Big Sioux Saddlery

I have thought about having two set up many times, one for heavy work and one for lighter work. I use mine on English Bridle often, and it works well. I don't know that you'll find a very good bargain on a second hand machine, as there is a pretty good demand for them. But sometimes, a person gets lucky and can get one on an auction where nobody knows what it is, etc. I notice your creaser is an old 2 gear machine and that you have added extra down pressure to it. I just sold one of these to a fella (haven't even shipped it yet), and we are both wondering about the difference between these and a newer 4 gear machine. I've never had a 2 gear creaser set up to use. All my users are 4 gear. Do you have it rigged to put downward pressure as you crease by means of a foot pedal? And if so, was it not enough pressure? Thank you. Sorry silverd, didn't mean to highjack, but I'm a machinery junkie.

Yep, that's what happened.

You couldn't pry mine out of my cold dead hands. I waited way too long to get one, always figured they were too high-priced for what they were. A few years ago they came on sale in the spring and I bought one, The first day I used it I wished I'd have bought one years earlier. If you do very much strapwork at all, they will pay for themselves in time saved. Plus it's fun to see a big pile of string on the floor at the end of the day

I think Borks has it. Regarding the design itself: it's a good theory, but that's a lot of metal, and it really makes for a large, rigid area under the rider's leg, and on the side of the horse.

I've never seen one like it, although I'd check Horseshoe Brand Hardware, because that looks like something he'd come up with. Short of that, it is probably a handmade piece, and any competent silver worker or hardware maker should be able to build one for you. It'll cost you, but certainly doesn't look like complex piece for someone who does that type of work.

Had one of those just last night. I brought some English bridle work in the house to stitch up once I had supper in the oven, then the phone rings. I HATE just sitting and doing nothing else while talking on the phone, complete and total waste of time. So I stitched while I talked listened on the phone. I was already a little grumpy from an unproductive day, the phone call made me even grumpier, then I realized after I got off the phone that I forgot to stitch the second keeper in on the cavesson. Lots of expletives then and my teenage son, who already realized that I had just had a less than stellar day, tried hard not to laugh. But at least that didn't have to go in the box.

This, right here!! Do it too much for too long and it becomes a habit that is hard to break. It's the reason that people that have never had children seem so structured and organized; they've never been pulled 27 directions at the same time.

Shoe box? There isn't a shoe box in the world big enough to hold mine. Saddle parts are usually fairly large, and take large pieces of leather; My most repeated screw-up has been swell covers. If they are stamped, it's at least a day's work putting them down and stamping them, maybe more. It makes me very sad to have to take one off and replace it because there is some little nagging mistake, but I have done it, more than once. I have a drawer and a big box for my screw-ups. Maybe a couple big boxes.

Did I miss something? Panicked and thought I got sloppy typing or something, but went back and reread my response and I'm lost. Of course, I am usually the last person to laugh at a joke, so maybe I'm just slow. Edit: Hahaha, never mind, I see it now! I never noticed that, but I told ya I was slow!

I only have experience with Wickett's black harness, but in their Traditional selection, the leather does not have much surface wax and takes a pretty good impression if cased up, and it cases up pretty easily. I haven't seen a lot of difference between their English Bridle and the Traditional Harness. They work up very similarly for me. I think either one would make beautiful padfolios. Their Show Harness has more surface wax and is a stiffer leather. Strangely enough, Hermann Oak's harness leather is easier to stamp my makers mark in without casing.

Interested also

Ron Ross, Ross Saddlery, lives in Indiana, and I believe has taken students in the past. He also offers some instructional information for sale, mostly carving info I think. Ron has been around for awhile and has a lot of knowledge, not just of saddles, but leatherworking in general and machinery, etc. There may be others as well. Everyone has differing opinions on what makes for a "good saddle" or a "quality saddle". If you're a barrel racer, you won't want to learn how to build saddles from a guy that builds only rope saddles, unless he understands very well what goes into making a good barrel saddle. While there are some common ingredients between styles to make a superior product, make sure you know what qualities make a saddle a "good saddle" for the style you want to build, and/or make sure the person you learn from thoroughly understands the differences also. The methods of construction and patterns used can make the difference between you loving your saddle or hating it.

