TroyWest

Very nice.

I think you said this very well Johanna. My brother and I have done business with Siegel for many years. We have never had a bad experience. We will certainly continue to do business with them. Troy West

Many of the old parade saddles were dyed black with vinegaroon. There is no other dye that won't come out on you pants, eventually.

Hey Bob, did you put the dome in it or did it come like that? Who made it? Thanks, Troy

Great job Bob. Looks like that flower center has a slight dome to it, which looks good. Does it? Most seed pod centers like that are pretty flat.

Really great piece Bob. Decorative cuts on the inside are such a nice touch. Beautiful purse.

You need to get it damp to stamp the letters. Many dyes recommend application while the leather is damp. Should be able to proceed.

Yes, that will work. We saddlemakers make roughout saddles all the time and put our makers mark on the flesh side. It shows up quite well and the letters are smaller than you will be using.

Indian Jewelers Supplies or Rio Grande Jewelry Supplies. They both carry them.

Skidder, I appreciate it very much. Troy

The product you want is called Insta-Blak SS-370 Gel Electrochemical Products Inc. 17000 West Lincoln Ave. New Berlin, Wi. 53151 (262) 786-9403

Very nice work Steve, all of it. Cool buckle on the leggings.Really like your swade. I'm thinking about making a swoper,LOL. What did you use for the button closure on the cuffs? Troy

D.A. You hit the nail on the head. I don't mind covering them, but carving them is the challenge. First, there is so much more surface area to carve, and the undercut is even more time consuming. Sure makes you want to stay with the slick forks and wades. I laid out a pattern on a wade front yesterday. So much easier and faster.

Very nice Andy. Swell looks great.

I understand. I was only thinking of using veg skirting. Sounds like your on the right track.

Pete, good for you. Glad to see you getting to do a lot of leather work. Just for future reference, when making right and left items, you only need one die. Turn the leather over and the same die will cut out exact duplicates. This works for rigs, fenders, housings, anything where matching left and rights are required. Works for breast collar dies too. One die will work for both sides. Saves you money on dies.

Are those matching left and right chap yokes?

Nice saddle Andy. Pretty cool silver. Never saw a 3 in 1 latigo carrier.

Nice saddle JW. I love a roughout. Darcy, you know those aluminum stirrups won't hurt anymore than 4" monels banging your shins.

It doesn't matter that you stand on a ladder. It doesn't matter that your horse is wide. The diagnoses is correct. That seat jockey is wrinkled because it is flanky leather. We saddle makers cut our seats out of the best part of a side, or at least I do. Most custom makers will. That seat was probably cut out of a right side with the left jocky a little too high in the side and it was getting into the flank area. Flanky leather is leather that generally is from the flank area of a hide. The area that a calf roper grabs to flank a calf, right in front of the back leg at the break of the belly. It is fairly loose skin, not tight grained and firm like the leather that is up higher in the butt and middle of the back. You didn't do anything to cause those wrinkles and I dont know of anything to fix them unless you replace the seat, which isn't likely to happen. I understand that you are putting the right fender up over the seat and saddleing because it is too much for you to throw it over. The other side isn't wrinkling because it is in firmer leather. Many people, after putting their saddle in place will throw the left fender up on the seat to get to the onside rig and latigo without interference of the fender which is what someone was referring to earlier. In short.This saddle makers opinion is, that seat jockey is too flanky.

Sorry for the delay. Was gonna answer last night and our internet was down. My method is very similar to Bruces. One main difference is I take my swell cover down a bit with my band knife. It levels it and thins it to about 10 Oz. I roll it a bit on the bench to break down the fibers.Then I fit it. Usually roll the front under like on a wade. Put it back on wet but not dripping water. Spread glue (all purpose) all in front and in the handhold and well out left and right of the horn. Nails in front at the base of the gullet making sure to center horn hole, slightly in front of the horn, Then I cram as much leather in the handhole as can. I take my dog pliers and pull as much as possible making sure not to pull too much straight down from the horn so the hole is not pulled too far in back of the horn. I also pull to the left and right in the handhole. Nail in the front under the gullet. Now I have slack to the right and left of the swell. I put a sheepskin on my bench, set the tree at an angle on the corner and hold it there with my body. Then I take my rubbing stick and push down from top of swell to the bottom, then push to front and then to rear several times getting the cover to conform to the swell. Then take my large french hammer hand hammer on a piece of leather so as not to damage the cover. Just forming the cover all around to the swell. I then spread glue all up under the side I'm working on . I usually do this before I start shaping. Put it on the leather and the swell. Then I try to split the difference with the slack and put a nail at the base, center of swell. As a side note, I try to direct my nails more into the base of the swell rather that into the bar.Then split the difference between that nail and the front nail, pushing down with my rubbing stick and hammering with french hammer. I use the back of the hammer a lot doing this.You just keep doing this between the nails until it is down. It is not as difficult as it may sound. As it dries you can go back and hammer down any slight bumps. It will cover very nicely. Best of luck, Troy

An association can be covered with no welt. I've done it many times. I dont have time to explain at the moment. I'll answer later.

For what it's worth. Consider yourself fortunate to own one. They are fantastic machines. One of the few needle and awl machines that can sew heavy and lighter leathers well. I'm sure few of the people on this forum have had one or own one now as per the reasons Kevin gave above. It is worth taking the time to adapt to it. It's not too complicated to grasp. It is one sweet machine.

Looks real nice Steve. I like a nice roughout. Troy