oltoot

We could say that this is a current description of the Great American Dream (that will survive, I believe) Stolen from the Indian, built by the slave, trolled by the trash=battered but shining through for all

My combo (that's the key) was a solid (welded steel) bench, 6" thick (gravestone) granite and rawhide mauls. Result was thunk, thunk (barely discernible for most stamping to solid whack for cutting 1 3/4" or 2" pointed straps. At comparable weights poly was a little louder than rawhide

FYI only, the preferred surface of old for many for cutting was aspen. Kiln dried logs milled down. With sanding and flipping, surface lasted awhile. For die cutting and punching, pieces of rubber belting from thrashing machines or paving equip. Now, I would ask a chef or butcher.

The only thing that I could offer would be for the hobble hanger to be about 1" longer so that hobbles would hang down straighter

None attributed to speed, though as it was going at half speed, I had twice as long to bump or jostle things

Steep learning curve but real tight, smooth, pretty stitch. FYI my experience was great improvement when I started using poly instead of linen thread

Little bit but, if you don't sew the cap till last, you can pull and stretch things in line a little better from an additional direction

Final use of the "chinaman" (greased w/ liquid soap) and then repulling ends and smoothing before drying

What you seem to want is probably old harness making stuff, most likely found in Amish or Mennonite junk piles. Would require in person looking or some sort of connection to that community, possibly via some draft horse shows?

FYI and IMHO: Toward the end of my using and making era (~3 yrs ago), I went from similar design to using another screw on top and other tweaks to result in more stable arrangement with more of saddle hand hole availability.

Measure around your biggest horse's neck and be sure that you leave enough extra on the end to buckle around as a neck rope, when needed.

This is what I'm talkin about, unbuckled-hangs straight down

Good point, with custom-ask, with stock, how about both places?

bottom right

look good, would add magnets for nails