jwwright

Joel........tug straps do not go through the bars..........the go through the skirts outside of the bar area. Strings can or can not go through the tree. Judging only from what I've seen on the Watt dvds several years ago, I use more tug straps than he did in the video. I would say that my method is much more like the Stohlman .The strings are a seperate issue from the tug straps. I have drilled the tree for the strings and I have not. I think both methods have good points. Basically, I find out if the customer has a preference. If no preference is given, then on ranch saddles that are going to be used as they should, then I drill. JW

Tug straps, 7/16" wide latigo. 2 in the front and 3 in the back, both sides. JW

Looks good Bob.

CW & Tyrel..........Thank You for your comments. CW, as you know all tree makers do things differently, and they all have their own versions of any given name of swell shape. Generally speaking, the main differences between this version of a Tuscon vs. a Low Moose is the sweep back in the swells, and the stock thickness. The swells of this Tuscon sweep back quite a bit, almost bear trap style, and the fork stock thickness is 4 1/2". I will be building a saddle over the winter on a Black Hawk tree, which I will post a photo of when done. A Black Hawk is basically the same as this Tuscon, but the swells are straight up, no lean or sweep back. Tyrel, I have been using handmade trees from Jon Watsabaugh for about 2 1/2 years, along with having used some production trees. For me, I found that Bowden was the best choice of production trees, considering bar pattern fit for the types of horses I generally build for, and also considering swell shape having the appropriate look. That said, I made the decision earlier this year to use handmade trees exclusively, as opposed to offering them as an added cost option in my base price. At this time, all saddles I build are being built on trees by Jon W., and I am starting to use Rod Nikkel trees as well. ......this Tuscon was built on the last Bowden tree in my shop, and I must say they did a good job on it. It was a special order, and they do alot of handwork on these undercut, swept back swell styles. I had them glass the tree prior to rawhiding as well............... with all the up charges it cost close to what some handmades cost. Their swell shapes on these type of trees have the look that most cowpuncher customers are looking for. I look forward to working with Jon and Rod in getting this same look in the swells for future Tuscon orders. All the best, JW.

Billy, Darcy, Bob...........Thank You for your generous comments. Darcy, I guess it's all a matter of personal preference, but those 2" visallia stirrups have always been my personal favorite for an all around saddle, and they are very popular with my customers. Thanks, JW

I don't believe anyone has posted photos of a Tuscon front saddle here before. I just finished this one for a customer, and thought I would. This one has 14" wide swells with quite a bit of undercut and backsweep. The customer requested the rawhide braided swells, which are popular with OK, TX, NM cowpunchers.........but it did make covering these swells a bit more challenging. Many Thanks, JW.

Very nice Julia, good job. A couple things I would suggest.....................the cantle binding as Steve suggested, and I think I see a few "flat" or "straight" places on your skirt & rear jockey lines, maybe. Could be the camera angles. Also, as a matter of personal preference, I like to see a bit more length to the rear jocks for balance. Congrats, and nice job. JW

Goldpony............I agree with who ever sent you that photo with the captions. No disrespect intended here at all................but ride your horse and that new saddle. JW

I just finished up a lite weight saddle this week for a customer. I built it on a LaPorte Tree with the cable rigging. Swell fork, post horn, small round skirts, no flank cinch. I used 12 /14 oz HO skirting. It came in at 23 pounds ready to ride, including latiogs, cinch, stirrups, rope strap etc. The customer is a small lady that is a serious recreational rider, and does some recreational ranch roping as well. She is really pleased with this rig. I currently have a couple more orders for saddles on the La Porte trees.... for full time colt starters. I don't see the Laporte trees taking over the place of true handmade wood trees in my saddle business, but I do think they will become a significant part of the business. JW

Like Steve, my riggins are typically 6 1/2" below the bar, and I usually use a 32" cinch. Occasionally on small colts, I might use a 30". A 32" usually works well for my saddle customers also. Could be we are riding stouter made, sure nuff Quarter Hosses, that might be 14.3 or 15 hands tall............but most of it is heart girth. JW

Thank You. JW

Russ........if you like undercut on the swells, then I would suggest a Will James or Tuscon front. A Black Hawk style front is real good too...................used to be the style of swell to have on the southern plains, and is making a comeback again. I build mostly swell fork saddles...........quite a few heavy Buster Welch, and OYs......but my personal preference is a Will James 14" wide, and that is what I ride generally. JW

Real nice Steve, as usual. I personally really like a rough out. Currently building a couple of them in the shop. JW

Janet, oiling a rough out is no problem. Just use the oil of your choice (my preference is pure neatsfoot) . I've never tried airbrushing oil, I simply use a piece of sheepskin. If I want to clean up the nap a little on a used rough out, I have a relatively soft bristled wire brush that does a good job with that. JW

