Big Sioux Saddlery

There could be two correct answers to this question. Both can be stronger than the other, depending on end use. I'm going to refer to horse tack, because that's most of what I make. For heavy, everyday use, I can guarantee that one, good heavy layer will normally outlast two layers sewn together to equal the same thickness. I've seen it countless times, two light layers sewn together under heavy use will break down faster than one good heavy layer. One reason is every stitch pokes a hole close to the edge of the leather, making it possible for dirt and moisture to work it's way into the interior fibers of the leather. The leather will dry out faster, and it CAN delaminate. Against the strength of a horse, a little old thread (no matter how heavy) isn't going to add much strength. I'm sure someone is going to reply telling me I'm wrong, but after 25 years of repair work, that's what I've seen. I have headstalls out there still in daily use after 25 years. They were made with a single heavy layer of russet Hermann Oak harness leather. The buckles are darn near worn out, but the leather is still holding. I do not believe that if I had made them doubled and stitched out of two lighter layers they would have lasted this long. The first cracks usually to appear in a strap start at the holes. Think about how many holes are in a strap that is sewn all the way around. That's a lot of holes! That's why doubled and stitched stuff is generally for "goin' to town" and the single heavy layer stuff is the everyday working tack. Somewhere in an old book about harness making, the author talked about how injurious a splitter is to leather. I believe it was in the same book that it was claimed that removing a third of the thickness removes half of the strength of a strap. Stirrup leathers on western saddles are a good example. It is common practice in production saddles to sew a one inch wide strip of leather down the center of the stirrup leather where the adjustment holes are located. Within 5 years or less, most of these are coming apart or have already broken. Too light of a base stirrup leather is used, and then "reinforced" with this strip (usually a strip of latigo) and then when they separate from wear, which I guarantee is going to happen, neither layer is heavy enough for the intended purpose. Certainly there are instances in other areas of leather working that this would not be the case however, and two layers would outlast one. But it's not ALWAYS the case.

I agree 100%, and add to that, until there is nobody that is willing to work for cost of materials plus a beer, the folks buying will continue to think that we CAN make our products for cost of materials plus a beer. A couple days ago, I told someone in an unrelated business (raising and selling puppies) that there are buyers who "get it", buyers who DON'T "get it" but CAN be educated, and buyers who don't get it, never will, and don't want to. Don't waste your time on that last bunch. It's not even worth a beer.

If I didn't already have a big splitter, I'd be all over this! This is a good deal.

Yes, but I have to find a box! I looked around today and came up empty, and I know I burned one a few days ago that would have been perfect. A flat Rate medium box would be right size-wise, but more expensive than need be I imagine. I'll dig around in my basement.

Yes, the ones I'm referring to were in a catalog from the early 1900's. I think it was International Harness Machinery Company or something like that. I have a collection of old harness catalogs that I can't find since I moved a year ago. I guess I haven't gotten to that box yet! Those machines specifically are no longer made, but apparently, as Sonydaze points out, there are still machines made to fold straps, although probably for leather much lighter in weight than the old harness machinery.

There are actually strap folding machines shown in the old harness machinery catalogs. They look a lot like a creaser. I've never seen one in person, but I'd give my eye teeth to have one!

How about $10 apiece? I cut these from the center of a belly, usually W & C black harness for these. It's a drier leather than most harness leather and it won't turn all white from wax after a couple years. Beautiful finish on the W & C Regular Black Harness if you've never tried it. I cut them from the center of the belly, no flanky leather or bad wrinkles. Halitech, I can check at the post offc in you want; I called the other day to ask about shipping something up there and she said she shipped a package earlier in the week for someone that weighed 8 oz and it cost $22. Seems high to me.

Not meaning to be critical, but if you build another stand, I would make the adjustment different. I think you'll find this one does not have a fine enough adjustment, unless I'm not seeing something? My first drawdown stand I built myself (and still prefer over my others) had a ratchet that I made myself out of a piece of scrap strap iron. It is over 25 years old and I use it daily. It looks like it's been through hell, but it's still pretty solid. I have a couple others that I bought that are hydraulic, but the height isn't quite right for me. I'm about 5'6" and they're made for taller people.

Ron's right. Most of the time I give my customers this choice; remove swell cover, more labor and therefore higher cost but it will look like it did when new, or re-cover horn w/out removing swell cover which means less cost but not "original" look, esp if it's a saddle that ordinarily wouldn't have a horn wrap such as a barrel saddle or cutter. Most production saddles have the horn cover installed before the swell cover, but many good handmade saddles the horn is covered after the swell cover is put on. You run a very high risk of tearing the swell cover if trying to force it off when contact cement was used to install it. That's one reason I like to use Dexterine when putting a swell cover down, as well as the fact that it gives me quite a bit of time to move it around and get it positioned perfectly. I have never used heat to try to break the bond of cement, but it might work.

