mulefool

I use #9 for just about every thing, but it's nice to have some of the 12s for some of the small stuff, like riveting a buckle on a 1/2" strap or something like that.

I posted in the skirt thread about the saddle I've been riding for a few years. I also had a chance to ride one of those skeleton rigged LaPorte trees that Hitching Post supply carried. I really liked it. I like the cantle binding in Bob Douglas saddle. I guess you wouldn't need a cantle filler either for that type of thing.

I got a tree to build a saddle on for my mule. I've been busy and haven't had the time to work on it so I got the ground seat and a rigging on it, pulled some stirrup leathers from my old saddle and have been riding it that way for 2 years. It's kind of embarrassing for a saddlemaker to be riding a saddle like that, but the problem is, it's been working really well that way. if it wasn't, I'm sure I would find some time to make it work. It's sure nice to throw up there, it probably only weighs maybe 15 pounds I suppose. Anyway this winter I'm going to get it respectable looking, but I'll probably just put some pretty small skirts on it.

When I was learning to build saddles I picked up an old Hamley Formfitter that needed alot of work to practice on. Probably not the best choice for my first fork cover, but it turned out alright. But the extreme undercut does present the problem Brian mentioned. After I finished it I rode it a few times to see what it was like. I sure didn't like it much. I felt pretty trapped and it just wasn't my cup of tea. I had an order for one about 20 years ago. I just personally don't really like the look of them so I didn't put the picture in my book. Didn't want to give anybody else any ideas. But I do think there are a number of people out there that like them. Chris

I have two cutting tables with polyethylene butcher block cutting board surfaces. They are both 4' X 8'. I got the sheets from a plastics place down in Seattle. They are about 3/4 inch thick I believe. the last one I got maybe five years ago and it was about $125 per sheet as I recall. Both my tables are pretty heavy duty. Solid enough I can set rivets and such without too much bounce if I center it over a leg. I really like the plastic. The place where I stand the most gets kind of chewed up over time so eventually I rotate the sheet and then turn it over and rotate it again. Over 25 years I've eventually had to replace one because it just got too chewed up. Somewhere I hear you could take a torch to it to even out the surface again but that sounds like trouble to me. Also the surface I get has a very small kind of pebbly grain to it. I have also seen it smooth but I think the pebble grain would work best.

Well, here's an update. I did try the cornstarch first because I had some and seemed the easiest if it worked. I poured it on and then put a paper towel on top with some weights to hold it down. I left it a week at least. Unfortunately it didn't work. It may have taken a bit out, but not enough. I think the oil had been on too long maybe. So I guess the next stop is professional leather cleaner. That was an expensive little mistake. Probably won't make it again, though.

I was wondering if it was really necessary to cover the eye? My first thought was something like a pigeon wing blind on a harness. it would look kind of normal, if people were used to seeing work harness, although if the eye needed to be completely covered the pattern would have to be altered.

That is just real pleasing. I sure like the combination of roughout with the carving, all the negative space really sets off the carving. the carving just looks so nice and clean. When I look at it I think, well, I sure couldn't think of any suggestions to make. But one thing I like about reading these comments is things like what Greg said, seems like a tiny thing, but the kind of thing that gets you thinking about detail, just all the little things that go into making something a work of art.

That's something I'm really impressed by as well. It's not like they don't have anything else to do, I'm sure they're probably back logged a couple years at the very least with orders. I wonder how they decide how much time to invest in these pieces, while keeping up with the other orders too. I've also thought over the years that even for a probably middle of the road craftsman such as myself, it would be a good thing to perhaps invest some time in a project that really pushes your talents and is mentally stimulating. Sometimes you just get so bogged down in turning out orders you can forget about the excitement and ideas you had first starting out. I'm guessing maybe these guys don't sleep much...........

Thanks for posting that. It's a great way to start the day looking at such inspirational work.

Nice job on the website. I just have a few suggestions. My old eyes struggled a bit with the yellow lettering on your "About" page. I'm not sure if it was the color, or the fact that it was laid over the leather work that made it hard for me to read. although I also thought the log cabin background looked really cool I did find it distracted a bit from the leatherwork and would like to get a closer look at those canteens. The cell phone cover pictures were really good. I could really see the detail and get a good look at them. Good Luck on everything. Hope the website gets you a ton of business. Chris

Yeah, I found them too, but they were too big. I ended up using regular spots with the prongs. And I put them on before lining so the prongs didn't show.

