Denise

All wool felt pads are what work the best. Synthetics tend to hold the heat more and that can have negative consequences. And the wool felt molds a bit to the saddle and the horse's back, enhancing saddle fit. When you talk to working cowboys who consistently put in long days in the saddle, they pretty much always use straight wool pads, and that says something to me.

I think one thing everyone will agree on is that economics is a very complicated subject and if there was an easy answer to the current situation, it would have been implemented by now. In the meantime, the rest of us need to figure out how best to weather the storm. Since the tone of this thread has strayed from the normal friendly conversations on LW, as a moderator I am (clears throat) “requesting” that the topic go back to the original question of Christmas sales and how to best meet the market that may or may not be there. That discussion will be more profitable for everyone at this time. Thank you.

Happy Birthday leathercat! You've hit the double digits! Have a GREAT 10th birthday.

Note: This tutorial was split from the topic on hondas here http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...c=6009&st=0 to enable people to find it more easily Thanks rawhider for taking the time to do this!!

PM Johanna. That's what else she does besides run LW for free.

That's one way to preserve yourself forever. Happy Birthday, Barra!

I've always heard the name as Guy Fawkes. Could one of you over-the-water chaps please give us the full story?

I think this was the thread that started it all. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...eridan&st=0

Your English is a lot better than our Chinese, and your leatherwork is beautiful. Please keep posting your work.

Never heard that description of Alberta before. I like it! Nope, you wouldn't have met Rod at Elko since he has never been there. Know a bunch of people who go often though, and you know how it is - all those guys with hats and mustaches look alike...

Sounds like a lot of the cowboys I know - including the one I married. We'd all get along just fine!

It opens fine for me in IE. Looks good! The pictures take a while to load (good old dial up here, but maybe some of your customers are on that still too). I don't know if they can come down in size a bit without reducing the quality too much. But it wasn't excessive. In other words I was willing to wait for them rather than clicking off and going elsewhere which I do if it takes TOO long. But you know, the term "mad cow" may have some unwanted connotations these days... Or, maybe it will bring more traffic to your site!!

My sympathy on the loss of your father. Your poem speaks volumes about you both.

I am no authority on riggings, but I think the answer to your question is not a definite yes or no, but more of an "it depends". There are many types of riggings and different ways they can be put in that affect how they pull on the saddle, and that would determine how important a back cinch might be. Here are some threads (and there are more) where the saddle makers are discussing the hows and whys of different types of riggings. Maybe after reading these you will have a better idea how important your back cinch may or may not be depending on how your saddle is rigged. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=rigging http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=rigging http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=rigging Post #14 My own comment about back cinches is that if you are going to have one on your saddle - use it! i.e. snug it up. A back cinch hanging 3" below the horse's belly is doing absolutely no good and is a wreck waiting to happen.

Here is a thread by others with the same idea. Also, if you put "stitching horse" into the search box at the top right hand side you might find other more detailed information there too. I didn't check them all out. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...stitching+horse

Happy Birthday Clay!

Here's a thread on building trees. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...quipment++trees

Then use the rest to pave your driveway. Its pretty much the same as bitumen (sp?) That's another word we learned a different definition for when we were down in Aus about 15 years ago. Here it is the raw crude oil type stuff they take to refineries. There it is asphalt or something like that they use to pave roads. And yes, vegemite is very similar, only a bit softer and smells worse...

Here are a couple of threads with beaked masks. Both makers are in the UK as well - how's that for service. Don't know if they want the job but at least you can PM them. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=3114 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2115

Very nice work Rob.

Herb and Nadine Bork 541-276-5207 We have had a polished brass horn from them that was very nice. This phone number is current. Boise Foundry 208-375-4672 It has been a while since we call them but I expect the phone number to be the same.

We were in Australia in 92/93 and couldn't find root beer anywhere, much to my husband's dismay as it is his farvorite. We were told Sasaparilla was the same, but it is not. We thought it tasted like Dr. Pepper. But then we discovered your Gingerbeer and Rod got a new favorite. Not as available over here, but you can find it if you look hard enough. PS. As a Canadian I have really been enjoying this thread. We get the best (and sometimes the worst) of both worlds. Either way of spelling is correct. We understand most of the jokes that the other side doesn't usually get. And we are pretty fluent converting from metric to imperial because although we are metric, the US isn't and we have to convert for them or they just don't get it...

Beautiful work, Randahl. I especially like the eagle. Glad you figured out the picture thing!

Johanna, I can't help with finding out where to get mule hide, but I can help you out with this question. A mule is a cross between a mare and a jack (male donkey). A cross the other way - stallion and jenny (female donkey) - produces a hinny. Both types of resulting equines are sterile (with the very rare exceptions). And from what I have heard of mules, they are very smart and like to stay safe. Hence, the difficulty in finding mule hide! No, I DO know it is a type of leather used commonly to wrap horns and in farrier's chaps but doesn't come from mules. Here is a thread about some other material for shoeing chaps. Hope it helps a little. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=farrier

My answer to the above question is a very definite no. In years gone by, I have ridden in many ralide treed saddles and I can still feel the lump under my leg caused by the way the stirrups go through the built in groundseat. A good saddle maker can make a good seat in almost anything, but they would have to do a lot of work to make anything at all comfortable.