Aurelie

Hello, Just a quick "re" presentation : I am a 35 years old french girl living in France I 've been trained to build "basic " and resistant saddles in Montana during 2010 summer Now i am in France and building saddles on my own What can i say? I 've been well trained because i ve got the "basic" process to build a saddle What i have learnt so far? => you learn something new, you experiment something new every new saddle you build and you better have a load of crazy ideas in your brain to come through the troubles you can have and 1 of the big difficulty i have come across? it's about tools here in europe many tools are different or simply do not exist so you have to have a great idea to turn 1 tool into what you need It's just a great job! i do not regret having put my fingers in this! I am a rookie, my saddles are not perfects (and i am the 1st to say so) but i am improving myself everyday and i keep in mind what my teacher used to say : “Knowledge builds the saddle, Experience makes the Difference" and that's so true!!! even more when i see all the awesome things you do guys with leather and saddles Ok enough chating around! Here are the jobs i have done so far ; here in France by myself : 1st one is a Wade tree from Timberline - Inskirt rigging - balanced ride stirrups system (really like that) - saddle for a QH - saddle for going in the "backcountry" - saddle finished on April 2011 what can i say about it aside it was hard to build because i was pregnant and tired? i came across troubles with the fork cover - i did it 3 times it was my fault ! i gambled about the leather and knew it would not work...and it did not work i am not "at ease" with the step where you cut the hole to fit the horn : 1 time is too wide or the other time it's too tight i tried the option with scallops (i really do not like that , it's not neat) and i tried the option cut at the back and laced (it's better but longer) the second one: it's a sid special from Timberline - Inskirt rigging - saddle for a paint x fjord - "backcountry" saddle - saddle finished on october 2011 the welts : i could have done them better but the result is rather good for a whole hand stitching (no sewing machine so far) i ve come across BIG troubles with the padded seat - i did it twice because of big wrinkles- and after a big brainstorming with hubby...we won! in fact , the leather i used for the padded seat was an oiled leather, too thick for that BUT we finally won over the "too thick leather" and ZERO WRINCKLES! i am rather proud of the seat on this saddle because the final result is nice what i could have done differently? = the back jockeys are a wee too small, they could have come a bit farther underneath the side jockey (duly noted for the next one ) the binding : that usually easy peezee thing just drove me crazy...... drill bits are too short here for the thickness of the cheyenne roll so i had to find some tricks to finish nicely the job It's acceptable but for me the holes of the stitching line could be a wee smaller and it would be perfect if you put aside the troubles with the padded seat, this one gone better than the 1st...even with a 4 months old baby around what part i really like on this saddle? the back jockeys ! why? i do not know...they just look fine i am going to start a new one next week and i will keep in mind all the "errors" i do not want to do again.....just because i know that i will come across "new" troubles! AhAH! Next one : saddle tree : old mexico from Timberline - i think it will be inskirt too - black leather and yellow latigo and padded seat - straight cantle (never done that before = > by the way : i am interested if you can explain how you stitch the binding on a straight cantle because the way i know is just "scaring" me)

nice! how is it going? i can't wait to see the "final" result! i guess it will "rock"! i really would like to build an all rough out saddle but i know it will not sell here in France because people are not used to see that.....too bad for me

never built half seat so far...but it's getting into my brain to try to make one.... your advices are really nice but i have another question : prior to cover the half seat How do you do the ground seat for the half seat??? I mean : you can't use a strainer i guess? what's the trick?

I SO love this forum ! it's like Alibaba 's cave!! a handful of tricks great! here is the way i learnt from a Montana's saddle maker (not sure it's the right or best way...but sure i will improve it with time and adding my own tricks ) so far it works rather good 1/ cut a strip of leather of the length of the cantle that you take in the belly of the hide 2/ skive it down to 1/8" or a bit less (according to the "feeling " you have with the leather) 3/ saturate it 4/ wood glue on it 5/ you screw it under the cantle, behind the ear of the seat (temporary screw) 6/you pull on it, stretch it around the cantle so that it comes nice on the seat 7/ screw on the other side then i do as said up there : using a srewdriver or an edger and i push on the leather underneath the cheyenne roll to form the leather => here the trick is : if leather too wet, it won't hold shape you may have to use a bit your hairdryer to cheat a bit at some point , you have to remove the screws and cut the extra leather on the sides 8/ let it dry 9/ mark the stitching line on the biding 10/ (tricky part - even more here in france because the drill bits are shorter than there in the USA) you use your dremel and drill the holes (second tricky part) and you try to drill "straight" so that if you look underneath the cheyenne roll , the stiching line is the same nice one than on top of the cheyenne roll (and believe me : it's NOT easy) and last : 11/ you stitch it by hand after that i put the saddle "up side down" so that i can see the underside of the cheyenne roll then i mark a nice line along the side of the cheyenne roll and i cut the extra leather with a knife (with EXTRA care because you do not want to cut the back cantle) then i wet it and rub down to make it flat and nice (as nice as i can ) and FYI and if it can make you feel better : I swear a LOT when working on my saddles My biggest trouble so far? drilling holes in a neat and nice line underneath and i wish i had longer drill bits And 1 question : Have you an easy way to put on binding on straight cantles??? the way i have just "scare me off" => you drill the holes halfway from one side (because the drill bits are never long enough) and then you have to drill from the other side and cross fingers so that you meet the other hand of the hole and you stay straight.......

thanks a lot Darcy for this answer! it was the explanation i had in mind (so i guess that i can use my brain in the good way :D) but i wanted to hear about what other saddle makers thought of it i always like to know why and how things are built one way or another again, thanks a lot for the answer

Yup great idea! hum, as for me i would just put some oval holes with a punch on the sides to allow bridle to come through the mask or use some snaps as said... depending on how you want it to look finished good luck and post some pics when finished!

saddle maker or not from where i sit, all i can say is working with leather is working with leather and all is about experiencing and trying some tricks....whatever can work, works for me! here is how i see things : i am really curious about how things are done (whatever the way) i just want to find the best way that works for me and for what i am doing i was wondering about "pop stitching" a patted seat because it just boggled me...and it still boggles me! anyway, thanks to all of you for the replies! and feel free to give your opinion about this one too (cause it boggles me too) : My link more for saddle makers this one but who knows

ok gary, i "see" the trick with a curved needle thanks for thoses explanations!