I make mine like this now. I use the die for my harness hip drop. It ends up being about 14" long, not including rings, and just shy of 5" wide at the widest point. I could click one out for you if you're still needing this. The bells are cast and fairly heavy. Plated, pressed steel bells would be lighter, but I don't want to go to all the work of making one of these and then use cheap, pressed bells. I used to cut by hand a piece shaped somewhat like a holly leaf, and not line it. I'd put the pressed bells on those, and it made a pretty inexpensive item. I don't think I have any pictures of those, although I could get some.

I wouldn't HAVE a problem with them making what they make, IF they did their damn job! Minimum wage is too much for someone that doesn't do their job, I don't care if they drive an armored car or flip burgers. And BTW, minimum wage here is $8.55. We used to have outstanding, dedicated postal workers at our little post office. Now, they are a community joke. And as you don't live in this community, I guess going off on me about them getting paid or not getting paid is a little uncalled for. Whatever. . .

I gotta agree with Colonel here. I have a box cutter/utility knife, and other non-leatherworking knives, but if I had to use one, I'd spend half a day looking for any one of them. I absolutely can't function without my round knife. HOWEVER there is a learning curve to them, and if you don't get a good one and know how sharp SHARP actually is, they can be downright dangerous. In that case, you may be better off with one of the others. About the only thing I use a box cutter for, is cutting boxes. . Seriously, I burn wood in the shop, and I cut up cardboard to start my fires. But as I don't know where those knives are, I've been using my Gerber tool, which stays right on my belt. Anyway, I digress. At 13 years of age, if you can find a saddler within a decent distance that would be willing to teach here some things, she is not too young. I realize you could run into labor laws, insurance issues, etc, but my boys, all 3 of them, were helping me in the shop before they were that old. Those were some of the best times of my life. Of course, I realize that since they were MY kids, none of those issues I mentioned applied. You've gotten some good advice, best of luck to you and your daughter!

You're welcome. I, too am always thinking about the next one before I even finish one:-) I do still like to see a little more leather below the rigging ring, although it's very easy to leave too small of an opening also when lowering the cutout. I love the style of this ring, but I feel the design of the ring itself could be a little deeper, not by much, but even a half inch would help. Good luck in your saddle making endeavors!

All in all, not bad or a first attempt. There are a couple things that stand out right away when I look at the pics. For me, the stirrup leathers are set too far back. I couldn't ride a saddle like that for very long. I know the horsemanship "experts" say shoulders/hips/ heels should all line up in a vertical line. I don't compete in equitation or dressage, I just want to be able to walk when I get off, and stirrup leathers hung like this would kill my hips. The cut on the front jockey doesn't look right to me. I would cut the front of the side jockey back an inch to an inch and a half from where it is, lower the bottom cut of the front jockey by maybe a couple inches, and extend the front cut of the front jockey ahead closer to the edge of the skirt. The cut of the rear of the side jockey could be extended a little further back; to me it looks a little short. It looks like your rear jockeys don't fit tight against the cantle. This is always a trouble area for me. I'll spend a lot of time to try to get this right. I may get it pretty good with the initial fitting, but then after stamping and sewing the cantle binding on, they don't fit anymore. Don't rush this phase and don't edge the cut next to the cantle. There is too much space between where the skirts meet in the back, and the jockeys as well. I like them to butt up against each other with no space between at all. Either that, or leave enough space between so it looks like you MEANT to. Some makers leave a couple inches between for spine relief at that point. I haven't done that myself, although I'd like to try it on one of my own. I also like to see the edge of the jockeys tight up against the surface of the skirts. This is not merely aesthetics, it keeps dirt, hay, and anything else from working it's way up under between the jockeys and the skirts. One last thing that I see at first look, the way you've installed the rigging ring. With that ring, I like to make a little shallower cutout and put a plug underneath so that the ring is pulling on the 4 rivets AND the plug. But I do see others installing them this way. This was meant to be helpful, and I hope you take it in the manner it is intended. Like I said, not bad for a first one and it's better than my first one!

It's not just your region. They are the most overpaid, incompetent, lazy people as a whole that exist. It didn't used to be that bad, but the last few years. . . Yeah, I have zero faith in the USPS. I thought it was just MY region.

I'm very sorry to hear about your bad luck. I agree with the sentiments above; there isn't much lower than a thief. About a month ago, I discovered someone had stolen a singletree off a horse drawn wagon sitting about a hundred feet from my house. There were two singletrees on the wagon (for a team of horses) but the pin had been welded into the clevis on the other one, so they only stole the one. Would have been easy enough to pull the main pin from the evener and take the whole thing, but they didn't. I was so furious when I discovered it. It wasn't even that great of a singletree. It was wooden and had set outside for many years. But it is the principle. It was my property and they had no right to take it. I work so hard for what I have, it really pissed me off that someone took something that I had bought and paid for because they were too damn lazy to work for it themselves. I'd hate to think what I'd do if I caught someone trying to steal my leather tools, although it's not that I've never thought it couldn't happen. I'm afraid all thoughts of the possibility of spending the rest of my life in prison would fly out the window and I'd start shooting. The only thing more near and dear to my heart than my leather tools and machinery are my kids. I have a new shop going up, and the place will be rigged with cameras and a security system. And I DO know how to shoot! I hope you find your tools again. Leather tools aren't like wrenches and socket sets. Some are irreplaceable.

