SmokinP

Very Nice

Quite a while back I had asked on this board about making the nose pieces for bronc style halters. As always, I received excellent advice. Well here is a couple pictures of the results. Brandy is my 5 yo reining mare. She was supposed to wear her halter to a reining show but in my haste to get a halter made up I put it on a draft sized halter that was in the barn. Now she's like driving a sports car with power steering, but a couple years back when I started her she could have earned the right to wear a bronc halter. Jack is our yearling stud prospect stud. It's kind of like an inside joke that we made him a bronc halter since he's such a good natured colt. Of course he hasn't had that first ride yet so I'll have to see the joke might be on me. Anyways here they are. And thank you all for your willingness to helpus beginners along the way.

Thank you gentleman. I believe between the pictures and the information you both provided I can try and get me a set made. I can only hope they approach the quality that you all have shown. Again, thank you. Al

JW, First let me say, excellent work. I suppose I need to know everything. I'm looking to make a set for my own use. Overall length, width at widest point, strap width, slot to buckle, distance between slots. Leather weight? Maybe if you got a pattern we could do some trading? You can email me at Smokin P Ranch Sure will appreciate your help.

I'd like to try my hand at making a set of hobbles. The style I'd like to make is shown in this thread : http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=hobbles I'd appreciate any help with pattern source, materials, construction details, etc. Thanks in advance, Al

Make sure when cutting you keep the blade perpendicular to the material. Maintain a consistent work angle and travel speed. Going slow is the fastest way to do it. As far as matching up, maybe you can make one piece a little oversize then trim after being attached?

The beauty of plain leather..... I like em both. Just a question....why the latigo holder near the rear billet? Hobble keeper?

I use a dremel with one of those felt wheels and some metal polish or rouge. If it's really nasty you can start with a Scotchbrite pad to get the rough stuff off. They also make wheels and such with Scotchbrite material for a dremel or drill. I cut up a bunch of old halters to salvage the hardware and cleaned the brass this way. Works real good and pretty fast. But it is messy so don't do it at the kitchen table...least not if the wife is watching.

/www.gistsilversmiths.com/home.html

I like the open design. The holder I made for my cell phone is open at the top and it's never been a problem. It's been with me through a few enthusiastic rides on some colts and and a few aerial acrobatic maneuvers when the colts got the better end of the deal. Like you said the fit is pretty snug when it's new and molds to fit over time. Real easy to get out but good and secure at the same time. Personally I like a belt loop since I think a clip might pop off a belt in tough times. But sure would be more convenient for folks that got better sense than to do some of things I still try to do. Is the hole toward the bottom to make the fit better or to keep dirt from collecting? Either way seems like a good idea. Anyways, nice clean work. Look to be be serviceable and tough.

Find some gun shows in your area and get a table space. Have some work laid out that shows your style. Have some that you think might sell pretty well and a few that have a limited market but have people saying "wow that's cool". Make sure your table is loaded with advertising. Business cards, flyers, pictures, etc. From your name on here it sounds like you have the addiction of trying to ride cattle for an 8 second eternity. Use that as a draw and a way to remember you. It's one thing to be known as a holster maker but you'll stand out more being known as "the" bull riding holster maker". One thing I used when I was seeling guns and equipment was to set up a small TV with a video tape playing. We used coyote hunting videos since that was our little market. You could maybe have a video of you made working in the shop showing how you create your holsters or out using them or something along those lines. Folks going through a gun show see a lot of similar stuff. You want your table to make them stop and take a look. Then fill them up with your advertising stuff. Don't get caught up in the haggling that goes on. Set a fair price and stick with it. I've found that by cutting your price through wheeling and dealing gives you more a reputation as a salesman rather than a craftsmen. Salesman make a sale, craftsmen make a clientele.

Definitely ready to take on your next pair! Wish my name was on the order ticket for the next pair. Just one personal request...add a spur ridge to the heel. Brave choice of color for a first pair...and worked out perfect. Detailing is excellent. Very nice work.

