Kevin

Try Siegel of California, they did have them, but I think as they sell out of unpopular items, they may not reorder them. Kevin

If you are machine sewing, just sew up to the ring and backstitch a few stitches and stop. Start again beyond the other side of the ring, backstitch a few stitches and go on around until you get to the ring again and repeat. When I handstitch a dee in, I just sew right over it like it doesn't exist. This may take a little practice so it looks good. kevin

Even if it's good leather, it's a pot metal buckle. Labor is probably between 5 to 10 minutes, machines combine and stitch,machine Edgecote, no dye, machined holes, the only labor is feeding the leather into machines and attatching the buckle, no keeper, no filler. Kevin

After the needle goes all the way down and starts back up, the thread makes a loop. The shuttle point catches that loop and passes the loop around the shuttle which contains the bobbin. If you look at the end of the machine, the bobbin case fits in the shuttle and the shuttle is the part that moves as you turn the hand wheel. I think in the 31-15, the point is kind of hidden by other parts and may be hard to see. Good luck Kevin

I don't know, but I'm guessing pieces for some kind of lathe chuck or vise. Kevin

I can tell you it probably needs to be lined with something less stretchy than leather. I also made the mistake of thinking I could just stitch a strip of leather on each side of the seat and the pressure from the arms would hold it in place. That didn't work. I had to do a thin strip and then a wider strip to go where the dowel originally went, which meant I had to hand stitch it. Kevin PS I'm talking about 10 oz leather, not chap leather.

When I sewed with a Campbell Bosworth I stood, when I got an Adler 205-370(?), I thought I would stand also, but it isn't tall enough. After 10 years sitting, I don't think I could stand on one leg for that many hours anymore. Kevin

Foxfire 6 has a section about shoemaking, there's a little handstitching on the uppers and the soles are pegged on. Pretty rudimentary, but very possible if you have lasts. Kevin

I would do a backstitch, if I were stitching Velcro by hand. That will give you more thread on the surface of the Velcro and hopefully not cause the edges to turn up like it might if you do a saddle stitch and pull too tight. Unfortunately, I am not articulate enough to describe it and it's not in Stohlman's Art of Handstitching, maybe someone else can elaborate. I originally learned it as a method of lacing so I know there is a description somewhere in a Tandy book. Good luck, Kevin

I think glue fumes are heavier than air, so be careful. Kevin

There's an article in 1980 Horse and Horseman magazine about Jim McGill teaching the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to build saddles from buffalo hide. Sounds like the grain itself was the main attraction. The business was called Sans Arc Sioux Saddlery. The last I heard of McGill, he was in Texas building boots. Kevin

Ditto what Bob said... Unless you're feeling very adventurous, in which case you could get a double bend, cut out a circle, and then cut around and around just like a rawhider cutting lace. Then you just stretch it straight. I've never done it, but that's the way old timers did it. Kevin

All four chapmakers we had, preferred Petronio's for rubber cement. I needed some at home one day and got some Best or maybe Best Test rubber cement from an office supply store and I thought it was far superior to the Petronio's. It seemed to have more rubber without being thicker somehow. Kevin

All you have to do is take the stops off and turn the head around on one. We used to do that, but people are so used to the zippers being the same, they complained, and we stopped, so now as far as I'm concerned they're wrong (the zipper), but everybody's happy. Good luck, Kevin

I like to precut my holes, so they are more consistent. The finer stitch you do, the more important it is to angle your holes with a diamond shaped awl, I don't think you can do 14 per in. with a round awl without your holes all running into each other. I'm sure someone can do it, but not me. Kevin

Hey Andrew, Windmill English Saddle Supply 7186 Dewey Rd. Thompson OH 44086 Ph. 440-298-3018 They have small, med., large, and long neck. Sorry I didn't put this up before, I didn't have it here at home.

The studs Weaver sells are HUGE, someone decided they needed to be "redesigned" so they would work with about 14 oz leather, they are useless as far I can see. Windmill saddle supply in Ohio has the proper sizes. Kevin

Sounds like you're working on old Calientes, if so , what you have is about all there is, hardware wise. There is a company called Jack's, I think and they carry some racing stuff, I will try to remember to check their catalog tomorrow. I assume you're lookiing for the slide buckle with the snap socket on it. Kevin

In the past when I've had this problem, it was because the tubular part was too long and I could just trim some off and that would take care of it. It seems to be more crucial lately, so I wonder if they're using a lighter weight metal in the caps or am I just being too impatient or heavy handed? Kevin

Ohio Travel Bag sells Jiffy Rivets in solid brass, someone else on here may sell them and be easier to buy from. Kevin

Your work is beautiful. I hope you don't mind what I hope is a helpful pointer. It looks to me like the skirt is up about 3/4" too high on the bellies, it should curve down under the belly, unless this is some new thing I don't know about (and there are many). Again, I hope you don't mind because your work looks excellent. I can't help it, Kevin

Windmill Saddle Supply in Ohio has them, sorry but I'm at home and don't have contact info here. Do not buy the ones Weaver's have if you'tre looking for the real thing, their's are about three times too big. The idea of the stud is to get the look of a sewn in bridle while still being able to change bits and reins easily. Kevin

Yeow, what an undertaking, that is beautiful. Kevin

I don't know how exactly to explain this, and I could be full of something, but I feel the shorter your awl is, the less leverage you have to make a crooked hole and the more control you have to go straight. Kevin

Looks like an English bridle buckle with a roller to me, that might help you widen your search. At a thousand, you may be able to find someone to make them for you out of zinc to keep the price down. Kevin