GAP

Let me join in the bunch of highly satisfied customers of Siegal Leather! I'm just a small time artisian who makes a few highly customized goods on a part time basis. Siegals Leather, has always been more than happy to assist me in whatever way they can. I've appreciated doing business with them, and will continue!

I'd like to know how do you talk them into letting you measure thier pin bones?

Just as Steve said, you might want some wood putty to fill the gaps up to the rawhide cover. If you want just something to increase the size easily, you can use casting from your vet supply, and shape if to your desire.

I've been torturing chunks of dead cow for a few years. Also have always had a liking for blades, and the makers of them. As a result, every once in a while I get the urge to churn out a knife or two. Damn though, never nothing like that.... That is truly some awesome work! Are you making some for sale?

Nice job JW! What differentiates the ranch cutter from your others? Horn, bars, groundseat? I've never been around any.

You might see if you can find "They Saddled the West" by Lee Rice and Glenn Vernam. There is a chapter in it about Meanea saddles

That's an interesting topic on the watermarks... still havn't read the complete thread.... I've kinda followed this topic through here and another site. It really gets my hair up! Very few things I can't put up with, and most of them I can just put a grin on and keep on going. Liars and thieves just aren't one, no matter what excuse they come up with. They are DS! Those of us who are honest, have a hard enough time keeping the wolves from the door without a sheister coming along to steal from us. I've been stolen from before too, and not a small amount. I can't touch him legally because of contractual limitations. But one of these days, I will see him again and it's liable to be in a lonesome place. No matter whether the lie or theft be big or small, it's still the same! There is the law, and there is what is right, sometimes the two just never meet!

Some exceptionally fine work, fellers! I said it on the other forum, guess I'll say it here too. I believe the craftmanship and artisistic endeavors are constantly improving throughout the history of the western saddle. Some of todays makers are the best there ever has been.

Trucks have a minimum of 6 wheels and rated at 2 1/4 tons. But, I guess you're talking about pickups, and yeah, there are a hell of a lot of them! And most of them aren't needed... especially 4-wheel drives. I'm kind of a minimalist, but I still have (just) one at the moment, and a 66 ford bronco, and a $200,000 stackwagon. Wished I could get by with a saddlehorse or three and a team. The stackwagon pays it's own way and then some... the bronco is a toy waiting to be hatched... and the pickup is an everyday driver used to get me down the road to meetings, to see the GF, haul all my junk around... it's only a partial necessity. The bronco and PU are still a major expense! I wish I could throw them in the ditch, along with my cell phone. Seems I need all of them to keep a set of wheels of wheels under the kid, and keep my business maintained? I'd rather spend my money on booze and women!

I made it to Sheridan, maybe in 97 or 98? Only trade show I've been able to make it too. Don Kings museum was worth the road trip! I could've spent a couple more days in there.... Just go! Take a camera, cuz you'll use it. And no worries, you can empty your pockets of jingle, and still carry it away in just your pockets!

Damn, That's a good looking rig! Just has that balance and eye appeal you look for. Nice job! Gary

That nail gun anology just didn't work for me, but my carpentry skills are limited to an axe, chainsaw, and a BFH. Would you purchase a $20 nail gun that delivered the nails at 3/4 depth, and had to come back and finish them..., or leave them cuz most wouldn't notice, or the $200 one that put them in right every time? I've got lots of homemade tools, as well as custom tools, and I've still got a couple of craftools that are favored for very singular jobs. You have to use what you are comfortable with. You are the main person to satisfy, and establish what you do, as well as how well you do it! Your pricing should reflect that as well? Wanna hire me for some finish carpentry? I'll guarantee a rustic look!

I've never been a fan of using anything more than I needed to and seldom use a breast collar. There are occasional horses/situations that require the use of one. I see lots of people using them when they don't need one, and oftentimes it's adjusted wrong. Either without a connecter strap for the front cinch or way too loose, allowing some styles to ride high enough to pull into the esophagus, causing problems with not wanting to pull, etc. I've built quite a few martingale styled collars that either connect across the top with a strap ran through another strap that is buckled around the fork, or sewn D's on the ends of straps that are then ran around the fork and buckled to the collar. The style that the strap runs through another allows the sides of the collar to move with the horses shoulders, and the strap does last surprisingly long if taken care of. I don't have one to illustrate but heres a picture of how the strap crosses over, and use your imagination for the rest. The style I prefer to use when I need one is this one of mohair with the center ring dividing it. I know it's not leather, but it's what I've found works the best in my situation. Never have I had a problem with it chafing a horse, in the center, or on the shoulder. On plate/skirt rigs I attach a clip rather than use a dee attached to the front button. Gary

Cowboy 316, Like Hidepounder suggests... study that book and anyones work you can! I commend you on taking the time and initiave to take a piece of scrap and see what you can do, and how it works out, then ask others what they think. It's where you improve and get ideas from! I somewhat recognize styles and where they come from, but I'm pretty limited on what/where I speak from. I'm also on dialup, so that kinda limits the time frame I take to dowmload pictures. I did download your last picture, and it did look good! The only thing I would change is where it ties back into the circle. IMO it should have no beginning nor ending in that type of arrangement. If you want to continue it on, you can bring it out in place of a stob, or make a crossover. Just throw some feeling at it! There are times that you can start out of a corner, or "hidden spot", but you have to finesse the beginning to make it look graceful. I went down to the dungeon and pulled some scrapings off the wall to hopefully give you an idea of what I mean. The beginning of the right one could have been better "finessed" to amke it appear more graceful. These are just scrap/cut offs pieces that I've played on when I had a chance. Never waste a piece of leather if you want to improve your stamping... it all takes time, patience, and fortitude. I hope I never get to the point where I'm done improving. Gary

Howdy everyone! Stumbled across this site a while back, while looking for ideas on a jaw closing mechanism for a deep throat stitching horse. I've made a few posts here and there meanwhile. Like many of you I started as a kid in 4-H. I soon lost interest in carving or stamping, and just did my own repair or made things out of necessity. I'd had two or three saddles made that kinda inspired me to make my first. Of course getting married, having a kid, and needing a new rig, on cowboy wages was a bigger inspiration. So, I saved enough to buy a tree from Hercules, three sides of skirting, and my hardware. Thus began on my first saddle. I also had one of Bruce Grants braiding books that had a little section on how to build a western saddle, by Lee Rice. I about wore the spine of that book out. Probably took about 6 or 8 months for me to finish that saddle, working evenings and Sundays. In the end I had a somewhat rough, but servicable kack. A few neighbors either took pity on me, or liked what I'd done and gave me money to torture more leather! Then along came the beginnings of the Colorado Saddlemakers Assn. I showed at the first show, which I believe was judged by Jim Kelley. It gave me the chance to meet peers and future mentors, as well as see close up work. This helped me immensely! Some of these dedicated, and talented makers, showing saddles would offer ideas and show me ways to better what I was doing. The judges, from all over the country... were a big asset too! I would ask them to personally critique my saddle after the show... which everyone of them was willing. Went through a divorce and kinda lost interest in anything leather for a few years, plus I had a business that was consuming a big part of my time. Last fall my ears kinda perked up, and I sat down and beat on a few pieces. Dang, it just felt good to be doing again! When I found this site, I took in so much info that was freely shared, I had to join.... plus most of the pictures wouldn't show until I did. hehe! My knowledge of what is capable with leather is pretty darn limited, and I'm sure to learn a lot here. Maybe I can give an idea or suggestion to help someone else too? Just glad I found this place! Gary Here's a pic of the last saddle completed. It went to a young lady that just kept after me to make it.