give you a holler. Thanks again guys Joel

katsass Thank you very much for your reply. It is exactly what I was hoping to get as a reply. I am not as old as you are, but I'm only a couple of years behind. If I lower the gun in the holster does it affect the ability to draw the gun from the holster? Will the grips be to close to the holster to grab? You're right the holster has no forward cant, as per the customers request. He says it gets a forward cant from the belt being pushed down by this belly. It also has the barrel exposed per the customers request. I did try the rig out before delivery, and I agree with you, the squared off front site does impede the draw of the gun. I told him that ahead of time, but He didn't care. He wanted the barrel exposed. said he like the look. The holster would stick out on a slim person but on this guy it tucks in real nicely due to his girth. Or perhaps the girth hugs the rig nicely I might say. Actually this time the customer was standing right next to me when I drew up the pattern and his input changed the design considerably to what it is seen as. Thank you for your input I really appreciate it. Joel

Hi guys. I have made the cowboy holsters and have enjoyed it. But this is my first auto pistol holster. Advice excepted, with gratitude.

Mark How is the retention? Is the knife pretty solid in the sheaf in that position, while getting off and on a horse with out a strap of some kind?

It looks pretty nice. What is it?

Very nice!!! Would you be so kind as to share how you managed to form fit wet leather without messing up the tooling? Thanks Joel

Andy, While your creation is way to fancy for me, still I must say that I think it turned out pretty cool! I think it looks very much like the one in the Al Stolmans books. Again I say, very nicely done! Joel btw... Is that oiled leather on the horn ring and cantel binding?

Here ya go.--->> MarkB chap making DVD It's a good one to learn on and the pattern is real handy to start with. Plus it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I approve this!! Joel