Aurelie

nice one ! and the silverware is really nice too

neat! love dragons and i find it well done!

Hey Lottarope ! I was wondering about Adams'book and was debating about buying it or not.... I think this is the 2d time i hear good things about that book so i guess that i am going to put it on my shopping list (never enough informations to gather! )

hello Mac, Just my 2 cents.... You should buy the 3 vol Because there are a lot of informations scattered through the 3 volumes In fact, there are 3 or 4 different kind of saddles scattered in the 3 volumes with 2 or 3 different kind of way of dealing with almost each step in the building process....rawhide covering and 'co .... so it is not unusual (for me and i guess for other folks around) to go through 1, 2 or 3 books to get all the information i need Regarding the patterns : yes, they 're "downscaled" so if you want them at scale 1 , you have to draw them on cardboard yourself resizing them (some of the "smallest" items are though in size 1) Good luck and have fun!

never used those products you're telling about...so i won't be of any help...but still interested to hear some inputs about those

nice!

Thanks Bob, You summed up exactly what was in my mind That barrel saddle will surely not go to a "pro barrel" (just because barrel race here in France is becoming popular but still not at a "high" level) So, i am pretty sure that this saddle will not be ridden 8H/day Really appreciate your input, and thanks for the advice for the width of fenders (i had not thought about it...everything else : yes....but not the fenders ) I was not expecting 1 and only answer...just wanted to know more if wool on synthetic backing was : - better -worse - same as synthetic regarding the difference of costs and regarding the specifications (thickness, density....) Again, thanks a lot Aurelie

applaudes! really nice job! congrats!

nice to hear that i am not alone on "the dag trouble" yes, i know pictures are vicious that way ! making things way better than what they really are.....or totally the other way around! Just keep going! the work worthes the trouble keep us (or at least me) posted on your future projects!

Thanks a lot Josh for your input, i appreciate it i ve know several people happy with saddles built from ralide I would not compare those to a "real" custom one with a rawhide/wood saddle tree just 'cause it does not compare...i would not put this kind of sheepskin on my regular saddles but here we're talking "barrel" ....... My aim is not to build junk but to find a "compromise" in order to be able to sell it at a "justified" price and one people are willing to pay without throwing me in the sewer..... I do not want to enter the "polemic" subject about what is junk or not......'cause i ve seen that everybody get his piece of mind about it.....I am not here to get or have judgment....i just wanted to have : opinions and feedback on experiences....and go from here....

Thanks Ken for your input. I totally agree with you and totally aware of this. Thing is i have to build a Barrel Racing saddle and have to go as lightweighed and as "cheap" as possible (within some limits due to my morale) I am doing it out of Hand O leather 11/13 Oz , a Ralide barrel race saddle tree (wanted to try those ralides and see by myself) Good hardware and good and nice padded seat..... Building it as good as i usually do but i was wondering what kind of "cuts in cost" i could afford without doing junk i was just wondering about the option of Real sheepskin vs synthetic and came across that "Wool on synthetic Backing - thickness 1""...so i was wondering even more.....trying to find the best option regarding price/weight and quality... realsheepskin is still 3 time the price of that wool on synthetic here is the reason why i asked ....wanted to know more about the alternative, the pros and cons.....but still totally aware that nothing better than real sheepskin

thanks guys!

Hi guys!, i know there are a bunch of cell phone cases around.... I thought i was going to show the last one i did for a special order just because it finally turns out WAY better than what i was expecting! 1 mistake i would not do in the future => the "rose" stamp is really "Sh***y" i used it on the past on a belt and found that it did not "stamp" nice, deep and good..... but here it 's even worse .....and i think , partly because of the molding of the leather .... so as said up there : molded case on a Samsung Galaxy 3 dummy (thanks Hubby for carving the dummy in a block of wood ) antiqued some strass, barbed wire and roses for a girly girl :D finished with some skidmore's leather cream I really like this smooth and shiny aspect + the stitching (sewing machine) and even if i find the Galaxy 3 to be as big as a fridge...it does not hinder anything while hung at the belt (and i would not have bet my bra on it! )

no worry much about the spilled black....from where i sit , it adds a kind of "old used" stuff aspect even if some things need to be improved, i really like the result

:D as said on the other post: fine saddle for a 3d one.....things to improve but no more/no less than all the saddle makers in the world that's what fun in building saddles => always improvements to do! For the "double line" : have you used a ceramic double blade? what i do when "double lining" => cut the 1st line with a single blade (so that it's clean and deep as you want) then i use the double blade and use the 1st line as a guide to draw the 2d line that way, i have a nice even double cut I do not know if it s the "regular" way to use that double blade but sure enough it's a way that works fine with me (better than if i used directly the double blade....it kinda "drags" otherwise ) here a pic to illustrate (sorry, i do not have a closer shot underfoot) so i would say => keep motivated and be patient !

Hello guys! Here i ve got some questions for you and would appreciate your advices and feedback. I usually use real sheepskin for my skirts lining (i do understand the quality, thickness and behavior) I have seen on Weaver catalog : Wool on synthetic Backing - thickness 1" What is it about? Is that real sheepskin wool that has been kinda "sewn" on a synthetic "support"? Does it have a similar behavior than real sheepskin? or not at all? As good as real thing? As good as the 100% synthetic stuff? or worse? Anyone has already used this? What can you tell me about it? Thanks for the feedback! Aurelie

looks good keep going Josh!

Hey Josh i find that you're hard on yourself :D this saddle is good and it 's only your 3d one! ok stitching on the back cantle is not "nice" from the back but to me (at least) to do a neat and straight stitching on a straight cantle is one of the HARDEST thing to do on a saddle....(and i am at my 5th saddle and still have A LOT to figure out about a lot of things...) Have a look underneath some "cheyenne rolls" and tell me if all of them are as nice and straight as on the top side..... see what i mean? you can make "mistakes" on a cheyenne roll stitching and not showing it....but on a straight cantle = no way of hiding it! if you have a look there : http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=45095&hl=saddles you will see that my cantles are not so neat (along with a lot of other flaws i am working on improving :D ) and here a pic of the back of my only straight cantle ( i am not in a hurry to make another one...but will have to if i want to improve it) so keep going, you're doing really fine

nice one! congrats

really nice ones

neat 'n' terrific as usual

Totally worthes it funny how some prices (justified) are well accepted in some parts of the world and not accepted in other parts of the world here, people want the quality, the "custom" but unfortunately for the price of chinese factory made....

Way to go Arbalet! wonderful as usual

i really like the paintings 1 thing i have not yet tried

nice personnal wedding gift