waddy

What would be the maximum/practical distance from the bar to the inside bottom curve of the front rigging when putting in a "dropped front rigging"? This will go on a barrel racing saddle. Thanks!

Has anyone had any experience using the heavy duty (even heavier than #10 sippers)? I have seen some that look like they might work really well as they are very tough and work as smooth as any zipper I have ever seen. I have seen them on a few products, but so far I haven't been able to find a source and I wonder if they would hold up in the long run. I'm talking about honest to gosh WORK chaps, not play toys!

Many thanks Bruce and Ike for the binder clip suggestion. I have heard of it before but I never could get myself to believe they could hold that well. I had always just thought of the large ones, and they simply seemed too cumbersome and too large to really hold that well. I used the small 1 1/4" binder clips, spaced very close together around the curves, and couldn't believe how well they held through some tough sewing. No more guessing where to put the tacks so the stitching will go through or cover the holes! Many thanks.

I found an 8 foot aluminum rule at a lumber yard. As I remember it wasn't too terribly expensive. It hangs on the wall and is only used to square the sides of leather, but for that it is fantastic. No fooling around trying to keep lines/rulers lined up. I just lay it on the top of the side, easily adjust it for the least waste, put spring clamps on each end and run one quick (and darn sure straight) line. Hang the rule back up and cut the line. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

I can't remember who told me about this, but I have had really good luck with it, strange as it seems. I use "Resolve" rug and fabric cleaner that comes in a red spray can. It comes out as a foam. I have had the best luck covering the entire piece of suede so there are no edges. I then use a fairly stiff brush and really work the foam into the leather, paying particular attention to the dirtier/stained areas. Don't be afraid to use it liberally. Work it in until all the foam disappears. Looking at your seat, I fear that the stain is now part of the saddle, but I would definitely give it a try.

Exactly, and thanks for understanding my rather garbled explanation of the problem. But I found that the major part of the problem was in getting the inside piece inserted snugly into the fold in the first place. I was using hand shoe tacks, and the places where the inside piece was snug in the fold, stitched with no problem. Apparently the inside piece was sliding back out of the fold even before I got it tacked. Frustrating! I undoubtedly would have saved myself a lot of headache by simply using two separate gussets and stitching them as you suggest. I was just trying for a REALLY neat edge. Live and learn. Thanks also to Bruce for the binder clip suggestion. I haven't really used them too much, as I mostly use the hand shoe tacks. I think I will try using the clips a little more. Thanks to both of you.

I am working on a document bag, and the design requested has a center divider piece which is fitted and stitched into the center fold of of a tri-fold gusset. By that I mean the gusset is folded 3 times, and the center divider piece of leather is fitted and stitched into the center fold of the gusset. Does anyone have a super secret, foolproof method of holding the insert piece of leather firmly into the very bottom of the center crease, so that all the stitches catch it firmly. I tried tacking it, but there are still a few places that got away from me and the stitches missed the divider. I first tried gluing it, but that didn't work at all. There are only a few places where the stitches missed, and of course it is invisible and will hold fine, but that is not very satisfactory for me. Anyone have any ideas? I neglected to mention this is machine stitched.

Thank you Chuck Burrows. I apologize for the delay in thanking you. The way the thread was going I quit checking it for awhile. The sites look very interesting, going to give them a try. Thanks again.

Cotton webbing is much softer than good linen webbing and does not provide as good a stropping action as the linen does. Also, for a person wanting authenticity, the difference is readily apparent. To "electrathon", I'm definitely not into that much "fun"!!!

I am trying to find some genuine linen webbing to use in making razor strops. I am aware that most of the razor strops now available are made with synthetic webbing (in addition to the leather, of course), but my clients want the old linen webbing. I am trying to find 2 1/2 inch wide webbing available in small quantities, by the foot, not by the roll, which I could never use up. Anyone know of a source?

Thanks busted, but this is not the type of stud/button I'm searching for. Beilers is one of the first sources I looked at. GREAT company to do business with!

Thanks for the replies. I found them both, $1.50 each from one supplier and $2.00 each from another. I may have to use them, but they appear to have the same size head on each side, besides being pretty expensive. Each sling uses 7 of them

I need to copy a gun sling that uses several metal "buttons" or studs or whatever name thay have. I don't know what the proper name is. They look similar to an assembled Chicago Screw, with one of the heads having a larger diameter than the other. They are used for quick but reliably stable adjustment of the sling length. They are used in a hole and slit arrangement like a spur strap goes onto the spur button, only they are made to hold two straps together. One head is bigger so it does not come out of the strap intentionally, but the other side can be "unbuttoned" pretty easily. Does anyone know what these are called and where I could get some? I've looked in all my normal hardware sources, including Ohio Bag. I appreciate any help, I have an order and no place to get the hardware. Thanks.

Many thanks for the suggestions, dirtclod, and the link to that site looks very interesting. Since I had posted this question on this forum, I have been doing my best to research as best I can. I had about decided to go with the saddle-sized light box, and with your suggestion, I am going to give it a try. I find that photographing breast collars is every bit as, if not more than, challenging as getting a good picture of a saddle. They are too damn long and skinny! I'm sure you all know what I mean. Anyway, thanks for the help, I'm a complete neophyte with a camera, and trying to pick myself up by the bootstraps, so to speak.

I am definitely going to build a light box for the smaller items, but I'm wondering about saddles. Are the really good photos made using a LARGE light box? I would really appreciate some insight on how some of you saddle makers get quality photos of your saddles. What type of background works best, etc. I'm a little too scotch to pay a professional to do them for one thing, and I am a LONG way from a professional that would have ever worked with saddles. Thanks for any and all ideas.