steve mason

because it's to hard to find dog skins that are big enough.

howdy; I have flower carved for over 20 years but I have never done any figure carving, I have a couple saddle orders coming up that call for a humming bird and a dragon fly. I did a test humming bird and I am somewhat satisfied with the results with the exception being the beek, not sure yet how to get the best effect on that. I am not asking for a pattern but I would like to see some photos of figure carved birds and dragonflys for some inspiration. thanks much] Steve

Louis, no one here needs to try destroy your reputation, you are doing a fine job of that yourself by stealing photos and represtenting them as your own.

Louis: I also am very sad to hear your wife has cancer, it is a terrible disease that I am sure has affected every person on this board in some way of another, whether it be thier close relatives or dear friends, cancer has touched all of us. This does not give you or anyone the right to STEAL, LIE AND CHEAT!!! Which is what you have done to Steve Brewer and Robert Chavez (who has reported you to ebay for doing the same thing to him over a year ago, and you used the same photo of his again untill I and I am sure other reported you to ebay for being a theif) Your proven track record of stealing photos and putting them on ebay as your own show's your low moral character. This is not excusable thing you are doing. I will be following you on ebay and any time I see you being a thief I will report you as so. This has nothing to do with your abilties as a saddle maker, this is about your actions of being a thief. Steve Mason

this saddle is made by robert chavez, I have reported this saddle listing before on ebay.

this maker is not trustworthy, he recently put a saddle that was not made by him on ebay as his own.

Cool, nice work. I bet "he" can't wait to see them and try the tools out. later

I would suggest drawing and layout of floral patterns, cause if you have trouble drawing a nice clean balanced pattern it won't matter how well you stamp/carve it or how it is finished. My 2 cents Steve

Denise is correct, caledon will have everything you need to make a saddle except a tree, if you want a tree give denise a call, rod and her make one of the best trees out there. I would strongly reccomend buying a top quaility tree and waiting to get it whatever time it takes. If you buy one of the cheaper factory type trees it will not matter how good of a job you do building the saddle, it will still be and inferior product since the foundation is a inferior product.

use a cordless drill to twist the frnge, it will save u a lot of time

Ross, these are to nice to junk, you did a good job. I think every peice a guy does you should feel that they need improvment. A favorite line that I was told years ago from a saddle maker that i repect was "if I ever feel like I have made the perfect saddle, I should quit because I am either a fool or a lier" IMO you should always see the need for improvement with every thing you make. You did some nice work with you design and style of your carving. I think it sure has a sheridan look to it, to make it a little more sheridan style you could refine the stickers a little. But, if you like the stickers a little larger then go for it cause that is your style, I see nothing wrong with it overall nice work. Did you design the tap pattern yourself or did you get it from someone? It is a little diferent tap pattern then I am used to seeing, not sure if I have a picture of some bulldogs that I have made, if I do I'll post a pair to show the differance. Steve

Sorry to hear about Bills passing,he was a nice old fellow, and he made a great Knife. Troy, I own one of the Dozier knifes and they are awesome, the price tag is up there but like I say, good knife. Very thin edge, unless he has any in stock they can take up to a year if you order one. IMO worth the money and the wait. Steve

Ross, I don't think I like them that much, they look to much like a big red X LOL just kidding your photos did not show, at least on my computer. Steve edit; ross after looking around the forum this AM I see all the pics are gone. Look forward to seeing your taps not red X when the site gets fixed.

I have a customer who now has a saddle on order (with a top quality wood tree) who owns a saddle with a laport tree in it, it does fit horses OK, as long as you don't ride for to long, or rope anything!! The bars on these trees are very short and shallow, therefore there is not much of a weight bearing surface, after long hours in this saddle they have problems and when roping the saddle will not sit on any horses back, even when cinched up real tight. they will use this saddle only for the first saddling on colts, as they feel that is all it is good for. IMO if you build even your first saddle on a poor quality tree, it won't matter how well you make the saddle it will be poor quality since the foundation is junk. Save your pennys and buy a top shelf tree, it will only cost you a couple hundred more, a saddle is a large invesment of money for materials and of your time, so start with the best materials you can find and this will help you make a better quality saddle.

Howdy; Myself and John Visser made the hunt saddles for a couple of years, we made two different saddles. the " ray hunt" saddles were made on a wade (5" stock) with a flat plate riggin, the "Carolyn hunt" saddles were made on a "Ray Hunt tree" (4 1/2" stock) with an inskirt riggin. On all the Hunt saddles the maker stamp read " Trails end saddle shop, makers, on all saddles that Dale makes himself the maker stamp reads maker not makers On the Hunt saddles that John and I made we put a serial # on the skirt under the right seat jockey, all the saddle John made the # starts with JV and all of mine start with SM. Steve here is a photo of John and I with a stack of Hunt Saddles.

Steve; I did not notice in your photos, do you put any nails in your strainer or top ground seat? thanks much Steve

tim; I ordered tools of the sale yesterday, right after it wa on the site, I bought 2 round knifes and some other tools, I called this AM and the knife were already sold. to bad for me. Seems like it is a first come first serve type deal. steve

call greg gomersall, he might know of one. (208) 278-0133

Tosch, don't waste your time posting with this guy, doesn't seem like he is here to learn, only to tell us how he does things his way, which is the best way of course. Never try to teach a pig to sing: It just frustates you and it annoys the pig.

I am 6'1" and my bench top is 44.5" tall, In my opinion most work benchs are to low. Steve

I have made both all leather and tin seats, I have been taught these methods from Matt Ebele and Chuck Stormes (who is in the TCAA) for all leather seats and from Dale Harwood(also in the TCAA) for tin seats. I can get very close to the same seat shape with either method, the tin seat will be a little lighter, but the leather seat has a better feel to it. Kind of like comparing standing on cement floor all day to standing on a wood floor as with a leather seat. Another benifit to a leather seat like Julie mentioned is the slight pole or rise down the center of the seat, I see to many ground seats that are dead flat across the points of the cantle, this feels like sitting on a chair with your legs hanging off the sides. Putting the slight pole or rise in the seat not only helps with the structural integrity of a leather seat it also helps very much with the comfort of the seat. A seat properly shaped in my shop you can drop water any where on the seat and it will run, not pool in the middle between your pin bones. I have taken a page out of all my mentors books and made it my own, I use a little knowlege from each maker I have learned from, I do not do anything just because one maker I respect and admire does it that way, I do it because I believe that is it the best way to accomplish the job at hand. Try to stay open minded and learn for everyone possible. I guess the main thing to consider with ground seats is it don't matter who does it with tin or leather, do what works for you, if tin works for you go for it, if leather works for you let er rip. they are both just different ways to skin the same cat, there is no right or wrong. Remember that a good seat is a GOOD seat no matter if it is tin or leather and a bad seat is a BAD seat no matter tin or leather. Steve

I have buchman, LBL, gomph, rose,marlin, osborne and a few others, and the dozier knife kicks butt on all the other knifes I have. Steve

I guess I am kinda old school, my stamp says ," Steve Mason, Maker, High River,Alta." because that's my name, and because I am the maker of what the stamp is on, and I live in High River, Alta

Bob, I have been off my rocker for a lot of years, but never enough to get rid of the pearson, not even for one of them hook and all machines, now they have to many moving parts for me!!!LOL badger and deeanna, it was a joke, lighten up and laugh a little, sure hope you took no offence by it as none is taken from me, why can't we all be friends. from the off his rocker saddle maker Steve ps; my armpits are still itchy

NOW THAT IS FUNNY!!!! but why do my armpits now itch??