Aurelie

Hi and welcome here! There are different ways of doing it 1/ you can go see in Al Stohlman encyclopedias (1 way) 2/ there are 2 threads on the forum about 2 other different ways of doing it (but can't put my finger on) as for me i do a whole covered stirrups thing i do it with 4 parts of leather by stirrup (or 2 pockets if you prefer ) i mold each pocket to the sides of the stirrups then i sew them (i do that way 'cause i have no sewing machine underfoot - but if you have a sewing machine : no need for molding the leather and it's way quicker) and i put on and mold each pocket on the stirrup then i trim excess leather and put some tacks to hold the leather in place the "cut" line is hidden by the leather you lace on the sole of the stirrups i hope it will help ;-)

Hi guys! I hope that you're doing good! Here we are ! Fork cover done and i am pretty happy about the way it turned out Horn finished => square style because i like it that way this is a "gambling" because i know that US guys do not like it that way Fenders on (i like also the look of it) So far, what i would have done differently (try to do it better) : the center hole on fork cover could have come up a wee bit higher tooling is not PERFECT , good but NOT PERFECT and something i could not do a lot for : quality of leather i am totally NOT happy with this batch of leather , some could even say "mad" because for a "top quality" and the price it cost me...did not worth it at all big differences of thickness along the hide ...and i am short on the leather (3 hides) and can't afford neither to waste leather , neither to do a mistake Because of that i had to re -do 1 skirt totally because leather was too thin on the front and kinda wrinkled and lucky me i double fender+ stirrups straps because fenders are not quite level regarding thinkness and THAT bother me a lot So as i said : Fork cover is ok, so the only "big thing" i can wreck is the seat (crossing fingers it won't happen.... i can only hope ) Skirts are on their way, so are the covered stirrups Hum...i am not "too" late for now...

Team Greg and Aurelie => 1 versus Fork Cover = 0 It's on! and pretty nice I have no idea how "frog lip" should look but it looks good to me Some rubbing, some gun tacks and here it is : under drying process it 's 11 PM and i am watching over it while it's drying (to make sure it stays good) ...and Charlotte did not even woke up with gun tacks ...except the dog scared to death So far ...so good! i do not know yet if i will dare carving the Fork cover.....

Here i am Fork cover laced Here on the pic, the edges are not dyed in black but it's done and tonight when Charlotte will be sleeping , and not possibility to wake up right in the middle of the process, we will put on the fork cover..... crossing finger not to wreck the front : lip frog planed and it's a first!

Hi Buddy! Go see that post : http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=35668 some things explaned...

really clean simple and nice :D Congrats

Hey hi Gianni So? how is going the saddle???

Yup ! lucky guy! Nice big work on that one! i like the way you laced the billets As for the "critiques"...it's really hard to critique because each saddle you build you improve something or can do something better than last time or going off on an other thing that was fine the last time.... nothing is perfect but nonetheless It can be good and nice only thing i would dare telling you is about the stitching line on the binding : quite not straight all the way..... but been there done that i know how tricky it can be!! so i would say : keep going! nice job

Hi there! Same as stated above : Al Stohlman books are a good 1st to check (regarding leather, tools, tips, patterns and how to) then i would add : check on that forum : a lot of infos too and 1 advise : stay cool and take your time

1st fitting of the fork cover = ok soon to be the 2d , maybe 3d (crossing fingers not to wreck something along the way) then glueing the fork cover Al Stohlman's encyclopedias under foot and since we love to gamble with my dear assistant (aka Greg my hubby) , we mixed that with my own usual way to fit a fork cover......we will see if that works nice So far so good as American guys use to say.... but to be honest, i am starting to think that we are TOTALLY crazy! I knew i was crazy...but so does Greg because he encourages me to do crazy things...and i go along with that! Not only, i am going to bring my third saddle to a terrific contest BUT i am trying some new things i have NEVER done before...... TOTALLY INSANE! here some pictures

Thx Dixie! Wait until i have finished that saddle

really nice one for a 1 st one for sure! you can be proud of it!

Indeed nice saddle!

nice saddles!

ok i think i understand it

i really like the look of them! NICE job! May i ask the technical difference btw "Armitas" and chinks?

no i haven't did not know i had to do this , since the waxed i usually use does not react this way but now i know what to do thanks to you guys! thx a lot!

Thanks a lot! i seems that i ve done a rookie mistake!

so simple ! Thx Keith!

Ok thanks for all your replies guys! i had stored latigo and veg together and from what i see on my hides and what i read in your posts i guess i did a huge mistake not ready to do it again gonna re-organise my storage! I wish you all happy christmas time!

yes , it s just stain no damaged i tried oiling a scrap part stained/not stained => it does not oil the same way for the temp in the bedroom , it varies from 20 to 25°C btw seasons (68 => 77 ° F) for the latigo it's not that big deal , i can easily go take the parts i need but for the veg tanned , it's really tricky and i am loosing a lot of leather given the way i want to lay down my patterns for saddles and avoiding stains quite mad after myself, haven't seeen that one coming Hard way to learn my lesson but necessary i knew leather was "tricky" to store but it did not avoided a mistake i will know better next time

I guess that nothing will come easily with that saddle.... I had planned to sew it with black waxed thread 4 Oz (sewing by hand) i bought it from Weaver - Brand Tejas I usually use artificial sinew - natural - 8 Oz from the same company which works really good and here what kind of troubles i have with the black one : all the wax stays outside and it is really NOT NICE Lucky me i have tried 1st on the Back cinch i brushed it with a sotf brush and it's better: This can work on the back cinch without trouble because of the rough out But i won't dare do it on the skirt! it will scratch the leather! Now i am a bit frustrated 'cause i wanted black stitches....but regarding the ugly result i am wondering if i am going to use the natural artificial sinew (kinda yellowish)

Ok, regarding all your toughts about this and talking with hubby about that we came to the conclusion that somehow at a moment there has been some condensation and that air is not circulating enough in this bedroom because i had some hides stored (rolled and standing up) along the handrail of stairways and everything is ok with those ones so i moved ALL my hides here... Yup , it's a bit crowded here...working in my living room 'til my workshop is finished Not a bad thing, i have everything underfoot! water, table, food, beer, dog and baby What else??

Thanks a lot Bob! Even more things to think about!!

good tought! might be a possibility veg tanned hides were rolled on the wood floor and latigo hides were rolled on top of veg tanned ones.... huhuh huhh is it a possibility that those stains "jump" from 1 hide to another?