Cowboy Crafts Online

Don, About your comment that lacing is faster than sewing, all I can say is lace one it is alot faster to sew one than lace. Also Bezzachopper, hey this is leatherman from chopperweb I used a different name because everyone here is a leatherman or woman. How is the seat biz? Ashley

David, First off I am not intending to challenge your ideas, I just try to ask questions so I might be a better saddle maker. In my shop If someone came into my shop and asked to for me to build a saddle fit to one horse I would try to change their mind about that, and try to get them to get the saddle built to fit the body style of their horse, do you do this or do want to build to just one horse and have that saddle only fit that horse and if you do what age do you recommend this to be done? This is my reasoning. when I worked for a cutting horse trainer we kept 70 head of horses in the barn which rotated on a regular basis, I had to ride about 10 horses a day and I only could afford to have one or two saddles. So I had them made so they fit all the horses that I had to ride and not just one. In my experance people do not own the same horse though out thier lives and a saddle is an investment that they do keep a long part of their lives. that is why I do not recommend to fit a saddle to only one horse. What are your thoughts on this or anyone elses. Ashley

I just want too ask, does he just want a thinner seat, is that why he wants the foam taken off and then have you put on thinner foam. If he just wants a thinner seat I would just remove the unwanted thickness with a die grinder. there is no need to take the old foam off and put on new foam, if you can just shape it down to what he wants. second does he want the design tooled in leather or just embossed. it he wants it tooled I would go with 5 - 7 oz carving leather, if he wants it underlayed (dont know proper term) I would use 3 -4 oz upolstry hide. Ashley

David, Can I ask what trees you are using and can you post pictures. Also I read about your experance with leather, but what is you history with horses, example riding and handling. From you post I know you are very opinioniated and I am not trying to start anything I just want to know where you are coming from with your comments. Thank you Ashley

I just wanted to let everyone know about the new website of my Tree Maker Rod Nikkel. I havent been around the boards very long so I have not seen much on saddle trees. The only discussion I have read about is factory Trees. I feel that factory trees have their place, in factory saddles, custom saddles need to be made by custom makers by hand not with duplicators and cnc machines. That is my feelings and now I will get off my soap box. Anyway here is their website http://www3.telus.net/nikkelsaddletrees Some other great tree makers are Warren Wright and Bill Bean just to name a few others. There are some other custom saddlemakers out there that make their own trees, but not for resale that is why I did not name them.

I am new to the site and I am a saddle maker. I have worked 7 years on my own and 3 as an apprentice. I would say to anyone thinking its going to be a great easy life to not try it. It takes lots of hard work and you make little money to start, until you get a reputation then it gets easier. You have to love what you do or I dont think youll last long, there are better jobs out there that you can make more money.

what size is the largest it will take. they are good pictures with lots of detail. want to put them up for people to study

tired to add pictures but it would not let me, do not know what I did wrong

Here are some large pictures of a chester hape NFR trophy saddle. I took these at a friends, he has 3 of these saddles at his house. He is also the one teaching my how to do sheridan carving. He worked for kings and don butler. I hope this post works

Pete, I line all my belts. I make them out of 7/8oz and then line with 3/4. I also glue a peice of poster board to the back when stamping so I dont have stretch. I leave this in, which helps give the belt body, but keeps the weight down. On belts I do not line I use 10/12. Ashley

Regis, I am not sure of the project that your working on, but when I hand sew I use a diamond point awl, the one I use is from Bob Douglas from WY. He makes 2 different sizes, they are sharp and make nice holes for that clean stitch look. Ashley

Pete, I have wickett and craig leather on hand I can cut you some blanks. your asking for 8/9oz are you planning on lining these belts, if not I would make it out of something heavier. PM if you want some cut. Ashley