oltoot

Have made shotguns and chinks with bearskin and in both cases, bearskin was heavy enough to carry it's part but could be lined, if necessary. Your observation is correct in that hair doesn't extend under leg. For me both required a pieced approach. First a full sized paper pattern; next, carefully determine extent of hair, in my experience in addition to under the leg, the yokes were the upper extent; thus a pieced pattern with overlapping pieces of full weight chap leater results. Don't forget the fringe (which is actually functional-promotes rain water drainage.) Hair piece is 1" larger around and sewn to rest of assembly on top of other pieces. I took scissors and clipped hair off of a 1" edge around and was able to get hair to cover up all but the top seam and that was the exception to the on top rule as it underlapped the yokes. This 'sheared' hide was larger than 1" and went clear up to the top. Again if the skin was not strong enough, this part could be lined. A word; bear (and dog) skin, unless burned out in tanning, are incredibly strong so it will not require lining for strength, only for drape so be careful not to end up with something too stiff and heavy and oh yeah, when wet they are very heavy but can really turn the winter cold if kept dry. Another word: bearskin chinks can be a bit counterproductive if made with the full sized skin overlay approach. IOW too hot for summer use. If possible, ask customer to think it through carefully and balance with what intended use is.

Who am I to say that old is not great. Sewing good would be the key to determining whether or not it's worth is around $1000 or way less. And if it has or ever has had a motor, shy away. Do you have a machinist close at hand cause you might need one. My own personal experience from long ago was that I got tired of buying and fixing up so I dug deep for a new (in my case Union Lock) and went to sewing instead of bargain hunting. Now there's way more to pick from with the Cobras and Cowboys and more!

Your work looks very good but yes larger holes would make it even better plus, with most awl blades it is easier to get a uniform size with going deeper and using the full size portion of the blade.

I have built a few "grow up" saddles over the years and the approach I take is to carry the youngster to about age 15 when they can decide for themselves what they want to ride from then on. Sorry no pics. I clung to a film camera for too long and haven't built one since I went digital. I didn't scrounge on trees. Full size on the horse side with bars designed for "narrow seat" contsruction and with a dab of fiberglass reinforcement of the bars. Stirrup leather slots set back 1". 14" 3B or Weatherly tree with 3 X 12 cantle. I encouraged taller rather than shorter horns to help keep a kid from getting on top of them and with the 15 yr old (long on adventure and short on sense coupled with nylon ropes) in mind. I use a full metal strainer in my ground seats which becomes part of the key to this. Full size on skirts and rigging and seat leathers. First start out with the 15 yr old end user in mind, we'll take care of the tyke in a minute. Then start with a set of stirrup leathers only so that first set will start with stirrups right at top under the seat jockeys or a small set of fenders if the kid starting out with it was a little bigger. Now the "key". A set of buck rolls made pretty large. Depending, again on the size of the kid at the beginning, set to mimic a short seat at the back. These will always be attached at top by short bolts through the seat and between the bars on top. Careful to grind them down sufficiently on the underneath so as to avoid gouging the horse. The bottoms, again depending on the size of the kid can either be screwed down or attached with bolts. If bolts are used be sure and keep them tight to avoid tearing out. Some judgement then must be applied as to when to move them forward. Their last resting place will be full forward resulting in a 14" slick fork with a large set of buck rolls making it work almost like a Modified Association. New fenders as needed. Since you will be right there, resist pleas to move buck rolls frequently to minimize the number of open holes left behind to mark the passing of the years. There is another, IMHO less desirable alternative which would be to plan on the time and expense to build another one every few years and then make each one tailored more directly to the size of the kid at the time. I would always choose full size bars, skirts and riggings if it were me and would still keep the front end (horn, too) on the high side with safety in mind. Hooded stirrups for quite awhile even if the kid starts whining that they are "too baby"

Well done, I would make one suggestion based on a lot of repairing and observing heavy use, Dont 'dome' the rivits. In a place like that, exposed to constant wear, the heads will eventually (very long term) wear off and when it comes time to reline, they might have to be drilled out and replaced by a bigger size. Along the same line; hard to see so maybe not even a potential but same principal applies to inside edge of front rigging ring/dee/plate. Problem averted by putting a thick filler in between skirt and top piece that fits inside ring/dee/plate so that a 'hump' that invites wear is not created. Let me emphasize that it takes a long time for this to show itself so even a young wife ( as most are) may not bring the amount of wear to bear in her remaining (may they be many) riding years but, In Pursuit of Perfection.

Hard to tell, 12" claim is suspect but looks to be in great shape. I would try to find info on the new like this and decice from there

Yes except make the patch a little larger so that stitching will be firmly anchored in full thickness. Yes to glueing it down firmly first.

They add swells to a slick fork saddle with the advantage that they are softer and can be positioned more in line with the leg at rest in the saddle and they are a fraction of the weight that the extra wood and rawhide wouls be to make a swell fork tree with the same feel. Look at the knee pads on Aussie buck jumpers and see the similarity. They are usually made of smooth rather than hairy hide but this looks like a cool way to be just a little bit different.

