Gary Winckler

Machine has been sold.

I have a Landis 3 for sale. Very good condition. Comes with a treadle stand. This machine was totally rebuilt several years ago and has only been used in my small, one man shop since. I'm located near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Call for more information at 217-714-4700. Asking $3500 and will consider all offers.

I have a cast iron treadle for a Landis 3 for sale. I have used this with my Landis for several years but recently motorized my Landis and do not have a use for the treadle any longer. It is in good shape and runs well. I totally refinished it and fabricated a wooden top for it when I purchased it. I am located in Coeur d'Alene, ID. It probably weighs between 100 and 150 lbs. Contact me at: winckler@wssaddles.com

I have a treadle stand for a Landis 3 for sale. I used it with my Landis 3 for several years and recently motorized my 3. It is an old time cast iron treadle made for this machine and I fabricated a wooden top for it. Good running order.

This splitter can reliably split to about 4 oz. I am asking $1500 OBO

I have a hand crank splitter (HW Petrie) for sale that is in good working condition. 12" blade. Originally purchased from Keith Pommer and has served me well.

DId you find a solution to your problem?

I am interested in what many of your use for lining leather for billets, fenders, cinches, etc. I have used a variety of different leathers and now use a 5/6 oz chrome tanned leather. I don't like how this looks on the edges after I have edged and burnished so I am looking for other options. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks to everyone for your replies. As a related question....what are your preferences, pros and cons, of Blevins buckles, Superior Quick Change buckles, and lacing? I have never laced a set of stirrup leathers and would like to see how some of you do this. Thanks.

I would be interested in other saddle maker's opinions on stirrup leather width. I build most of my saddles with 3" wide leathers but have had a couple of saddle makers say they think 2 1/2" leathers are sufficient. What are some of your opinions on this topic?

Ben, I tried using pigskin about a year ago for a hornwrap and my impression was that it would not hold up very long. The skin I had looked like pearl splits but was not as thick. I may have just not had the right tannage for this purpose. GW

Barry does make a barb wire stamp....just call him. I have a set and they work well.

I have a saddle customer who wants an inlaid padded seat in RED. Her question to me is what would hold up better and fade in the sun the least, red chap leather or red ostrich? I've not done an ostrich seat before. Can anyone with experience using ostrich care to comment/ Thanks

Congratulations guys....keep up the great work! Gary

If any of you find edging your saddle strings as tedious as I do, here is a technique I have found useful to quickly and easily edge your strings using nothing more than a hand edger. Screw down a 1" x 1/2" piece of wood at least 12" long (mine was more like 24"). Place your string down flat right beside the wood guide. Place a heavy flat piece of iron on top of the string (I used an old piece of railroad rail). Place your edger on the string and pull the string through. Note, my piece of rail had some felt glued to the bottom of it and this kept the string from pulling the anvil as I pulled the string through. The following three photos will help explain how I set this up.

Very clean work JP.....great job. GW

Bruce, you make a good point and one I had thought of but not tried. Cutting them over-width makes sense as then I can cut a true width after the stretching is done. thanks. GW

I was taught to stretch the stirrup leathers while wet and then after the leathers and fenders have been put together put the whole unit in a stretcher again. I was wandering what others do in this process. I sometimes have a problem with the leathers losing their shape when stretched the first time. I always use full length leathers in my saddles. GW www.wssaddles.com

Steve, When you construct a no handhole saddle is it just the seat that covers the area where the handhole would be or do you leave the groundseat material in that area as well? I ask the question because if you leave the ground seat material in that area it would seem difficult to put the screws into the skirt points in that area. Nice Saddle! Gary

Very nice work Brian.....as usual. I like the balance in this saddle and the clean lines. Did you antique this? It does not look like it to me but I can't tell for sure. GW

Tim Most of the seem leather ....as much as you can without getting the seems....is trimmed off, moistened, and flattened down to the neck of the horn. I have never seen a wrap job like this not covered by some kind of wrapping, mulehide, latigo, etc.

Tim...here is a pic of a post horn ( wrap and cap) after being sewn and before it has been trimmed up.

Steve, I think the system is a work in progress. Some tree makers are really starting to like it and utilize it. Others are still experimenting with it and deciding how the measurements relate to their trees. I really hope this concept continues to grow as it make communicating among tree makers, saddle makers and horse owners much easier.....like we are all speaking the same language. A saddle maker can mark their saddles with the measures used to make the tree and so when one looks at that saddle they know the type of horse it was designed to fit. GW

Mulefoot, There are stitch lines down each side, the picture just is not clear enough to see them. This is the same flank cinch design Steve Mason showed us a few months ago. Thanks Steve. GW

The pattern is a new one for me. I draw all of my patterns from scratch. I like to incorporate elements from classic gun engraving into my patterns when I can. This oak leaf pattern was inspired by some gun engraving scrolls I have been studying. I did not enlarge the pattern. I like oak leaves and tried to keep the size of the leaves pretty realistic.