SmokinP

The brand is just done freehand from pattern I made with AutoCAD. Nothin real fancy, I just cut it with a swivel knife and kinda widened it with a ball tool on a modeling tool. Then just used one of those black Sharpie markers to make it dark. The name is done pretty much same way.

I sure enough appreciate the encouraging comments. Pretty humbling to put your work out for the masters to see. I am getting a little better as I get time to work on things. There's been more than a few pieces that weren't quite fit for a camera lens. I look in on here most everyday. The work I see always just amazes me. Just so much natural talent put together with highly refined skills. But the thing that really makes this site a "must visit" is the willingness of folks to share their thoughts, ideas and hard earned experience. There's way too many of ya for me to shake everybody's hand so I'll just say a big thanks to you all. I've machined parts within tenths of thousands of an inch, moved machines weighing 100 tons, dealt with canterkerous horses and been on the business end of a woman's fury....but now this leatherworking - that's a challenge. Best regards to all.

Well I been lurking about here for quite a little bit now. Never really had nothin to show that wouldn't make me hide my face in public. While nowhere near the quality of things seen here. I'm gonna let you see this one. Pretty simple cell phone holder. Didn't take all that long to make. Kinda suits me cause it's simple...no flaps or snaps or nothing. Secure enough to wear horseback but easy enough to get the phone out if somebody calls. Anyways, thanks for lookin.

Very nice, clean rig. Very well fitted. Shows how simple and functional can be beautiful. Looks to be built sturdy enough to last a very long time. And I always like to see a horse outfitted in a plain snaffle.

As a designer I use AutoCAD all the time. Have been since about '92. It is excellent for creating patterns. A lot better to move, copy, erase, twist, turn and otherwise manipulate some lines on a computer screen than to fill a waste bucket with leather. Works great for laying out lettering that is to be tooled on a piece. Being that most of my work is technical in nature I'm a little behind in using raster images. But even with my limited use of them I'm able to use them on some of my designs. Great for taking images and getting them sized and laid out just right on your pattern. Since my leatherworking skills and knowledge are light years behind the other folks here I'm usually more full of questions than help. But if anybody ever needs help with AutoCAD I can sure enough answer most anything about that.

I'd be interested in the Chap Making video. You can send me an email to smokinp@earthlink.net with the details. Thanks

Very nice. After fiddling with making a website I know how much work goes into them. You definitely have done a nice job. And the leatherwork is excellent also.

That is a great site. I use a lot of the fonts.

Some basics to start with. A set of dividers, straightedges of different sizes, a good awl, good lighting, sharp knives and shears. Better keep some imagination, patience, and a few choice words in the toolbox too. Most important tool of all....bookmark to leatherworker.net

They look to bring a pretty good dollar there on Ebay. How well do they sell?

Thank you Elton...been looking for those quite a while myself.

Thank you very much. I ain't real good with the computer stuff but it was pretty straightforward using the program they got. I'm working on getting some more and better pictures since I borrowed a digital camera from a fella at work. "Jack" is a yearling now and quite a bit bigger.

I made a website for our place that maybe you all could take a look at it. It ain't real fancy or nothing but it was free. Some pictures of our horses and stuff. Appreciate you looking. http://www.home.earthlink.net/~accuratedesign

Oh yeah...kinda forgot about that kinda stuff. When I think hobbles I was thinkin horses....but shoot I guess I ain't too old to learn something completely new.

I was thinkin maybe there could be a topic place for the uses of the stuff that gets created by members. I got to readin the posts under the "Grab Strap" posts and it's evident there's a bunch of highly knowledgeable folks when it comes to using the stuff they and others create. Just a thought....

www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?number=6025-00 This should get you started pretty well I think.

Fine looking work Randy. Why don't all western boots have a spur shelf???

Where were you guys in my younger days? Nobody ever told me about gettin launched on my head like that. Maybe that's why I can't never find a hat to fit right?

Just a little info on these things. They got called "night latches" from days when a fella had to do night watch on a herd. If you took hold of it when you got set up it was supposed to keep ya from fallin outta the saddle if ya dozed off. We always called em "cheater straps". Like Bruce said. they'd keep ya stuck in the saddle better if got one that had a little spunk in him. Hangin on to the horn puts your hand in a bad position and doesn't work near as good. Ya kinda want the strap tight to the swell so it kinda works like a bareback rigging rather than flop around. I've used ropes, the belt outta my pants and old latigos. Best thing I've found for dealin with a rough one is to have a young feller nearby that you can shame into gettin on em.

Anyone have a source for good Mohair cinches? Probably be in the market after the new year.

Nice work Rawhider. I always kinda look at folks' curb straps...kinda one of those details people forget when they're getting dressed for town. Be a nice addition to a snaffle bit rig.

Well my wife and her mom are headed to Vegas for the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) on Friday. I gotta work all weekend so I get to stay home and tend to the horses and such. I already got a list for her to find stuff at the trade show for me.

I've seen in the Hidecrafters catalog they sell some pre-cut spur straps either as a kit or just the leather parts. Might work out if they're the style you were looking for.

Hey Randy. Try and get a few pictures of those boots put up. I might be in the market for a good pair of work buckaroo style boots. Hopefully you ain't too close to The Peoples Republic of Chicago.

Should I? It seems like a good idea to me. Earlier this year I had the leather shop make me a new latigo holder that a buddy broke on my saddle. I had him tool in my brand and some barbwire. Cost me 8 bucks, which he probably didn't make any money on. Course when wife and I went to pick it up she found $120 worth of tack we couldn't live without. Without that repair work we wouldn't of been there to buy the tack. Along the same lines, if you can add some customizing to a repair job, like some tooling on a flank billet for instance, there could be a few extra dollars. What books can I get for a crash course? I'll let the others jump in on this one. Seems like there are a few choices in books but since I ain't seen any of them I can't really give an opinion. What simple services should I offer? Unless you got a pretty good handle on it, hard core saddle repairs might be iffy cause of the safety aspects. But hand stitching stuff, setting rivets and snaps, sizing work gets people in your shop. Saddle cleaning be a good winter thing it seems. Any real good advice sources? You're already there. Won't find any more expertise than's on this board. Also. the stores that sell leather and supplies are usually good help - the more you know the more they sell. Would you guys help me in a pinch? These are some of the most helpful folks I've ever come across.