Me neither. I tend to give the "long answer". It's genetic. Actually I just meant that I THINK their tooling is split from the skirting, so in theory, we should be able to get tooling in any and every shade in which the skirting is available. Only reason I think that, is a year or two ago I needed some 7/8, and the sales rep stated that they just split down the skirting. That makes it nice when needing to match leather, for example, accessories to match someone's saddle. There is actually a color difference between HO's skirting and their tooling. And I have wondered also what exactly is the difference between their tooling, holster, and their "molding" leather that I've seen somewhere. If a person was making holsters from the different types at the same time, I wonder how noticeable of a difference there would be? That might be a thread by itself.

I was always under the assumption (possibly mistakenly) that Wickett's tooling leather is just their skirting split down to the customer's specifications. So, then all colors of their skirting SHOULD be available in all weights of tooling, in which case, let's say you wanted W & C tooling in a 5/6 oz, to closely match or mimic HO's tooling color, then you could order the Oak selection of Wickett, split down to a 5/6. (?) I think I just confused myself! I rarely buy anything under skirting weight leather, so I may not know what I'm talking about, either.

Wickett's natural skirting is very light colored. I believe their "Oak" color is the most similar to HO when worked up, but I would verify this with the salesperson when you order. To be clear, the two leathers (Wickett vs HO) are very different from each other. Both companies produce some great leathers, they just possess different characteristics that make each well-suited for different needs or preferences.

That was going to be my guess.

That's the truth isn't it?!! I remember that age pretty well. Life experiences (having your ass handed to you) have a way of showing a person that they don't know quite as much as they thought they did. I'll be 52 in August, and feeling every one of those years most of the time. If I had back every dollar I've spent on "this", I could buy several!

Maybe not an impossible repair, but not worth the trouble, IMO. Unless you are getting requests to repair very high-end collector rawhide, the cost of the repair will usually exceed the value of the item. That's always the stickler:-)

I sewed it on my CB4500. I appreciate the compliment, and thank you, but I wish I could show you something that I sewed on my Randall. You would understand why I prefer it. Unfortunately, it had serious pre-existing conditions and I traded it back to the trader I bought it from, and haven't gotten another. I do have a Landis 3, which is said to nearly rival the Randall in appearance of stitch.

Matt, does the #6 have no feed dogs? I know that it is a needle feed machine, but I've never actually seen one in person. If there are no feed dogs, then it would be very possible to make a raised plate that would work. Actually, T Moore, if you can do that, I'd keep the #6 and try to make that work. They are a highly coveted machine, and they don't make them anymore!

Here ya go, as you can see, the stitch pattern is in the shape of a crude line drawing of a fish:-). And also, as you can see, the 441 type machines can leave pretty deep foot marks. Just goes with the territory on that type of machine.

When making equine equipment 3/8" just isn't very much. Think of it as this: would you buy a machine for making tack that only has 3/8" of an inch of height capacity? It'll be enough for some things, but not near enough for most, and even when it works, you will be maxxing the machine out all the time. You would find yourself thinning leather down to fit under the foot, in places you shouldn't be thinning leather down. Not saying that the stirrup plate set-up won't work for some straps/ buckles, but it's nowhere near enough for a shop that specializes in tack. Take that advice for what it cost ya. Having said all that, the CB4500 will work to sew the cart buckles in w/out the stirrup plate. Just not as handy as the hook and awl machines. I've got the pic that I promised last night, just have to get it on here.

Except for the fact that you lose thickness capacity and the feed dogs.

Sure I'll find something and get a pic. The "fish" pattern is just my own term, I've never heard anyone call it that before. I figured it would make it easier to visualize, but apparently, I failed. I've sewn them on a Randall, Union Lock and a 441 clone. Randall would be my first choice. Besides of the fact that their design facilitates sewing close to the buckle, there has never been another machine that can lay down as pretty of a stitch. Landis 3 is a close second of the hook and awl machines. Union Locks can be a tough machine to get along with. They are made for high speed production, as opposed to a small shop that does many different kinds of work. But the design of the throat makes it easy to sew the center bar buckles. Currently I have been using a 441 clone, only because for the past 6 years, until this last month, I have been seriously limited on space. I needed to use the space I had available for machines that were the most versatile. I do a moderate amount of synthetics sewing, and the hook and awl machines can't sew synthetics. So I had the clone set up, and another heavy machine to specifically sew rounds and tugs (Landis One). Before too much more time goes by, I will have all the machines I own set up and useable, without spending a half day moving stuff to get to them!

Anyone needing a splitter like this better sit up and take notice. Blade clamp missing or not, I think this is a good deal. Of everything that could be missing, I imagine a blade clamp would be as easy to make as anything. If I'm wrong Bruce can set me straight:-) If this thing was in my area, I'd already own it, and I don't even need one!