Doesn't sound to me like you need to worry about changing riggins...............just punch some holes in the latigos that you have, and give that a try. Tying knots is a sure fire way to make a lump. If you decide that new latigos are in order, you might try some thinner, say about 8 oz. I understand your aversion to chinks with tooled leather tops....................I don't like them myself, although I don't wear bermuda leggins, I prefer shotguns.........same thing applies. You can get chinks or armitas made to ride higher as you mentioned, and without the tooled leather tops............just a two ply reinforcement of the chap leather is more pliable and wears well. JW

Howdy Clay.................Thanks for the comments on my saddles. I've been participating in this forum for about 3 years now, and the great saddle makers here have been great help to me in progressing and refining my work. I too, build swellforks primarily. Many heavy Buster Welch fronts, Will James and a few Associations. I am happy to build what ever a customer wants, but I've only made 4 Wades in the last several years. Concerning the exposed stirrup leathers, I do build quite a few of those. Again, it's what ever folks order. I have had them on several of my personal saddles, and I liked them just fine. Most of the time though on my personal saddles, I use 1/2 stirrup leathers with what I call my ranch cutter fender..........that pattern has some sweep forward to it, without much "bell" to it. Glad to have you here, JW.

I sure agree with you Denise. Another factor is just about every saddle maker I've ever visited with has just a bit different idea of what a ground seat should look like, although most have a common theme. Additionally....................the intended use / discipline for the saddle has something to do with the desired shape, along with the current trend or fad within that discipline. There are saddle makers on this forum who have built hundreds more saddles than I have, so I'll defer to them on the last question...................but, I did build a number of saddles on a well respected tree maker's trees that for me, were very difficult to get the seat I wanted . However, most of those turned out to be the favorite saddles of the customers who purchased them................Thanks, JW.

Huntet....................most all of western Nebraska is Sandhills country. Some of the nation's largest ranches are there.................such as the Haythorns. JW. Hey Bobby...............Many Thanks, JW.

Denise...............I will add that the tree maker does have something to do with how the ground seat is made. How the top side of the bars are shaped can help, or hinder, the saddle maker in putting in a ground seat with the shape the maker desires. JW

No problem, your question is not intrusive to me. Here is a link to a post I put up a while back showing my latest personal saddle. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25374 JW

A slick fork is one without (at least not much) swell to it...........................Wade, 3B, Weatherly are some examples of a slick fork. Yes, not much to hit your thighs on if riding a bucking horse..............not anything to catch you either................which is why many people put buck rolls on their slick fork saddles. Here a couple photos of saddles I've made. One is a Wade (slickfork), the other is a Heavy Buster Welch (swellfork). JW

Thanks for bringing up that older thread Denise. I have built about 35 plate riggings in the 2 1/2 years or so since I started that thread. I took all the good advice given there, and spent alot of time modifying plate rig patterns..........including trials runs riding just the bare tree and rigging. I came up with a design that works well for me and my customers. I build them pretty much the same whether for straight ranch saddles , or ranch/performance combos......................only difference being that I will use a lighter weight strap leather for the rigs on ranch cutters, etc. I seldom build any dropped D rigs now, although one of my current personal saddles is rigged that way JW.

Just some general ideas for you Cowboy........................Most saddle makers like to have 6 1/4" - 6 3/4" of drop in the rigging............that is, measuring down from the low point of the front bar pad, down to the rigging hardware where the latigo will hang. Some go a little higher, some as low as 7". Generally, I keep mine about 6 1/2". I sure don't want my rigging hardware to be laying up on the skirt, ..........it needs to be dropped below the skirt. Ideally for me, with the top of the cut opening above the hardware, ending up just below skirt level. I also like to have enough rigging leather ahead of the cantle point in back to get at least one solid screw in there also, in addition to several further back. I don't have any photos handy here on the computer , but if you'll go to Steve Mason's website.................www.stevemasonsaddles.com , and then go from there to his Blog, Steve has quite a few photos and posts relating to saddle construction that are very good. Seems to me that there were several showing how puts his rigs in. Hope this helps, JW.

Very nice. I especially like the welts on the fork cover. You chose to use welts instead of a blind stitch, and did it very well. Those long welts are tough to get clean and straight, and those look great. JW

In my opinion..............It's about personal preference.............and among people that make their living horseback, somewhat a regional thing. You won't see near as many slick forks in Texas, NM, AZ, OK or Kansas................as you will further north and west. Asthetics has alot to do with it. The shape of the seat, width / narrowness of seat has nothing to do with the style of swell / fork on the tree. It has everything to do with how the tree maker made the top side of the tree, and the saddle maker who put the seat in. Someone who rides a very short seat my find a particular swell shape with alot of undercut better. Same thing on fitting a horse........................it's the fit of the bars on the horse, not the shape of the fork. JW