Blake

For what it is worth, Bob Beard caters to a small niche market. He doesn't mass produce tools for people that mass produce product. He is a craftsman that produces for craftsman that understand the quality and uniqueness of his tools just as their clients understand and appreciate the quality and uniqueness of their products. One man can only produce so much product in a given time period and his products are well respected and sought after so most reasonable people can understand the wait and are willing to get in line on his list. I have been a customer of Bobs for many years and have never been disappointed with any of his products and they have always been worth the wait. This subject has come up before and people complained about his waiting list so a couple of years back I posted a list of his tools that were acquired from a Saddle Makers estate. Most were in like new condition and others showed wear only on the bluing. I priced these anywhere from 75% to 50% of Bobs prices and I actually still have some of them but those that were purchased were bought by craftsman that make a living with his product. So who are the serious buyers? I think most everyone would like the high quality tools at a Tandy price and have them instantly materialize in their tool rack but this is real life. There are other options such as Barry King who also makes an excellent product but he is automated to a degree and has employees which at times can distract from the quality. I like Barry s tools a lot and order from him too but will say that I have had to touch up the faces on new tools from him . Not often but just once in a while and its no big deal because if it was something major Barry would immediately make it right. The bottom line is that people are on the waiting list for a reason and that in itself is the reason for the waiting list. So simply get on the list, look for used tools or just pass. Those are pretty much your options with Bobs tools. My $ .02 worth. Kind Regards Blake

Hi Kevin I'm not sure how many letters that you need to stamp. If you have a Hobby Lobby, Micheal's or other craft store nearby you might want to look at their letter templates. You have a variety of letter styles, upper and lower case and in sizes from 1/2" and up. The templates /stencils are thin and transparent (blue) so it is very simple to align your letters . Now the hard part, You have to hand cut them with a swivel knife and then bevel each letter. A little time consuming but well worth the extra effort if you are looking for a professional looking product that doesn't look like the common stamps that are available. Kind Regards Blake

A Uhaul rental store carries boxes. A little pricey but sturdy if you only need one . The dish packing box is about the right size. Blake

There was also an article and patterns in an issue of the LCJ. You might check their data base Blake

Hi Keith I think Hidepounder pretty much covered it in his last post. I will add one more thing. This of course depends on your water source. I always get my water for casing from the hot water tap. Minerals tend to settle when water is heated and of course accumulate in the bottom of the water heater . You will get less minerals in the casing water from this source. This is especially true if you are in an area with high limestone content in the water. I also agree with Hidepounder about some things being more trouble than their worth so I keep it as simple as possible so I can spend my time at the bench. Blake

Its pretty much as Hide Pounder stated. It breaks the surface tension of the water and makes it "Wetter" or better able to flow through the natural oils and fiber of the leather. The same principles are used in spraying herbicides. Some people use a product called "Photo flow" which is used in dark room processing of photographs but I noticed light corrosion around the bottle caps which make s me think that it may be acidic. The unscented soaps work best for me. Another old trick learned years ago is to use a lathered up sponge Using Ivory bar soap and spread it over the surface of the leather to be tooled. It lubricates it somewhat and reduces drag on the knife when you sometimes get those hides that we all try to avoid. It doesn't stain the leather or have any effect on how it oils up after tooling. Blake

Hi Chris You would probably enjoy going by Dave Wheelers Boot shop at 4115 Willowbend . 713-665-0224. Fantastic boots to say the least and you might also see some of Peter Mains work there. There are also several Saddle Shops around Houston so check your Yellow Pages. Blake

Simco. Chattanooga Tenn. Blake

It doesn't have to be Dawn. I just prefer the original Dawn that is unscented to avoid attracting any critters to the fleece when it is in the tack room. Its also what I keep on hand to use in my casing water to break surface tension and make the water a little wetter. I used original Ivory for years but Dawn is easier to find in the unscented version. Dawn and Ivory both have a leather friendly Ph and doesn't seem to remove any tanning oils and dry out the leather. Blake

A spray bottle of very warm water with a few drops of dawn detergent works well to cut down on the break in period. Spray the fleece liberally just before the first saddling. This will break the surface tension of the lanolin and allow the fleece to settle in at a faster rate. Depending on the duration of the first ride it might need to be repeated. This has always worked well for me and my clients agree. My $.02 worth. Blake

That is from American Saddlery in Chattanooga Tenn. They used makers names on their saddles to give them the appearance of being handmades but were little more than production items. I'm sure the named makers were actually employees and may have done the final assembly or finishing. Kind Regards Blake

Just a note of caution, Leather dust is a carcinogenic and can lead to a condition similar to "Black Lung" so use a mask or other reasonable protection. Blake

PM me off list and I can put you in touch with the right person that can handle all of your needs in Boot Making , Inlay and tooling. Blake

I recommend Buffalo Felt,especially for quality and service. They are very tuned to the equine pad industry and they will also custom cut to your die/specs. Blake Bob Reyna Buffalo Felt Products Corp. 14 Ransier Dr. West Seneca, ny 14224 716-674-7990 - x207 Fax - 3631

Linoleum works well. You can usually pick it up in small end rolls for next to nothing from flooring stores. A smooth texture and light color works best. Small patterns can be cut from individual squares if you don't need to make large patterns. Blake

"Pop Stitch"

Pilgrim shoe supply has "Boot Quills" and also J H Cook in N Carolina. Blake

Try this link http://www.textenn.com/ Call them and if you can't buy direct then ask them for a dealer. Blake

FYI, Courts Saddlery in Bryan Texas burned down Sunday 1/9/11. The building and contents are a total loss and the cause isn't known at this time . Owners stated that they hope to rebuild. Blake

You might consider ordering the Henley with two barrels of different lengths so that as she grows out of one she will have the other at hand.. If they won't sell it to you that way then order her a regular length one and PM me and I will send you an extra 1/2" barrel that I have that you can cut down. Kind Regards Blake

Try Lemon Juice, It will transfer certain inks from paper to paper or leather but I don't know if it will work on vinyl to leather. Blake

Hi Joel It is kind of a loaded question since different riding disciplines will have different views and ideas about the type seat they prefer but on the other hand the horse will tell you that he likes enough rise in the ground work to clear the base of his withers (sic). A safe rule of thumb used by many makers is to angle the seat rise to the top of the handhold as far as the ground work goes. Some makers will add more (or less) depending on the customer. Some ropers prefer a flatter seat as do cutters but the sliders and spinners prefer more rise. Since you can't actually sit up there, it is more important to get the balance of the seat correct where you actually do sit and that in its self is always open for discussion among and between horsemen and makers. Most makers that have worked out of their saddles have a grasp on getting the seat right .Those that don't ride are usually guessing since they have no real idea of how it should feel or function. Confused even more now? Kind Regards Blake

Without seeing the button, it is hard to answer. There are two methods for cutting the button hole. One is a round hole smaller than the button with a slit away from the direction of pull that allows it to open up and slide over the button. The other is a tear drop shape with the taper away from the direction of the pull. As far as attaching the button itself it would depend on the thickness and strength of the material that it attaches to and can be laced, sewn or attached with a blood knot depending on how the button is made. Hope this helps somewhat. Blake