bruce johnson

If you can get me the serial number on the back of the cantle I'll forward it to a guy who can probably pin it down a lot more.

I talked to another guy today and asked him about this stamp - first thing out of his mouth was "Ellis made it I think" so I am at least on a synchronous wavelength there.

It looks like a version of the pom pom stamp. They come in a right and left hand curves. I want to say that it is a Hackbarth stamp but not seeing it on their scans on the internet search.

Thank you very much for posting these pictures. It is a pleasure to look at these old saddles and the shop they were made in. I see a couple of my favorites (Chase splitters) in the first shop picture.

Tor, It did fit the CSO groover I tried it in. I have a couple spare versa-groover tips and will send you one. Let me know what else you may be looking for as I am out of the special Linie Aquavit Norwegian saddle soap. - Bruce

The Douglas Versa Groover tips will fit it. Ill check later to see if the Horseshoe Brand I have for sale will interchange tips with the Osborne.

Yes, splitting means it has been thinned down by passing it through the leather business equivalent of a planer. The top piece has been split and to further complicate things - dry or wet splitting cam make different appearances too. Some tanneries or suppliers will level a side it might have areas of full flesh and split flesh on the same side. Others can buff the flesh side to make an even nap. Then there is pasted flesh where a treatment is done to smooth and somewhat seal the flesh side. The bottom piece is full thickness and the flakey looking pieces hanging off are tags that were not removed during the fleshing process prior to tanning. The bottom piece could clean up and be a better piece of leather than the top one. Personally I have never had the skills to judge a piece of a leather by a picture other than obvious scars, brands, holes, butcher cuts, or forklift tracks. I have had boardy or stretchy sides that look good and some good leather that doesn't appear that way. I was way better off to understand the general characteristics of a particular tannery's leather, accept that not every side is going to be A#1, and then deal with a supplier who understand my needs and tolerances.

It looks to me like the top piece was split and the bottom piece is full thickness.

Normally they are stamped on the top of the shoe in front of where the blade sits, on the brass block the lever tightens against, and on the blade. Even with no markings, that sure looks like a Dixon to me.

I've got a few Francis & Ward tools - two hammers, a draw gauge, and a straight channeler off the top of my head. There isn't a lot of history on Francis&Ward. The books by Alexander Farnham are the most complete but not probably the final answer on some things. John Ward was a cutler in Newark in 1856, but Francis was not listed as a tradesman. I think one source has him listed as a financier of a couple toolmakers in different types of tools. The business wasn't listed after 1859, so that pins things down some. My Francis & Ward draw gauge was a local antique store find and started me on this slippery slope of tool hunting.

I would contact Pilgrim Shoe Machine.

Cody, I'll give you $45 for the Gore basket and you can buy the waffle straight out. Either that or I'll buy the waffle stamp and swap you. - Bruce

Thank you for checking. I'd suspect the frame is an Osborne and the blade was made by Atkins. Atkins is an old company that makes hand tools and known for their saws. Another general tool making company that made splitter blade was Disston. The general lore was the Disston blades were subcontracted during war time(s) to meet the demand for the military contracts Osborne had. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that a company like Atkins was in on that as well. Thanks, - Bruce

I have a question. On the back side - right side - below the back of the blade, the part of the frame that extends out under the lip that holds the blade screw. Is there a round logo stamped into the frame that looks like an old fashion bomb - round circle with a lit fuse logo? If so, I'll buy it. Thanks, - Bruce

Art, This is one of the pictures I was sent to look at as part of a set of boot making tools along with a bunch of other stuff. It came from a boot making school program. This and a few other big things were out of my bailiwick and I passed on them.

I am guessing a crimping tool for boot making. I am basing that on seeing a more modern version in some boot making tools in pictures I was recently sent. Lisa Sorrell would be the person to ask.

I haven't had any of Barry King's common edgers but have sold a few of his grooved and bisonettes. They both have about the same rounded profile. Either style would be appropriate. Between those two it comes down to your prefences and sharpening skills.

it all depends on how much stuff you have. If you don't need a lot of space and want to be portable the HF will do the job. I needed some nice storage but outgrew the HF, got the biggest Gerstner with the base cabinet in a smoking deal in an antique store and outgrew that setup too.

Welt knife used in shoe and boot making. Horn made a lot of leather tools back in the day.

Sure looks good from here. Heck of a project for a first one and you pulled it off well.

Another good source are the Weaver round punches.

Oil really doesn't dry all that fast. Sometimes you can wick it out some or try to remove excess with something like Dawn. If you go the wicking route - cornmeal, clay cat litter, garage floor oilsorb have all been used. liberal dusting, leave it sit a few days, brush off and reapply as needed.

It is a Billy Cook. It was a pretty good production saddle at that time but still manufactured to a price point. 35 years later it is still together, that is not too bad. I wore out the better part of two of them in 5 years back then. Yours has the grain slipping in places - could be from sweat and drying, a finish used on it, a conditioner used on it, wet saddle blankets thrown over it, and who knows what leather to start with. The pressure washer just blew off what was already loose and going to come off someday anyway. I'd worry a whole lot more about what's underneath an old saddle than what's on top. As long as the riggings are sound and the tree isn't broken, ride it and enjoy it. I also would be sparing with more oil for a few days at least. It is pretty easy to see the oil soak right in and think "That leather is dry and needs more!". It is easier to over do it in one day than when you stretch out the time and give the oil a chance to spread and even up some before the next coat. Doubly so on one that is roughout or loose grained like yours.

Bob, In my defense this thread is almost 8 years old, and I've got a few new "bests". Gages was over the top good in Guthrie, OK. On the same trip I had a whiskey marinated steak at The Drovers in Omaha. That was something pretty spectacular too. On my old list - still like Prime Rib Loft at the Orleans in Las Vegas. haven't been upstairs in Binions the last trip. A fresh addition and right in Oakdale - Café Bravo has consistently high end New York with chimichurri sauce. That rocks my world about once a week.

Anne, Speechless. Jaw dropping mind numbing gorgeous work. For everybody else - You ever look at something and think "with a little practice I could do that". These reins aren't one of those things.