jcuk

You might want to take a look at sole leather i know of some companies this side of the pond that will get near 20 oz leather but they won't be cheap so take a look your side of the pond. Hope this helps JCUK

Think this might be what you are looking for, they will give you a more rounded edge rumour has it these are made by former Dixon employees https://www.abbeyengland.com/economy-hollow-edge-shave-fs072 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232937597891?hash=item363c29abc3:g:U2UAAOSwnRZbpopW&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoGdi5FZuHreiLcgcjkaSHdcL%2BXlogU0%2BOtElBAyA2wDVcEj3E2tQs4RjUikod9W3ePE9l7WZ18PuNMaIDoav9%2FuTvivv2KF%2B0o76GExiRsn7qBUH31XM42rf03MFduqgVQjKrodGzqSBNAz2HiZj73we%2BKDCRkmTFX9zOQCoBMLSvZKZIGjdvB%2FRKYW3f3RP74pFoKiiTS5qr92CmyepMyY%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5yh7Z6XYQ Hope this helps JCUK

Some nice work there. JCUK

Most of my cutting and skiving is done with a Round knife for some lighter weight leather i may use a clicker knife for cutting. So i know you have said you have looked at knife makers across the pond and the waiting time to get one, he is my take on that its is well worth the wait i have had mine around seven years it has never seen a stone yet still cuts as well as the day i got it, but with all my cutting tools i will strop before use and strop again when i am finished for the day a good polished blade will cut a lot better. Here is the maker i got mine from https://leathertools.net/shop/ i have the Texas Rosebud Round knife only mistake i made was i should have got the full fat version, very good people to deal with. The only thing is i believe he had a fire at his workshop sometime ago so not sure if he is up and running again hopefully someone on here will know if he is like i said it is well worth the wait. Here is a link to a Clicker Knife i have plus the blades i use with it the curved blade is good for cutting tight curves. https://www.abbeyengland.com/barnsley-extension-clicker-handle-fe0192 https://www.abbeyengland.com/barnsley-clicker-blade-curved-fe0194 https://www.abbeyengland.com/barnsley-clicker-blade-straight-fe0193 He is another link to a members site on here from time to time he has some nice used Knives and yes he is across the pond but don't think the wait time would take to long. https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/knives-and-handled-cutting-tools-sale/ Hope this helps JCUK

This maybe of interest, read last comment food for thought. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTDhLlu13V0 Hope this helps JCUK

Sorry meant to ask were they 24'' or 30'' replacement grips and how many would you do machine stitching in that time.

Before i drop the panels i will mark the front of the saddle with about five straight lines using a china graph pencil or something that can easily be wiped off, this will help you when you need to line it all back up if the lines match up you are more likely to find and use the existing lacing holes which means you have not altered the alignment of the re-attached panels. (To remove the china graph i use the flesh side of some panel hide that way you don't damage the the saddle.) Hope this helps JCUK

Nice can i ask how long did take to do it by hand. And is there a reason you don't stitch over the leather cuff from the rein leather and over the rubber rein grip. Not a great pic but hope you can see. https://www.gibsonsaddlers.com/product/gibson-leather-buckle-billet-reins-gold-range-102n/ Hope this helps JCUK

Abbey England have just got back and said yes their Foundry is still up and running.

I think they are but have just messaged them to see, i have used them for certain things and was happy with the quality of the products but not cheap though. But as the saying goes you get what you pay for, i use their standard Head Collar fitting and their Foundry made ones the quality is like night and day sadly though most customers cant tell the difference all they see is the cheaper option. Hope this helps JCUK

You do know the there is a way to speed up the process of pop stitching the rein grips use a slightly larger Awl and angle the Awl towards you and away from you as you go, when i do them on large pimple grips i stitch every two pimples my guide, try to keep the stitches as even as you can because you will be stitching free hand. Also practice on an old pair thats past its sell date, the other thing is you don't have to hold the Awl at an angle hold it as if you are doing a straight stitch with no slant to it. Hope this helps JCUK

I have used both methods, what you have remember time is money doing one or two by hand might be okay but if you have few to do it will take up your time. When i pop stitch the ones with the rubber ends on, i start with a back stitch over the end at the bit end of the grips once i have stitched over the ends i start to pop stitch until i reach the other of the grip and then back stitch again over the other end. And yes i much prefer hand stitched work most of my work is hand stitched i like hand stitching. The two machines i am using at the moment are manual a Tippman Boss not a fan of nylon thread at all, must try polyester to see if it works, the other is a Pearson #6 a German version which i got from a member here, he done a fantastic job of the restoration he offered it for sale on here but just the head only i thought he made such a great job of restoration it was a shame to split the head from the treadle and he agreed to sell it as one wow what a machine. I also have a Singer 45k in storage that a good machine too. Hope this helps JCUK

Yes i can see the fixed loop. I slide the the rubber grips on using a old wire coat hook loop it around a fixed nail i slide the grips on but i was thought to slide them on using the Point and Buckle end on the reins i do this little by little holding the rein down against my bench i have never had any stretch just remember little by little also make sure there is no stress put on the crew punch hole on your Buckle rein and your buckle hole hole your Point rein. The rule of thumb this side of the pond is twice, for the reins. The reins i recover in the Racing industry i will only recover once because there is a lot more stress and abuse put on Racing tack. Hope this helps JCUK The reason for this is from a safety aspect the more holes you put in leather the weaker it becomes especially if the rubber rein grips have been machine stitched which will become a lot more perforated if you do this to many times, the chances of hitting the previous holes every time is pretty remote to say the least. Hope this helps JCUK