Do you mean drum DYED? First, drum dyed leather is not necessarily drum dyed harness leather. Drum dyed skirting and strap leather, yes you can stamp it, carve it, mold it, whatever you want to do with it. Drum dyed harness leather, to a lessor degree. It will not have the same look as skirting or strap leather, but you can stamp initials and the vast majority of straps in a set of harness have been run through a creaser, so yes, they do take an impression. Some harness leathers contain more wax and are harder than others. Wickett and Craig's Regular Harness leather is fairly dry and will take a crease really well if cased up a bit beforehand. A gal I wholesale some stuff to stamps a lot of her russet Hermann Oak harness leather, and then antiques it. Not a bad look.

I missed this when it first posted. All I have to say is Wow! Very, very nice job of carving and coloring. I don't know much about holsters, but I'd darn sure wear that one!

I'd never seen this post before. I have kind of a love affair with the old Landis #1's. It was the first machine that I ever got that actually worked, and it worked very well. I used it exclusively for at least 15 years, daily. Although I have other stitchers now, I still occasionally use the #1. Did you ever get yours sewing well, Dwayne? BTW, there is a number stamped on the underside of the slides that cover the shuttle race. I've always assumed that was a serial number, since they are different on every machine. Yours looks really nice with the original paint and pinstriping.

I use a cheap soldering iron with the finest point I can get. I just plan on replacing it 2 or 3 times a year. After a few months of use the tip is either shot or it doesn't heat as hot. I want to be able to get as close as possible and not take a chance on burning the leather or something else that I don't want to burn, which is why I don't like a lighter.

My first thought was "what part of the hide did you cut the binding from?" I always cut from the center of the belly, about as low as I can go and still have relatively solid hide on the front of the binding. If you cut from too solid of a part of the hide, you may have to cut another binding. Also, 6-7 oz has been split down from heavier leather and may have had much of the stretch already removed from it, which will make it much more difficult to mold to the shape of the roll. The lightest weight skirting you can get that has not been split down will probably work better. Then you skive down where you need to. I think many people starting out underestimate the amount of skiving needed. The shape of the roll at the spots you're having trouble with will also determine somewhat the difficulty of getting the binding shaped. The wider the roll at that spot, the harder it will be to form. You also might be leaving all the slack to get rid of to that spot. When putting on a binding, I work on the corners before I do very much with the rest. It's a lot easier to get rid of that slack if you work some of it further up the cantle. If you form the easy part first, you have too much slack left at the trouble spot. I built my first saddle in '99, and never had the advantage of having anyone close who could help me and show me in person how to do things. It's only the last couple years that I feel I've really been able to get my bindings on nicely and been happy with the way they look when finished. Hopefully, someone that has a better knack for explaining things than I do will chime in with additional advice. Best of luck to you.

The tube rivets are widely available from about any saddlery or harness hardware supplier and are set with a "splash anvil". I've never used spikes so I have no idea how they fasten.

Pretty much what he said! I scour flea markets and auctions and the internet for good, old tools that aren't crazy high. And I HAVE bought some crazy high just because I wanted them so bad and never seen that particular item before or since. The edgers JLS was talking about. . . yeah. . . don't give them to me! Lol. Even if this new stuff comes nasty sharp, like he said it doesn't hold an edge and they have "drag" Some of the "steel" guys will probably argue with me on this one, but this new steel has drag even when it's sharp that the steel in good quality old tools didn't have. Even if they're not super sharp, those old tools don't have that same drag. If you are lucky enough to ever have the chance to buy out a complete shop from some old guy that has an entire collection of old tools, I'd advise to beg, borrow or steal the money to get it. They just aren't makin' them anymore! I've been collecting for over 30 years, and I still don't have everything I'd like to have

I wouldn't be surprised if your old Tandy tools are better quality than the new Osborne tools. They're mostly junk.

Looking for a supplier of exotic scraps. Preferably around a foot square, give or take. The gal I make the tack for has been buying from Springfield and a couple other places, not sure about the names. She hasn't been dissatisfied, just looking for more variety. The smallish overlay pieces in the picture is about the size of pieces we will be cutting, but there needs to be enough to cut multiple pieces to complete a set. I have a pretty good supply of metallics (14 sides) so I probably don't need any of that. Thanks in advance.