Big Sioux Saddlery

Well, everyone wants to be the best at SOMETHING, and I've been trying to resist the urge to post pics of my "in the middle of moving in" shop. I think if there was a contest for the biggest state of chaos, I would have a good shot at winning. So, I guess I better put my money where my mouth is and show a couple pics. Sad thing is, I'm not anywhere near done moving. I tried to load some more, but it kept throwing me a size error, even though they're way below the size limit.

I think most people buy horses based on the individual horse they are considering purchasing. If that means they have to get a different saddle, then so be it. However, many people tend to favor a "type" of horse, such as a thick built, squatty, mutton withered type, or a more angular better backed and withered type, so it would stand to reason that they could keep and use the same saddle on future horses. It does not usually make sense to have a saddle built specifically for one horse that has an odd back that nothing else available will fit, in fact most tree and saddle makers won't do it. The handmade saddles (and all saddles really) are more often built to fit a range of horses within a set of parameters. If Denise Nikkel comes along, she will be able to explain this much better than I can.

You'll get no argument from me on that philosophy. Add to it that while poor saddle fit certainly CAN cause behavioral issues in a horse, I think a lot of behavioral issues get blamed on saddle fit when in fact it's pilot error and too many horsey treats by well meaning people who are certain their horse loves them with it's whole heart and would never ever do anything wrong without a very valid reason (besides the fact that the spoiled rotten barn pet would rather stand and eat all day with his buddies.) However, the saddle fitting video in question does not disagree with our position either, and the Nikkels will be the first to admit that they do not microfit trees. I bought the video myself, just to see if it would be something I would recommend to my clients. I see the same misinformation on FB day after day regarding saddle fit, gullet widths, etc. I think the video is geared toward people who don't in fact know how to fit a saddle, and is an attempt by the Nikkels to dispel some of the myths that are flying around out there. I seriously thought about carrying the video for resale in my shop, but an informal poll of my clients showed that I would not get my investment back. Maybe it would be one of those impulse purchases that once they're standing there ready to check out, they grab at the last minute, but I just felt my money could be better spent on something that would regain my investment more quickly. I wish the Nikkels all the luck in the world at marketing their video, and do hope that they can realize enough profit (or even keep their money together on the original one) to make their second video. I feel it always helps to have another professional back up what I try to tell my customers, and the video does that.

I did the same thing a few months ago. The stupid thing was that I totally knew better, but didn't want to take the time to look for a vise grip that was not where it was supposed to be and thought maybe I could hold it with my pliers. I was wrong about that. I was drilling thinnish stainless steel strapping and of course it grabbed when the bit came through. I was afraid to look at my hand. I bled all over the place and got kind of weak and had to sit down. I also avoided stitches, but needed some super glue and was wrapped up for a week. I couldn't work for a couple days; it really saved a lot of time by not looking for that vise grip!

I kind of forgot about it, but I have used an upside down dinner plate to skive on. Sometimes I bring work home with me at night, and while I bring a few necessary tools with, it's impossible to bring everything I might need. I can't even remember what I was working on for sure, but it was soft, stretchy, tough-to-skive leather, and it needed skiving before gluing and of course I don't bring my skiving glass home with me. When I work at home, it's usually my on kitchen island, and I probably had supper dishes still on the countertop. Not wanting to stall out on the project until the next morning nor go back to the shop that evening, I thought, "Hmm, I wonder how it would work if I turned one of these upside down?" I have to say it worked pretty well! My dinner plates are Corelle Wear and perfectly smooth (no rim) on the bottom. Stoneware would not work so well, I wouldn't think. Try it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's funny, but I only use them when I'm working in my house, but it works well enough that I should go try to find a few cheap Corelle Wear plates at a thrift store to keep in the shop.

Thank you for sharing Billy! The ones that really scare me are the ones where the fork cover, seat, rigging, and rear housing are all one piece. There just can't be any room for error on those. It's a big piece of leather if it gets messed up! You up for trying that one? I will if you will

I got nothin' but I'd love to see the rest of that saddle!

I'm betting it was leather sewing machine belting.

Yes, that is the complaint when people bring a saddle to have the buckle changed so the end runs up the inside, and it is definitely a safety issue. Since most that I build have the Hamley twist, the buckle is put on the same as if running the excess up the inside. But personally, I can't stand to ride one if the excess is run up the inside, adding two extra layers of leather. I have one of those in the shop right now. The split that the padded seat is made from is chewed halfway through the thickness of the leather in a fairly large area. I had to blow the saddle off with an air hose and hose it down with water before I could stand to work on it. It was bad.

