bruce johnson

Kate, Some people have better luck maintaining a bevel angle by holding the blade and having whatever you sharpen against fixed on the bench. I don't. I leave my blade flat on the bench right at or just overlapping the edge. Then I use something long to sharpen with and work from the back edge of the blade. I prefer the DMT diamond stones with the plastic folding handles. One of my friends (we'll call him "Stub") was working a stone from the front and one of his former finger tips was gripping the side of the stone. On an push stroke the newly sharpened blade skived it off to about the first knuckle. You can also wrap and tape or staple fine sandpaper to a hardwood stick and work that from the back too. I strop and polish on the wheel. Kind of my rule of thumb is to strop my splitter blades in use about once a week for sure. More often if I am using them heavy, and definitely right after if I have run some mulehide through one. Mulehide and a little moisture seem to cause insta-rust. For oil I use a mix of hydraulic jack oil and a little Prolong oil additive that was recommended for my sewing machines.

Ricky, If it is the same Dixon, it has been on ebay at least twice before and never hit the minimum bid. I think the last time was something like $450. The Dixon looks kind of like the Osborne 86. Somebody must like them, because Osborne stopped making the ones I like and still make the 86. Ryan has better feedback on his than the Tandy professional model that costs about 3 times as much. If I wanted one right now, and didn't want to dink around waiting for a deal, Ryan has the deal right now. If you are looking for the sleeper on Ebay right now, bid on the Krebs. My wife says I can't.

Yep, you are looking at it on ebay and it is slightly misrepresented as a splitter, although I guess a crown splitter fits the same deal. It is a sole cutter. The only splitting it does is to cut things, not thin them down. What you are looking at only cuts leather with the cutting wheel on the end. Kind of handy to cut hard sole leather and horseshoers use them to trim pads. That is about the extent of it. They kind of trade for around $100, but that one looks to be in better than average condition. Just depends on whether you think you'd use it. If you are leaning that way, I'd hunt a good 3in1 instead and have the crank skiver. I used that more on the 3in1s I had.

I have seen them too. The topcoat on some of the production saddles is a pigmented finish, almost like a light tan spray paint. It makes it easier for them to get consistant coloring. I talked to one guy at a shop who thought it was maybe an LCI product he was using. (He knew exactly what it was, but wasn't going to tell me I'm sure). The problem is when this stuff flakes or wears off and the customer adds a conditioner, the bare areas take it up and the saddle is pretty mealy looking. Short of stripping it off and oiling to whatever works, the customer is stuck with what they have.

Maybe it is just me, but that is how I do them for thinner leather and if I want the top to fit tight to the pocket. I sew right in that line and the second line about where your other groove line is. Then I put a rivet in each end of the flap between the two parallel stitch lines to help prevent tear out. I use either small copper rivets or quick rivets depending on the look I want.

It seems like every January there are about 5 new barrel saddle models on the market. I figure they've got them ready to roll out, and the top five finishers at the NFR in December get an endorsement contract and the saddles have a name by the time of the Denver Market. If you are looking for used, a lot of my barrel racing customers like the old Connie Combs from Circle Y. I've rebuilt several and retreed a few. Hadlock and Fox made the trees for them, and while they were still in New Braunfels made me the duplicates. Of course after a long wait and duplicate pricing they told me they are a production stock tree for them still, just not cataloged. Off the top of my head I think they are their #870 model. Edit - got home and double checked. The Connie Combs tree is H&F's #890.

Not a necessity, but an alright tool. I don't use it within carving patterns. It doesn't make the darker burnish of a beveling stamp, and if you really bear down it to get the depth, control for me is lost. I use it for beveling along beadlines lightly to break that sharp corner on the outside of the cut, and add a little texture. I also use it inside a cut border before stamping. Before I got it, I would drag a steep beveler by hand in the cut to do that. The wheel goes faster and smoother.

I'd sure consider the #1 Saddle oil with Fungicide too. Pretty sure it is a Bee Natural product.

Janice, The only one I have seen like the American had a price of $200 on it. I see the little Singers in the antique stores a fair amount. Usually priced from $75-125.

A few other suggestions here and points of interest. When your leatherwork is a business you get to do more paperwork, which also takes time away from the shop. On the upside, you get to deduct a lot of the stuff that as a hobby or hidden business "for cash or beer" under the IRS radar can't. Your tools don't cost you anymore, they reduce your income on the business. Your trips to Sheridan - mostly free. My trip to the guild show this fall (seeing my folks who live by Indy) - mostly free. Mileage to the post office, hardware store, visit the relatives 150 miles away and stop by TLF and get some NF oil - deduction. When I seriously needed to pay bills I did almost my salary from the other job working nights and weekends for myself for two years. Other than a sewing machine, I didn't buy much in the way of tools or equipment in that time. Since things have changed, we were renting and I could afford to let the leather income slide relatively in favor of getting better tools and more productive equipment while that primary income is there to support us. Splurge on a drawdown stand, cool splitter, or draw gauge once in a while and it just reduced the tax I paid elsewhere. We bought the place a year ago, and so the income from the leather business is more important than upgrading it again. Other than a few stamps, I am satisfied that the equipment and setup I have will carry me for quite a while now. One of my small business advisors was retired from running a gas station that had 3 service bays. There are a lot of similarities between it and the leather business. Inventory management, equipment and tools, etc. His advice for growing a business was to "improve tools and equipment when you can, make money when you have to, and plan so you don't have to do both at the same time".