Noone with an idea or a start of an explanation? :/

Thx Twinoaks i thought about "pop rivet" , got those at home but i could not figure out how it could be done similarly with stitching huh now i am wondering how this is done.... if someone is luckier than me and find the process on internet or if someone can explain me the process that would be nice 'cause now i am even more curious about it! (not that i plan to do it soon...) BTW, i love your :"Teach what you know ...learn what you don't"

Hi there!

Nice trick Andy and welcome in there Brian!

I would be glad if someone could help on this one Here are the Blevin Buckles i have on my saddle (built last year) I really like the fact that the metal "loop" allowes mobility to the buckle the trouble is that i can't find it anywhere..... Weaver does not sell this and they do not know where i could find thoses. I tried to find something on internet but no luck... Here are the Blevin buckles i find : Please, if someone knows something about those Blevin Buckles it would be nice to tell me where i can buy them !

Hello!

thanks! Another "thought": i guess a twist is a twist and can have different names for the same thing.... or are there different ways for "twists"? and if so : what are the "pros and cons" if there are some?

nice tip! and may i ask what you call "Nevada twist"? Is it similar to what is called "wyoming twist"? If different = what's the difference?

I know there are several ways to build a saddle and not necessarily bad ones. I have been taught 1 way, and seeing around other ways, i am wondering the pros and cons of the different ways. Why? it's done this way : is it just about cost price? about physical resistance? geographical fashion? I know...i am too curious but i am the kind who has always a bunch of questions about the hows and whys Here are some pictures: the way i do it : the fact that those are "balanced ride stirrups" is not the problem what i want to point out here is : Basically they are done into 2 pieces : #1 a long stirrup strap riveted to #2 aka the fender and the buckle is "sandwiched" between the stirrup strap and the fender (i hope i am clear here!) now, here is what i've seen around : a fender done into 3 parts #1 : the stirrup strap which is riveted and sewed to the top of the fender (#2) and the buckle is sandwiched between the fender (#2) and a "wee" piece of leather (#3) this is boggling me... Why??? I would tend to think that this way is less "resistant" than the way i am used to do it since there are 3 parts rather than 2 so i would think : it can be weaker (and i do not like the #3 part ...it seems just not nice....) is that just another way of doing it? is that as strong as the way i do it? Is it done that way to get that part less heavy? Get ready guys 'cause i ve got a lot of "Why" questions in my head To be honest : i just want to build good saddles that last long I am not into searching to reduce costs I use the best to try to do the best and i want to know why something is good and why something is bad/wrong/weak i 've learnt a bit about saddles, i am a rookie, i am experiencing some things..following my path but i want to learn more Thanks for your help !

Hello Brandon! Welcome here! I am also new here but already i can tell you : the place and the people are good! Anything i can tell you that i ve learnt and experienced? (no later than last night, i had a reminder of it) Regarding leather : Always stay cool otherwise the leatther will win the battle As said King => sit back, relax and when something goes wrong : put it aside for a moment, breath in , breath out....and it will finally work (1 way or another!!)

Thanks a lot for the greetings!

i started with the introduction but now i ve got a "big" question it's the second time i come across the "situation" I tried to think about it but can't come with an acceptable solution Maybe someone can explain it to me Here is the thing : i ve seen an antique saddle on which someone replaced the patted seat WITHOUT removing and changing the binding neither the seat itself it looked like it was nailed on the older seat what it's bogling me : Dale told me : "if you want to change a seat, you have to rip it off along with the binding a make a new seat + a new binding" Ok then How can you replace patted seat without removing the original binding? then i received the last issue of leathercrafters'journal and they shown restoration of an antique saddle where they changed the patted seat without removing the original binding! ..again... no nails here but they speak about "pop-stitching" i searched on google but can't find an explanation about it what does that mean? how does that work? someone can "light my bulb" here? and i guess i do not need to say : i want a "clean" way to do it not something superficial just because my motto is : Do it the right way or do not do it at all

Hello! It's been a "wee" moment now since i started to "watch" over the forum and here i am now : jumping in the sea among those big sharks :D Who / where / what?? I am a french girl of 34 years old (almost 35) i started to work with leather...by accident if i can say so... I bought a book from Al stohlman, some tools and started from scratch and from that , i finally searched and found a training into Montana to learn how to build western saddles (Yes , i try to ride horses when i ve got time :D ) I had a great teacher : Dale Moore from Belgrade Montana I learnt a lot (not enough for my taste , i will have to go back and learn more!) Who said curiosity was a default? I came back to France and started my own business I am a rookie, i do not aim to build a dynasty, i just want to built nice sturdy saddles and to have fun while doing it what i like in working leather? you learn something everyday Trouble is : with a baby around and a saddle business, days are too shorts and nights are not enough longs! :D Huh, and since i am a crazy french i decided to go to 19th Rocky Mountains leather trade show next year to try my hand at the debut against the big "bad" american wolves i think i covered the bases for an introduction but feel free to ask any question you want