Ken Nelson

Sitting up straight in a western saddle that fits you and has the stirrups adjusted right, look down over your knee and you should be able to see the toe of your boot. Doing some western events will require shorter stirrups. First saddle has the stirrups hung too far back. Properly made, a stirrup and fender will stay turned in the proper position. On the second saddle, the stirrups need to permanently turned. They weren't when it was constructed and it is nearly impossible to get them to stay with out constant blocking and weighting. A ground seat that fits you and a saddle that fits you and is adjusted properly will help you a lot. You should not be setting on the cantle of the saddle when just riding. Just riding across the pasture, you should be able to run you hand between the cantle and your back side without putting pressure on you hand. The cantle on a western saddle is there to catch you, not sit on. HTH Ken

Pebble grain chap leather, Fern Thatcher usually has a good selection and reasonably priced.

Horseshoe Brand tools has a really good patent stitch groover, it runs around $80.00 and is as good, I think, as a vintage Osborne about like it. I put different tips in mine from Sheridan leather outfitters. It can also be used as a free hand. HTH Ken

A stitching horse will make it a lot easier too. Learn to sharpen the awl well and get the right size awl for the # of stitches and thread size you are using. REMEMBER, an awl is just sharp enough when you can run it half way through your palm before you feel it! HTH Ken

There is an older gentleman in my country that is thinking seriously of quiting. He has a Randall stitcher and all the tools and bench machines you would need. Bruce Johnson here on this site is a good place to start also. Shoot me an email and I will get you a contact with the first gentleman I mentioned. HTH Ken

I am looking for a supplier of 331 needles for a Ferdco 6/6 stitcher. I am also looking for a supplier of Coats Dabond thread, especially Peasant Beige. Thanks Ken

If my memory serves me correct, the folks at Ferdco developed the #9. Luberto designed the Classic and manufactured it. I am not sure when the 6/6 come into being. I have one coming and as I have had 2 classics in the past I am anxious to compare. I have always wanted to try a Pearson 6 but have not had the chance. Both of the Classics I had would pull a really good stitch and were easy to operate. I hope this 6/6 is as good. I shall post my opinions after I give it a test run. Ken

I would suggest you get Stohlman"s saddle building books and read them a couple of times before you proceed. Another really good book is Harry Adam's Saddlemakers Shop Manual. HTH Ken

I don't have the time to build spec saddles anymore but I have in the past. I price it some less, but not a lot less than a custom ordered one. It is not a custom saddle. I quit haggling over price in my shop a couple of years ago. No matter how much you come down, them jerks, and some of the people that walk in are, will beat you up that much more. I don't think I have lost any sales or orders standing my ground. New saddles are paid for when they leave my shop. If they will bring in a saddle that is fitting their horse, I will pull the front of the skirts loose and measure it.. Used saddles, are on a 1/2 day trial for fit, if they leave a bankable check. I hand the check back to them if they bring the saddle back, providing it is same condition it left in. I get a lot of " there is a guy working neighbor to me that is building a saddle for X amount of dollars, but if you will match it I will order one from you. I always say, "You have found your place to shop, Big Boy, Go for it!" Don't know if I am right or wrong but I am out over a year right now. Ken PS. Last time I let a spec saddle out of the shop on an afternoon trial, it took me 6 months to get it gathered, missing the breast collar, flank cinch and been rode about 60 times. Cost me a lot of money and frustration.

Might I suggest you also talk to Steve at Leather Machine CO. Depending on where you are located, his shipping might be less. You will get great advice from either Steve or Bob.

Harry Adams Saddle Shop Manual is a great companion for the Stohlman saddle makers series. Luckily, I have all 3 and have had them for a long time. They were something like $100.00 each when I bought mine. I hardly use them unless I have a student in the shop learning. There is a lot of info in both series.

Too small of needle.. Check the book for the proper size of needle for the thread you are using.

That sir is a landis 16. I do not have any idea of what it is worth but in the day they were revered.

They have been really slow getting my orders out. I have had a couple of serious mistakes on dimensions. Their trees are popular in my area but I will probably start ordering from someone else. It kinda seems like since they have the Cactus Saddles contract, the rest of us one man shops are the back burner. Sad I like Kevin and Cody both and thought they would be my main supplier. Ken

I have had 2 Classics. Both good machines and easy to maintain. Do not have reverse. They do not sew as fast as a Cobra class 4 will . I am on my second one of those. The Classic will not pull a better stitch than either of my Cobra Class 4's do. They have a reverse. You can buy 2 Cobra Class 4's for less than what a new Classic will cost you. `Don't get me wrong both are very good machines. If something happens to Tony Luberto, you may not have any service on a Classic. I would be happy with either machine as my main machine as I have had both and got along superbly with both. Right now I have a nearly new Cobra Class 4 and do 90% of my sewing on it. The rest I do on a chap machine. You may find a used Classic worth the money. I sold one two weeks ago and it was for sale for a long time. HTH Ken

They do but I forget just which one does have it in it. I have both the Stohlman series and the Harry Adams book. Both are good but not the last word. Inskirts are more difficult than D rigs or flat plate riggins for your first. HTH Ken

I used to use that companies products but the last few I ordered which was a couple of years ago were JUNK! Ken

I beleive in horse slaughter from not only a practical standpoint but out of respect for the animal. It is not a pleasant thing to watch an old horse die a natural death in the middle of a cold winter. They are horses, an animal, not a human being. To make them out to be human is not only stupid but unreasonable. Horses do not want to be humans, they want to be horses. That said, they cannot help or have a choice of who owns them or where they are at. They deserve to be respected, cared for in a humane way and every person who owns one has a moral as well as a legal responsibility to take reasonable care of them. If you cannot afford to take responsible care of any animal, please to not own it. Slaughter in as humane as possible way is probably more humane than letting one live on the verge of starvation, constant pain or constant fear. IF, you do not agree with slaughtering horses, do not send your horse to the kill plant, however, please do not try to force your beliefs on others. They may not have the financial means to have their horse put down in a humane way or the heart to put it down themselves. You are right, every person needs to think about not breeding unwanted animals. When will people learn that if you cannot sell a mare for a profit, her foals will probaly be unwanted. I am not looking for fight on this and I don't expect anyone to agree or disagree with me. I don't own any horses and haven't for several years but I have owned over 500 head of them in years past. I think they taught me a little and I miss them terribly but I don't have any business owning them any more. My 2 cents worth. Ken

SOLD!!!

May I suggest you concentrate on learning to build tack from scratch. Building from kits or "blanks" is not really handmaking. I cut every peice in my shop by hand, buy sides, build most of my own patterns and do all the stamping, tooling sewing etc. If you just put it together you are trying to sell someone else's idea and competing with production lines, which I don't think you can do. HTH Ken

english points can be hand cut with a round knife pretty easy, just a little practice.I build saddles and do some heavy duty hand sewing on them. I use white Johnson &Johnson tape to protect my hands while I am handsewing. I pull my harness needles with regular CeeTee pliers. HTH Ken

I m looking for a 25-20 or 32-20 Marlin 94, one of the old models. I don't mind if the barrel is not good as I plan on having it relined. If the outside needs some work that would be fine but no junkers please. Thanks Ken

Call Cobra Steve, he had a really good used long arm for a very good price a couple of days ago. HTH Ken

It is your reputation. What you build is your reputation. I don't try to compete with production saddles, I cannot . I am very busy and I only use the best materials available to me. Beleive me it is hard to build a good reputation building on ralide trees and synthetic sheepskin. You may as well go all the way and use Tandy skirting. Ken

Call Steve.