It depends on what you are looking for. I get most of mine from Hansen's Silver. They wholesale only and set up at most all the leather shows. They supply to many of the production shops as well as one man shops. (800) 971-7391. They are across town from me, so I can just pick up there and not have to keep much on hand. Another guy I have bought from that I like a lot is Dale Bass in Amarillo, TX. The phone number I have for him is (806) 373-1235. He has some patterns Hansen's don't and does what I think is a whale of a job. There are quite a few good companies and individual makers out there, but for my money vs. value, these two work.

If you are in that part of the state it sounds to me like you need to meet Wayne Christensen at Standing Bears Trading Post in Reseda. Great guy and a talented leatherworker. He has group classes and also individual classes. I know there are more than a few members here who have taken classes and can give you more information and testimonials. There is a guild or two down there also.

I got into this deal being taught to do my own repairs and a little tooling by a family friend who had a saddle shop. When I had slack time I'd sit and watch them build saddles. I went along for a few years not doing much. Broke my pelvis one fall and took some Tandy classes and got a little better. I made my wife a handstitched belt and then she asked for a headstall. Did one and pretty soon I was doing 5 a week, one a day. We'd sell them off my saddlehorn at events we'd go to and pay fees and gas. I made at least 150 of them for sure. I did some little award deals - checkbooks, planners, and clocks mostly along with headstalls and breast collars. At some point in there I got a Boss for the sewing, and a business license to be able to buy what I needed at decent prices. When my wife kind of unexpectedly died, I was left a month later with $55K in medical debt the insurance wouldn't pay and the hospital wouldn't write off, and other bills. More than my annual salary which wasn't going to change, and I had a 16 year old son and living with an in-law. The leather business took on a new importance. I got hooked up with a small business advisor and some free courses. Somewhere along in there I got Brenner's book and applied the principles to my pricing. Through a friend I got hooked up with a mobile tack business that went to the NFR, rodeos, and horseshows. She wanted someone to do custom orders, and make some wholesale products for them. I learned more in those years than anything. Pricing took on a new importance, planning ahead and streamlining, and having to "just do it" gaves a guy focus. I bought a sewing machine for $2200 with no clear idea how I was going to pay for it. Thank you, Arizona WPRA for the order that night! (Went to Cowboy Church that night, came home and got an awards order with $2500 profit as I walked in the door to home, it was a God thing). The custom orders expanded my range of things I could make, and the award and wholesale stuff taught me to be production minded. I told my girlfriend that we were not getting serious until my debt was paid off. December 8th, 2003 at the NFR I picked up a check for some consignments that paid it off. That night she flew in and met me that the 8th round at Thomas and Mack, we got engaged right there. The business has changed some since then. The major business I wholesaled to got sold, and I really haven't pursued the wholesale or award orders like I used to. We both have other incomes, but basically we are starting over with half your life gone. We need to pay this place off in about half the time it takes everyone else. I have bought some toys/splitters for the shop, as well as stuff that increases productivity. Also a few things that just plain make it more of pleasure to work in. I build a few saddles, along with a pretty wide range of things. The business varies, and I am not doing just one thing. I can slow down, charge more, and do some more intricate work (when I haven't got some lame injury to deal with). What I get orders for varies. If I was just doing limited things, I'd be slower. Last year after the shop remodel I did a lot of ropecans and ropebags late in the year. This year so far I did some little stuff, an awards deal, a really cool rope can, and the 4th saddle should be done this weekend. I am seeing an increase right now vs the last couple years in the total. I didn't have the website last year, but the local business and repeat distant customer business is up this year too. It didn't happen overnight and I know there are gonna be more ups and downs.

Casey, The thing holding me back on it is no stamps anywhere else. The Herefords pretty much have a stamp on the fenders. The old Porter I have almost has more maker stamps than other stamping. I think it is maker stamped in about 5 places. This one sure could have a maker stamp under the seat. On that note, I have seen some of the Tennessee saddles that have the padded seat going over the tooling. Looks like they pressed out the design with the same dies whether it was going to a slick seat or padded. With just a number on the latigo catcher, hard to say. Could be a serial number, date stamp, or model number depending on the maker. Those leaves are huge for sure. On the front view of the swells, the pattern doesn't follow the front jockey or gullet lines much. I am thinking diestruck there too. And just what was the attraction with that yellow seat anyway?? Seems like they either all had them, ot they were just too gross to ever get used and have survived. Another name for the mix - Bona Allen?