Still looking for pattern or suggestions. thanks

You can email any suggestions and help to smokinp@earthlink.net Thank You, Al

Thank you for the help. I'm just wanting to make one for our stud colt, "Jack". Kind of an ironic thing cause he's really pretty gentle and easy to handle. But sometimes when he's feeling his oats he likes to act like a big horse. Wife says it probably help his self esteem if I made him a bronc halter.

Looking for cutting pattern and some advice on the bronc halters you see nowadays. Just the noseband parts and how they're cut and constructed. What leather weight seems to work out best. Any and all help be appreciated. Al

I've got a Billy Cook I bought new somewhere around 1980. It's a roping saddle...I think they called it a steer roping saddle. It's about as plain as you can get...only "tooling" is the maker stamp and the ID # on the latigo holder. It has seen it's rough days so it sure couldn't be called pretty. But it's the one I swing up most times. It just works real well for me. Only thing is it is heavy. I tell folks I'm never sure whether it's easier to put it on the horse or pick up the horse and put him in the saddle. Last year bought the wife a BC Wade type saddle. Of course it's got all the pretty tooling and stuff. It is a nice looking rig. I tried it out just a little bit on a filly the other day and it seemed pretty comfortable and secure. Seems to be very well built and the details are nicely done. It'll probably never see any rough stuff so I'm pretty confident it'll work out good. Wife seems to like it really well. But yes, Billy Cook is basically a name that has been for sale. So you can't just close your eyes and pick one off the shelf. Look at it good, ask questions. True for most things these days I suppose.

I really like to see folks makin their own tools. You've done some fine work there. Using a drill press for a wood lathe proves that the best tool a fella can have is between his ears. Might try a farm supply store and look for the pipe and hose fittings used on chemical equipment. I think it's officially called polystyrene plastic. We call it "the black stuff. A lot tougher than PVC and still pretty cheap. Not too sure what can be used as a filler but I was thinking if you could get a hold of some lead shot from somebody that loads shotgun shells then mixed it with RTV silicone rubber sealant (?) Just some thoughts. Fine work.

Not much time left.....

Let me get the drawings fixed up a little and I'll get em out to whoever wants them. Then we can get some comments and suggestions. Maybe be the "Leatherworker.net Clicker Press".

I'm designing/fabbing one here and there. I have drawings in AutoCAD be glad to send you if interested. Basically the design is from information gathered here and using materials available. I could email the drawings as .dwg files if you can read them or can convert them to a different format. The drawings are made for my own use so they need some cleaning up. Drop me an email if you (or anyone else) be interested. Smokin P Ranch email Smokin P Ranch website

Among some other things, we have a nicely tanned coyote pelt and one of our handmade bridle brackets listed on Ebay. We'd appreciate if you take a look at these and some of our other items we have listed. Ebay listings for Smokin P Ranch The bridle brackets are handmade so if you'd like more information on them please contact me via email Smokin P Ranch Email

The first one is an amazing use of perspective view. Seems like it has a mile of depth to it. Excellent design and execution. The woodgrains are unique and masterfully done. Very good work.

Well thank you Ken. I just kinda figure if folks would be less inclined to sell their reputation for a few dollars things might be a little better.

I just started selling some stuff on Ebay. Just stuff I ain't using no more. Actually gotta say it's pretty interesting and got to kinda meet some nice folks. I bought some stuff too and it went real well. Just like anything gotta watch prices and shipping costs and all. I think biggest problem I see is too many people using it as a way to make a living without puttin on their britches on in the morning. Lotta complaining from people that sell those 1000's of items a day about fees and stuff. Well if you had a real store you'd have a bunch more overhead way I see it. Go to a real auction sometime and see what their fees are. Catalog fees, sellin fees, pass out fees, etc. And you gotta put your britches on to go to those. When I sell something I let the buyer know my address, phone number, cell number, website, email and all. If they got a problem I wanna hear about and if it's my fault I'll do whatever has to be done to make it right. I suppose the day will come when I get scammed by a homelss guy in some third world country or a 12 year city kid but I suppose that's kinda the world we live in now. And now for some shameless marketing....... http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsmokinpranch