gmace99

Sounds as if you are using to much glue I put about a teaspoon into an inch of water in a jar. I normally dip my fingers in and if they feel a little sticky then that is enough i don't understand why you need to sand your edges I use a plough gauge to cut my edges bridle makers in the trade mak hundreds of straps a week They never have to sand. Ejeffries have a good video online showing inside their factory you can see the speed we work at in the trade

Thanks Matt the rough and ready is a good description. When I go into my workshop I take my camera with me. If I get time I do a video . I never plan what I am going to do and never really know what to video until I turn the camera on I relie on my good luck and experience I also don't edit. I believe if I mess up you wills get to see how I overcome that. I don't like the 10 minutes intros that people do. I just want to do the video and get home to my coffee as to the hide glue smelling. Hell yes it goes of fast so only make what you need. We use the tallow and glue method in the big companies because it works tallow you can get on eBay or from abbey saddlery

I buy my English saddle leather from a company in Walsall England. They use normal cheap cooking oil mixed with tallow fat in the making of their leather. I would say their leather is almost as good as Sedgwicks. We made and sold this in our shop for 20 years and never had any problems. In the saddlery trade many saddlers add a little soap to the water when blocking their seats. It helps get water into the leather to make it softer for stretching over the seat

I have a video on how to use it I also think I have one on how to sharpen it. Type into google uksaddlery then go to videos you should find my videos there. I cant post a link because I am on my phone typing this

That is an accident waiting to happen

Welcome to leather. I like the way you have set about making some of your own tools all my tools are Dixons I have had them well over 25 years. I have taught all over the world and seen some great examples of homemade tools. Saddle flocking irons made out of bamboo and copper pipe. Knives made out of coke cans. One of the best knifes I seen was made out of a brick bolster chisel. Even better was watching the guy use it. He used it as I would my round knife. It shows that with a little thought and imagination we can do many things

I tend to put a groove in the leather, where there is a lot of wear. In a saddle I would do it on the flap. The leg is moving back and forth wearing the stitch out... As to weakening the leather. I doubt it will weaken it enough to matter. After all we thin the leather out when we are turning it. We do this when making belts to help the leather fold. You will not get a nice slopping stitch in a small groove. However a straight stitch will look nice if done correct. I would never use dividers to mark leather because they can scratch. I much prefer to use a single crease or a screw crease. When the leather is getting flattened . Then that is wear. If it is doing that then you would be better putting that groove in

Saddle making course. We have added another saddle making course in October The 2nd to the 14th. Our July course filled out fast. We added a extra course in August. Again this one has filled up. ... Because we have been asked for other dates. We have now added, 2nd to the 14th of October Please message me if you would like to attend this course. Or email sales@uksaddlery.com This course is aimed at those with some experience with stitching and leather tools. You will make either a 17.5" GP saddle or a 17.5" dressage saddle This course will incorporate building a seat on a wood spring tree casing and running up a flock panel. Making a pair of flaps with a knee pad hand molding knee blocks And pattern making. At the end of this course you get to take your saddle home.

Yes wet it. Then leave to dry

I do saddle making course. I am not near my computer at the moment. I think I have one space left on the August course. My web page is www.uksaddlery.com @MY63 Michael it's good to here feed back on my videos and great to here the have been a benefit. Thanks

Strange my videos are open for everyone. Yes it is just my nephew using 2 pieces of leather to make the bleed knot bracelet. Your browband is made in a similar way. It is 3 pieces made up in the same way as his bracelet. The only difference is when doing the bleed knot holes on your leather, You have to leave a gap for one end to loop through. Then start your bleed knot holes again. Each of your 3 pieces of leather is made up 2 pieces of leather. In total 6 pieces

I am no where near been a side saddle expert. Laura Dempsey would be the person for that. I have won several awards for saddle making. The side saddle is the one I am most happy with. The reason for this is that I have never made a side saddle till I made the competition one. In the competition , You can win a first, second or third prize. If your work is above standard you may win a premium award. They don't hand out premium awards easy. Why I like this side saddle one is having never made one before. I won a premium award.

This is not how to make the entire thing. This is my nephew making a bracelet that has some of the bleed knot in your browband. I hope it helps part of the way

A badge making company should make them

Tandy leather make a lace cutter for £8 I can be seen using it at the start of this video.

Depends what I am sewing. Sometimes I use glue. And sometimes I use a wire tack . The thin tack I hammer in where the stitch would be. Then remove them as I get close to them

I have taught lots of kids over the years........No strike that They have taught me Kids have great imagination. When I give them something to make. I let them pick their colours to put together and give them shiny things like bows and jewels to attach. I am always amazed at what they come up with.

If I don't get the chance I will get Kieran my nephew to do it and post his video on here with his others I have a few courses coming up finding time is tight . As you can tell on my videos they are never rehearsed If I get five minutes I just grab the cam and do a video of the first thing that comes to mind.

@Tommo I spread the Tallow fat on then spread the powder on top of that. As to grit sorry I don't remember I bought lots of powder years ago. If I can find a bit of wood I might do a video on that

@fredk Anyone including my cleaner can say they are Master Saddlers Or saddle makers. They Can not say they are Society of Master Saddlers Master saddlers. To be a Society Master Saddler you need to be a working saddler for 7 years and win a premium award at the Saddler competition in London

@CuttingHorse After making a saddle you should not be afraid of doing most repairs. I would not recommend any saddle making course if you have not done any leather work at all. You need to have done thinks like make a bridle or a flocking course before you would be ready for it. Most people I have taught have went onto doing the big repairs on saddles. If you did my repair course you would not be able to do anywhere near the types of repairs you would do after a saddle making course. As far as I am aware the SMS do not do saddle making or saddlery courses. They do show recommended training providers on their website. I am one of them. You would have to go to Mark Romains building if you wanted to sit an exam. However you can go to any provider including Mark to be trained. My style of teaching is different from others . I am a factory saddler who made 5 or 6 saddles a week. Other saddlers are country saddlers who make one saddle a month. The only difference in the saddles are I know how to make it easier and faster for you. This is how all your top companies make saddles. Now I get to be big headed. Yes it is a nice saddle Cary puts out I showed him how to Make it. He could not work out how to get his idea how to work. That is why he called me to come up with the way to do it. I also designed his Flexi girth for him. It took six months to get it the way I wanted it. My other hat is I fly across the world showing companies how to improve quality and production. (I am now retired from doing that I got to 55 and decided to relax.) @fivewayswelshcobs Who are you I must know you and you me.

@gigi thank that will make him keen to do more videos

@TFarage yes it is a leather school. We do short courses. My website is www.uksaddlery.com. The website only shows a part of what we do. I did my own website then got lazy adding other stuff. My Facebook is Geo Dunoon or my Facebook page is uksaddlery. I also have my uksaddlery you tube channel this has 56 videos at the moment

When I do braiding. I do it upside down this does not mean standing on my head The underside always looks better when I braid. So I look at the flesh side when braiding. The turn it round to the grain side when finished