CWR

I make a lot of rough out saddles. You can do it the hard way or the easy way. The easy way is to order Hermann Oak buffed leather from your supplier and build the saddle. Looks great. The hard way is to get regular skirting and sand it. This takes as almost as long as stamping one and the results are not as good as buying the buffed. Good luck, CW

It won't come ready to use. But if you don't mind spending the time to sharpen and polish it it will work fine.and should last for many years. CW

Nice clean rig Billy.

They have nearly any kind of fastener you would need. I use mostly 3 d galvanzed nails because I can still get them locally and they hold well but I get all my stainless screws for riggings etc. fom them. They have them available in square drive which I really like because they are less prone to strip out. Glad I could help. CW

McMaster's Carr carries them.

Besides the quality of the tree, it is always a pleasure to talk to Sonny and Helen. I always enjoy ordering a tree because of the opportunity to get to visit with them. They are genuinely good people. CW

The first thing that catches my eye is the back rigging dee. From the pictures it looks like your plate assembly falls below the line of the skirt from the seat jockey all the way to the dee. I understand you have butterfly skirts but I think your saddle would look more balanced if you raised that line on your plate and the skirt was visible behind the seat jockey and your rear housing covered the top of the back dee. Overall a very nice saddle. CW

Mine is 15x28 and 4 inches thick. I would not get anything less tan 3 inch thickness because it will crack. The more weight you get the less bounce too. Like Cookie i got mine from a stone works place. I told my wife when i died she could take it back and have my name and the dates scratched in it for my headstone. CW

From the pictures it does appear to be to far forward. Decide the rigging position that you want and mark it on the tree then draw your pattern to correspond with the mark on the tree. I like my rings to fall about 6 1/2" below the bar pad. Measure the distance from the bar pad down to the bottom of the pattern then add the distance your ring will be below the pattern. That will tell give you a place to start. Paper is cheap, I went through a lot of it before getting a pattern that satisfied me. Hope this helps, CW

If you have a set of wing dividers, use them to find the center of your strap and mark the center. Then place the point of your punch on the mark left by the wing dividers and make sure that the gaps at the rear are the same on both sides. This should get you pretty close. CW

Big Sioux makes some good points. In my opinion both the pictures are a little off. One to short one too long. I make mine 9 inches. Most of the horses around here QH. If there are some bigger horses in your country you might want to change it some. But 9 works pretty good for me. CW

That's fine work Big Sioux. It is something I will probably never have any reason to do but I admire your skill and craftsmanship. Thanks, CW

I'm with Bob and Sioux. I even cut the fringe on chaps with mine. Like Bob my favorite knife came from Knipper. It and my sewing machine are the most indispensable tools in the shop. CW

I would use number nine copper rivets. Bob Douglas at Sheridan leather makes a nice setter. Good luck, CW

The latigos should be latigo leather. It has waxes and oils impregnated in it during tanning. I use 9-10 oz. Skirting would not remain pliable as it would soak up the sweat to easily. I have seen some made from harness leather. 8-9 oz. is a good weight for saddle bags. Hope this helps, CW