Make the patch triangular in shape and 2-3 inches wide at the bottom. Start with leather about the weight of the jockey and a little soft.1" french edger around the outside edge. Wet it. Trim the inside edges of the tear to be straight if they aren't then french edge tear edges on back. Glue, sew, (double row is best) and pound like the dickens to get rid of any hump as much as possible and set stitches.

I have used it exclusively for cleaning leather for years but have never considered it to be a complete treatment, only a cleaner that had no caustic or acidic components to do any harm. With MOS, warm water, a stiff brush and elbow grease we tackle about anything. Then, for treatment I use either olive oil, Lexol Nf or Netselene from weaver.

There are ways to get the ring shanks out but they still leave a crater rather than a clean hole in the wood and rawhide of the tree. Ring shanks should be banned from the saddlemaking/repair world.

Having used this style a lot I offer: Shorten up the buckle end as close as you can so that, in use, the billet end is pointed back along the middle and not sticking out in the wind to drag and catch on things.

I, too live in Wyo and when I feel the need to vent, usually gluing up skirts with Barge, I just do it on a table by a window and then run a fan toward the window for awhile. Actual installed vents for these climes, unless really pricey, are constant sources of air leaks. If I thought I needed it, I would just modify part of a window opening and put a bathroom vent in. I took the MSDS's for all the glues and dyes I use to a neurologist one time and, after a thorough analysis, he told me that if I didn't 'huff' them, I needn't be concerned but that hasn't stopped my wife from whining about the smell.

Fans and pay attention, let anything dry its last little bit naturally. Heat no. I do have a hair dryer to spot dry portions of larger pieces when that is appropriate. Note, though that I am working with heavy leaters not light ones. It can have a little to do with the relative humidity of your workplace as well.

learning to sew will serve you in other endeavors but how about staples for the short haul while you are accummulating sewing tools and knowhow

Just curious. What is your work surface made of and how does it perform?

Absolutely, sorry but I'm positive that you wouldn't be happy with the results unless you did.

Practice, practice and finding people willing to pay you to practice. IOW develop people skills, too

Yes you will receive numerous replies. Regardless of the part of the task they address there will be some basics that will need to be part of your approach. The first step will be a partial disassembly, then a thorough cleaning, then removal of whatever finishes are used and there are quite a few different ones in use in the leather world. Your best chance at a single product approach to take care of everything will be to go to a shoe store and get a large portion of something called deglazing fluid or deglazer and use according to directions. (try it out first somewhere that you exposed in your take apart that does not show when reassembled) If this removes all finishes and strips out the oil from the surface then you will be ready to paint. Afterwhich you will first have to restore the oil the deglazer removed. There are some fine products that will not darken, I recommend something called Lexol Nf. Again try out first. Then a finish, then reassembly. You may, after all the good advice you will receive just decide to put this project in the "Too Hard" box and keep on yearning for a painted saddle. Unless! you can get some good help for the take apart-put back together part cause it really is harder than falling off of a log to get it right. Good luck!

Mostly personal preference and how you get started. My own gas been for straight, round, rawhide. For me and that should be noted, for me, a broken in str, rnd, rw maul doesn't bounce or roll but that is just me as I started with a str, rnd, rw over 50 years ago when there weren't all these choices.

The design is quite good but I have an extra challenge for you. Think of the way that the strap passage and buckle placement are going to go on the piece and think about making a layout that flows from that rather than gets covered up by it.

Unicorn you are right but one should not be subjecting bridles (horse's mouths through bits) to that kind of stess, anyway. So, in theory, you should be able to make bridles for broke horses out of pretty light stuff but there aren't a lot of real broke horses in the real world. Sort of an unwinnable argument and therefore should not have a lot of time wasted on it. Butt's it should be cause life is what it is.

yes and heavy too. Up to the 6-8 pound class

My experience from repair of using stuff has been 1) Water is not your enemy but it must be controlled. Dirt is your enemy. Sharp corners of tiny particles can cut and grind and the softer portion attracts and holds unwanted things of all kinds [they have been discussed] 2) 'Dry' leather lacks moisture and the associated tiny 'thingys' that lubricate the fibers and keep them soft enough to bend rather than break in use. 3) A little bit of moisture in the leather enhances the dispersion of the 'thingys' in whatever oil is applied [plant or animal only, please]. 4) Rancidity in storage is just from not using it up fast enough, rancidity on leather from allowing too much to accumulate in places. 5) thread rotting is from allowing too much to accumulate in stitch grooves and from false accusations for age or wear related events. [newer threads don't rot anyway] New stuff: When leather is tanned correctly, live fluids in skin [that would rot and stink] are replaced with plant compounds that won't. Water content is retained and balance is restored with refined animal products. Good leather is balanced when it comes from the tanning process and manufacturing doesn't have a lot to do to maximize durability. Using means depleting: first moisture through evaporation and then on from there. Responsible use means replacing moisture and 'thingys' and a gradual keeping up with the ravages of use is much preferred to letting things get way out of whack and then trying to get them back. To the original question, I have added oil darkeners to olive oil with some success but better and easier has been to use a light colored dye first and then oil but !!!!NATURAL IS BETTER!!!

Thanks for that, my experience is limited to US and Canadian made types.