Bob, Great job. I really like how you kept those central flowers above the others by bringing the continuing stem underneath. It really makes them pop. WOW. Bruce

That saddle is a bad memory for me. It reminds me of a Hereford I rode (sort of rode) as a kid. That slick seat, sloped back to the cantle seat, and low cantle made the perfect way for that old pig to take a mild jump and I'd slide right out the back. If you held the horn you'd lean forward enough she'd stop dead and you'd fall forward. I am not seeing any maker stamps where Textan/Hereford marked them though. What is the stamping on the latigo keeper? Any mark under the cantle back?

I haven't had this happen before. I have had three emails rejected today being sent to or replied to MSN.com and hotmail.com emaill addresses. Two of these came from LW.net readers, one asking for contact information for a supplier. If you two read this, I am not ignoring you, just can't get through your email system's filters. PM me through the board or phone me through the number on my website linked in my signature. Here is the message I am getting - ...."(reason: 550 SC-001 Mail rejected by Windows Live Hotmail for policy reasons. Reasons for rejection may be re...l/network admins, please visit http://postmaster.live.com for email delivery information and support) ----- Transcript of session follows ----- ... while talking to mx4.hotmail.com.: >>> MAIL From:<bjohnson@fire2wire.com> SIZE=4980 <<< 550 SC-001 Mail rejected by Windows Live Hotmail for policy reasons. Reasons for rejection may be related to content with spam-like characteristics or IP/domain reputation problems. If you are not an email/network admin please contact your E-mail/Internet Service Provider for help. Email/network admins, please visit http://postmaster.live.com for email delivery information and support 554 5.0.0 Service unavailable" Something new going on with hotmail and msn? What I can read and understand is that my ISP has to apply and jump through some hoops to prove to Hotmail that their customers are worthy of being able to send emails to hotmail and msn accounts. Am I reading it right?

Aluminum was used at different times when brass was going into things like war products, or for economic reasons by some of the production folk. I am suspecting a factory saddle based on some of the things I see, but couldn't venture a guess just based on that picture. I wouldn't automatically class it as a ladies or youth saddle based on size. At the time it was made, a 15" might have been to the larger side. The other guys can weigh in, but most all of the older saddles I have got to put a tape to were 14-1/2" and a few 15". My great grandfather was a tall man and I have his saddle sitting next to me here - seat length is 14-1/2" on an Ellensburg tree. My other living room display saddle is 14-1/2" on what looks to be a Lee Robinson tree.

Shelly, The saddle looks good and the edges are really nice. I leave my packing tape long as I apply it, turn the piece over, and then use one of the 45 mm rotary cutters to trim it flush. On the inside curves I use a little hook blade knife to trim. If you don't press it if it flips up, it will peel back pretty easily. I made the mistake of using some label tape once. That stuff has an adhesive to hold rockets together. It sticks to everything and won't let go. It peeled the leather off the back.

Ray, Here's a link I found to an example. Pretty sure it would be his mom shooting the video and offering advice like mothers do. -

Ray, Another rodeo event is goat tying. Usually the junior rodeos have it for younger boys and girls, and the high school/college rodeos have it for women. Basically you ride to a goat staked out, dismount, flank the goat (lay it on its side by hand) and then tie three legs. It is a timed event. Kind of a little kid practice for moving up to roping calves, and a hotly competitive event for the girls and ladies in the older age groups. The leather related part of all of this is that calf ropers carry their ropes in rope cans, and the goat tyers carry their tie strings in goat string cans. Many of these opt to have a tooled leather piece put on the cans to ID and customize them, and that's where we come in...... The reference to Gary Leffew is this. Gary was a bull rider who lives down on the central coast area of California. He was one of the first big proponents of applying psychocybernetic techniques to rodeo.

LR, Which knee is it? Bob is onto something there. Bob, Now there's a blast from the past!! I hadn't thought about stringing and wrapping my foot for quite a while. In the era before decent tying dummies it used to be pretty fair practice sitting in the living room. Head down, elbow up, hands close - all those good habits.

I am not sure who made the saddles. I would sure suspect it was a factory who put his name on it. In the mid 70s Larry Mahan was a pretty savvy marketer with his name on a lot of things - hats, boots, clothes, etc. Kind of the "new fashion look" of the wild shirts, woven coarse jute straw hats, and fuzzy felt hats. The broken Ralide tree fits with that time frame too. Seems like the ones just sitting have about a 20-25 year lifespan before they just breakdown and crack. Ralide might be able to hook you up with a replacement tree.

Ray, I wouldn't be without two - benchtop and Dremel. I like the benchtop belt sander with a 4x36 belt. I have it mounted backwards so the free part of the belt extends over the front of my bench. I can get down into the inside curves that way. It is pretty forgiving on trueing up edges and mild shaping. Because it is a lower speed and the belt is moving more, it doesn't heat up and scorch like a Dremel will. The top is good for trueing up flat edges like a the edges of my frames. I use the Dremel some too for tighter areas. You just have to be careful to use a light touch and keep it moving to prevent scorching.

Mine is a ShopVac 1X1. Looks like the WalMart one may have replaced it.