I know what you mean about those round edges. In addition to keeping my edger sharp, I some take my thumb from the other hand and kind of press my thumb from my right hand (I'm left handed) behind the back of the edger while I have the knuckle of my first finger on the item to be edged and kind of use it as a pivot. I'm not sure if I described that very well, but that's how I do it. You might also try different styles of edgers. I have some Rons edgers that I really like, but I do find them a little harder to control than say a Bissonette.

I have a question about the sleeve on your flank cinch. I don't see a stitch line down the side. I see what appears to be a horizontal stitch line under the buckle. But if indeed there isn't any stitching down the side......How the heck did you do that? Maybe the pic is just too small to get that detail but I was just wondering. Chris

I charge $245.00 for approximately 11" by 11" bags of Hermann Oak skirting with an accordian gusset. Any stamping or tooling would be extra depending on time. Sounds like we're all kind of close in price. Chris

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll give the cornstarch a try first. It sounds like it sure won't hurt anything, even if it didn't work. If that doesn't work I have the option of replacing the leg, I actually have enough left over from the original side. I knew that you could wash split cowhide chaps, but I wasn't sure about top grain. The body of the chaps (actually they are chinks, I should have corrected that) is red with white top yoke and overlay on the legs. I might test some scrap to make sure it doesn't bleed onto the white. I think I'll call the dry cleaner, too, to see how much that might cost. I sure am hoping that cornstarch works! thanks again for the good suggestions, I'll let you know how it comes out.

Is there anything that can be used to pull an oil stain from naked finish chap leather? I'm responsible for doing this to a pair of customers chaps that I had in for alterations. Note to self: check to make sure you're not inadvertently draping a pair of chaps over a headstall with an oil finish.

I'm not sure you really need a "pattern". Usually the only part that isn't just straight strap work is the noseband. I use 1 1/2" harness leather for the strapwork, lined with 6/7 oz. latigo. Once you get the measurement from the mule, you would just flare the noseband from 1 1/2" to about 3" wide in the widest part. On the draw chain style I use a 1 1/2" X 1 3/4" CB halter square for the noseband hardware and a 1 1/2 #153 SS britchen dee for the other side of the cheekpiece. If you use a leather draw it won't pull through the square very well so I use another britchen dee for the bottom end of the cheekpiece. But then in that case you need some kind of little connector between the noseband and the cheek so the noseband doesn't flop down too low on the nose. If you scroll down to mule halters you can see how I make them. I would guess you could figure it out by looking at the enlarged pictures. http://horseandmulegear.com/catalog.php#halters Hope this helps. Chris

I rode one a while back and really liked it. It was skeleton rigged so it was really light. I really liked the cable rigging as far as feel but wasn't able to try it over a long enough time in different terrain to see how stable it is. The bars fit my QH well. I got one to build on, but have been busy with orders and don't have it finished yet. I guess he developed a tree with mule bars and I talked to him and he said he would mail some info. That was months ago.

I don't know how to post pictures on here, so I'm putting a link to my website and I think you can scroll down to the breast collar. I have used one like this for years on both horses and mules. It's lined with a rolled edge of oil tan leather. I've never sored one up or gotten any rub marks at all with this type of breast collar. http://horseandmulegear.com/catalog.php#riding Hopefully this link will work.

I traded a custom saddle for my current saddle mule, plus he paid me about 500.00 over that. We both went away real happy over the deal.

I keep a supply of small wood dtowels on hand for filling screw holes. I just taper the end a bit dip in glue and then pound into the hole. Then cut it off flush. The dowels are nice since I always have something just the right size.

Magnifique! Incredible, Great job.

Timco might be a good possibility. I'll check that out. thanks Bruce. I know they aren't tubular rivet caps. I far as I know Weaver just carries the regular spots. But OTB might be another good possibility. Thanks!

A customer sent me a pair of spur straps to duplicate. They have very small (maybe 1/8) spots. Rather than having prongs the spots appear to have a cap on the back for fastening. I like the idea but haven't been able to find any. has anyone else used these, or know of a supplier? thanks