Nice work there, when i use the rubber grips which need leather added to the ends i use a off cut of the Bridle Butt that i have used to make the Bridle from about a inch wide, split it down to where it's light enough and pliable enough to use for the rubber grip ends. I think it finishes it off nicely, i don't do this when i am recovering worn rubber grips i may have not made the the reins in the first place (do you know the rule of thumb how many times you can recover reins). Can i ask how you are pulling the grips over the leather because i have never had it stretch i have made a lot of reins. Hope this helps JCUK

Thats some nice work there, i have used and still have some Kangaroo leather which i got from Packers who are in Australia and yes its is as tough as old boots and great to work with great for putting patches on worn parts of saddles holds up really well, did you buy the hole hide from Identity. One thing i do hope though that it is not Skippy. JCUK

My go to is a Round Knife for nearly everything, on a lighter weight i may use a clicker knife sometimes i will use a single head knife just because it was cheap and nearer to hand, my advice would be persevere with the Round Knife i know nothing else comes close to it as a all rounder i skive most weights of leather with it find better than the said skiving knives. Hope this helps JCUK Is that the Abbey Round and if so how is it.

Just another thought did you try before you buy and not consider the next size up ?

When i started this i was riding race horses for a living so my adage was and is, if i would not ride on an item of tack that i have repaired i would not put it out. Always better to err on the side of caution, just know when something is past it sell by date. And not a expert just been doing it for a long time and have seen some horror story repairs just because people get away with it does not make it right and sorry to say some customers do not want to pay for a good safe repair they get it done on the cheap even if it their own childs piece of tack. And i have refused some work only for them to say i will take somewhere else.

The wear depends on use, in racing they tend to get abused and don't last to long, small pips large pips thats up to the customer, personally i think large last longer but are not so grippy in the wet. No need to cut the ends off leave as is, you can buy some that you have put leather ends on must say i prefer them the rubber ends do tear easily at times and the leather ends look better to me. One more thing when you come to recover them rule of thumb over here is twice and then bin them save the hardware if its still ok, for racing i will only recover once and bin just because of the stress they are put under. Hope this helps JCUK

They turned out well, i hot crease once i have edge shaved, skived down down buckle turns, edge stained and burnished the edges. And i will hot crease again once i have stitched the item together and reblocked the loops and burnish again. Equus rein grips are also used in Horse Racing they tend to 3/4'' x 30'' this side of the pond, on your side 1'' is what they use and they are also a lot shorter over there if memory serves i think 18'', long time since i done some American racing tack. I will take a guess at yours 5/8'' x 24'' could be wrong maybe 3/4 x30'', Hook studs are allowed to used on horse racing tack over here, the reins are usually stitched onto the bit ring or they will have buckle billets. On a side note about Abbey England they saved Equus from going under a few years ago along with a few other companies that are vital to the saddlery industry over here, yes prices are going up which is hard to take, but i know from experience of using some other makes of rubber rein grips Equus would be a big loss. Good work again. Hope this helps JCUK

The marking on the one in the link are M.O.D. all i can say to i would take a punt on it if was me. I am sure someone on here with experience of regrinding/reshaping edges (not my field that kind of stuff scares the hell out me) will tell if it could done. Hope this helps JCUK

By any chance is this the one. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195334770516?hash=item2d7adc0f54:g:DnwAAOSwXbJjD-Qy&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoKvSRHRPz8tCY%2B9BT3h97Zg0dTTj1lvqE1VosTokfWNj25Ax1dvak9eUwTvboI3owVDlbuBhIMfBmk1%2FERHDwplfg4Cc90jMLEw0sU95Ec1Cr5fw%2FX0EztOKTpYV5yxqdo9eFsbxTjwoPQWIET75XFvAaORpX1veZ78994ptllniQEXBaV3qjwnApl12CBTW3IGEqGgECLqjF0%2B29jjtqcw%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR-rn5eTjYA

H. Brindley lovely old tools i have an old Martingale groover and a Skirt Shave (French edger) both great tools to use both over a century old still going strong. Tom E is correct it should have single bevel, i would and see how its works anyway if not try and get someone to correct it for you maybe you can that or get some who maybe able do it for you, if not here is a couple of links for a new knife for it just contact them to be on the safe side to if it will fit. I do know a saddler friend who replaced his old Dixon Plough Gauge Knife with one of these. https://gandmtools.co.uk/product/george-barnsley-cornish-works-sheffield-saddlers-plough-knife-80211994/ https://www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk/product-page/plough-gauge I would check with George Barnsley if it was me. Hope this helps JCUK

Thats how i was taught and when i see them done the way you describe it always looks odd to me, its much more tidy the on the first stitch and tighter less play. Yes to stitch across the strap will weaken the strap i use to ride race horses for a living and i can tell this i would not ride a horse where the reins have been stitched across the strap and yes i seen this and said the same just because you get away with it does not make it right. Try it and see what you think. Hope this helps JCUK

I do this on all the tack i make and most i repair, if a piece of tack does not have it i will do like for like. This maybe of interest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmgxmtkvISs I don't stitch back one i go through the first stitch mark then cross the threads and make the stitch don't pull tight then put my fixed loop butted up against the crossed thread stitch use my awl on the second stitch mark, put the needle into the second stitch mark through the loop leave it in and then pull the crossed thread stitch tight then make the full stitch and carry on stitching. And it does pull the turn nice and tight around the buckle being used. This is how i was taught by two Master Saddlers when i did my training. And things change from time to time but i am pretty certain most English style tack will have this method i am for certain the tack made in the UK will. Hope this helps JCUK