I wholeheartedly second what JHayek said. New tooling leather is dry in order to absorb moisture for casing. Used leather will likely have been oiled and compressed by use, which would make doing a decent job of tooling difficult if not impossible. Even a new saddle that has not had oil or use will have had some kind of finish coat applied which will inhibit the absorption of moisture for casing. And even if you got it cased up by wetting from the back side, there is still the finish coat to deal with.

I use a round knife for most of my skiving, on a big piece of glass from a 4020 tractor cab window. It works great! I've heard of people using a curved piece of glass and I would really like to try that, but that can be tough to find in a size that will fit on a bench. Wedgetail has it right, a slicing motion helps a lot. I also use one of those "potato peeler" skivers, and put a new blade in for tough skiving, like the stretchy stuffy the OP was referring to.

I agree, it creates too much bulk as well as making it a little more difficult to adjust, but some people are used to the stirrup leather being inside and prefer it. With this method of construction, it is intended for the excess to run under the stirrup roller and back up. I can't stand the feeling of the extra bulk and lack of flexbility, and all my personal saddles have the fenders wrapped and turned, putting the excess out of the way. Most 16" production saddles come with 19" or 20" fenders and 66" stirrup leathers. Barrel saddles, saddles labeled as being for women and really cheap saddles will have usually have shorter fenders and stirrup leathers. I always offer the suggestion of shortening the stirrup leather and/or fender, but if a rider is very short legged, a taller person may not be able to use the saddle then. It's just a difference in people; there are people who decide if it's their saddle and they're going to be the one riding it, then it's going to work for THEM. Some of these people just cut the excess off of the hole end themselves. I always advise against that, as you are cutting off and throwing away the best part of the stirrup leather. The end to throw away is the neck and shoulder end which is riveted to the buckle. Of course for most people that means spending $ to have me do it, and that's a whole different topic. Other people trade saddles frequently and are concerned about reducing the value of the saddle if they sell it. I've shortened 19" fenders down to 16" for short-legged people, and these people want the saddle to work for themselves. I shortened the stirrup leathers on a saddle one time for a local horse trainer who I do a lot of work for. He later sold the saddle to a guy who is 6'6" tall, who brought the saddle back and had me put longer stirrup leathers on it. Decent profit off of that saddle within a year or two's time. The ones I build are built to fit the person ordering the saddle, and most of those people are not in the least concerned that the saddle may not work for someone else. If they are, then they may not be ready to order a custom saddle. I have never built one with the excess running up the inside, although I have built them with laced leathers, no buckles, so in theory the owner could put them either way.

I think many of us aspire to Cary Schwarz's skills! Thank you for sharing.

My first thought when I looked at the buck rolls was "They look like Cary Schwarz beaver tail buck rolls), but I didn't want to ask, lest you feel like I thought you wouldn't be capable of making Cary Schwarz level stuff, if that makes sense. I bought a pair of beaver tails years ago, and never did use them. They are a little intimidating to me, to be quite honest. His look so perfect, it sets a pretty high standard to try to measure up to! And then there are the one-piece buck rolls with no welt. . . haven't attempted those either. I noticed the rigging/swell cover also. . . is the leather doubled under the swell cover also, or did you just run the liner as high as needed, to be two thicknesses for the rigging? It looks like it could be a bugger to get the pattern right, and lots of possibilities for error along the way. Kudos to you for trying that and getting a good fit! So many of us get in a rut and don't want or don't think to try anything new or unusual. I've seen similar somewhere, I just can't remember where. I have seen really old saddles with the front rigging as part of the swell cover, but never integrated into a flat plate. The design would sure shed water and dirt/brush/small twigs etc from working their way under front jockeys, since there are none! What brand of skirting did you use? Reason I ask is because of a comment made about your saddle looking not-very-used after 4 years of use. I use both Wickett and Hermann Oak leather, and I know that the Hermann wears better and resists scuffs and scratches better than the Wickett, although the Wickett takes less breaking in, which occasional and weekend riders prefer. I think for stuff that will get daily, hard use, the Hermann will outlast the Wickett. Both great leathers, just different characteristics that make each well suited for different things.

I've seen this a lot, and on some high end saddles. I got a Passier saddle one time that had been in Hawaii for years, that was covered with them. I have never found a way to remove the tiny bumps once they're on the leather. As for mildew stains, once the leather is stained a different color from mildew, the same pretty much applies, they're tough to get rid of. You can try oxalic acid and that might lighten them a bit, and oil will darken the leather overall, possibly establishing a more even color. I have one in the shop right now that was allowed to become badly mildewed and left that way for a long time, and nothing I've done gets rid of the discoloration left by the mildew. Same goes for stains left by rodents building a nest on the seat and the feces and urine building up and leaving a stain on the seat leather and down the seat jockey. I hate getting these saddles in. For one, it's gross and I hate mice worse than just about anything else in the world, and second, it's just impossible to eliminate the damage altogether. For cleaning, I favor Lexol Leather Cleaner in the orange bottle, and for most purposes, Neatsfoot Oil as a conditioner, followed by one of any number of dressings as a final coat to make the item more moisture resistant and give a nice glow to the leather that NF oil alone won't give. This is especially important on the complete clean and oils for the hobby people, as appearance seems to trump function for many of them. I agree with your statement about being appalled by shoddy workmanship, especially if the repairs have been done by someone actually "being in the business" and charging for the repairs. However, it can offer the opportunity to educate the customer on how and why the previous repair is unacceptable and why my prices may be higher, but done in a manner I feel is better, safer, less devaluing to the item, etc. and if nothing more just looks a whole lot better. Crude, temporary attempts by the owner in an emergency situation are forgiven. The Blevins buckle switch is a common one here also. What amuses me, is everyone that wants it done asks that I turn them around and put them in "the right way". Half of the clients want them turned so the excess comes down the outside, the other half wants the excess to run up the inside, and they all think "their" way is the right way! Human nature I guess! I often tell them that if I turn and wrap the fender leg (Hamley Twist), the excess stirrup leather becomes a non-issue, but some disciplines frown on that modification.

Being married wouldn't have been so bad if I'd been married to a guy like you! Hope she knows how lucky she is. If she doesn't like them, they have the initial for my first name on them:-) Super job!

Really nice! You guys who make beautiful boots have my utmost respect and admiration.

It's all good, no apology needed. I'm somewhat used to it since I don't have my gender listed in my profile, and most people expect a tool and machine junkie to be male. And welcome, btw

Well "he" is actually a "she" (born that way, not something I decided to change partway through my life!), and yes I do have a proclivity toward small, and sometimes not so small, mechanical contraptions!

Looks like you got a good fit on that horse. Crossbred horse?? Colored like a Belgian or Haflinger and way too much bone for any saddle horses being bred today.

That can't happen here, as I'm a "committee of one"! But there was a divorce, and an addiction played a part, but that addiction had nothing to show after the money was gone. At least my addiction can be resold! I guess I should just plead the fifth on this one! It's not really that big of a collection. I know people that are a lot worse. Ha ha!

Yes, sooner or later we all seem to get bitten by that bug. What starts out as a means to an end (needing a specific machine or tool to do job) eventually becomes an obsession to acquire an entire set of every style of vintage edger, or all of the stamping tools by a specific maker, or a complete line of obsolete stitchers of a particular brand, or one (or two or three) or every style of leather splitter, and on and on it goes. But I always tell myself there are worse things I could be spending money on.

Lol, sorry Mjolnir. A Sight Feed spotter is an old single shot spotting machine from the early 1900's. The name something or other "Smith" is cast on one side of the head, and "Sight Feed" on the other, but within the trade they are commonly known as as "Sight Feed" spotters. A Landis 3 is a wonderful old needle and awl stitcher, patterned somewhat after the Campbell and Randall machines. I can also see the wheel of what appears to be a hand bobbin winder for possible the Landis 3 or the Pearson #6.

And a Sight Feed Spotter and a Landis 3 and what looks like a bobbin winder for something. I don't know anything about a Puritan machine. . . I know that some are chain stitch machines. . . tell us about yours. Man, you've got some goodies!

And another honey of a machine to the right of that big maple block. . . Pearson #6? Really like that solid old table too! And the rounder, and the knives. What's that machine in the upper left hand corner, partially out of sight? And the one to the left of that?:-)