King's X

Welcome to the forum. I am sure some of our biker gear members will speak up soon. Good luck

I have taken the liberty of complying a list of vendors that were present at this years Boot & Saddle show. All of them had something for the leathercrafter. If you are in the market for something new or interesting, give them a call. Tell them where you got the information. Everyone on this list was told about Leatherworker.net. Lana Smith from Chuck Smith Tools Lonnie from Gomph-Hackbarth discussing tools with Big Papa. This handsome man is Cobra Steve ~ ready to sell you a machine. In the yellow shirt is Bob Douglas from Douglas tools. This is Jesse Smith working on a rope can between interruptions from people like me! Barry King Bob Beard discussing his inventory with a customer A beautiful saddle in the competition by one of our own, Mr. Troy West! Carl Chappell (boot maker/contestant/boot school instructor) talking with a past student. Don Butler talking with a customer at the Chuck Smith Booth Out of the 500 photographs, 173 came out okay. Unfortunately, I am unable to post all of them. I hope to have our guild webmaster get them up on our guild site and I will let you all when so you can see more photographs. It was really a great show. Enjoy and plan to attend one in the future! 2009 Kimmel.doc 2009 Kimmel.doc

I have more pictures, but I will post others that were not posted here already. BTW, I met Ms. Rosa, very nice lady and good saleswoman. Convinced me to buy a swivel knife from paul along with a set of Billy Wootres Patterns.

As Big Papa said, we both went to the show and spend two full days on our feet just wondering around. The first day, it was kids in a Toys R Us store. I could hear the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind playing loudly in the back ground. Oh yea! I had been speaking with Lana Smith in hopes of meeting her husband Chuck, but late last week I found out he was not coming. She later told BP and I that he has to stay back because he was starting a commission piece for Eric Clapton. He is an old floral master and I wanted to pick his brain a little. As we walked over to the Smith booth, we ran into Lonnie from Barnes-Hackbarth tools. He was nothing like I imagined from our conversations on the telephone phone. Very nice man. We finally made it to the Smith booth and we received warm welcome not only from Lana, but Ron from Ron's Tools. The first thing Lana did was give BP and I a book on Floral design, carving and stamping from a class that Chuck did with some other masters in California. What a nice gift. Ron was proudly showing me his new laser centering saddle jig. It look really high tech and as he explained it to me, he lost me. We moved on to the GRS booth and observed Mr. Jeremiah Watt engraving away. He looked really busy, so we didn't bother him. We continued on and ran into Ron from Hidecrafters around the first turn. He wanted me to pass on to all those in LW world that he has about 35 PA004's left (medium pebblers) from an order of 200. So if you are looking for one, better call. He had plenty of PA002 & PA005's left. We ran into Cobra Steve and Art VH. We received very warm welcome. Hell, he made me want to buy a machine! On turn 3, we ran into Bob Beard's booth where we stopped while I texted Rickyfro for his tool order. Of course, Beard was out of the crazy leg period and said that he will be out until the end of 2010. Sorry Rickyfro bro. It didn't look like he had many tools with him, but he had all of his samples. At the end, we ran into Barry King and man, he had a lot of tools there, but we refused the temptation and moved on. On turn 4, we went on to Wayne's world. He also had a crap load of tools, very unsual tools and designs. He said that he likes to design tools that no one else has and boy does he. Later on in the day, Lana Smith invited BP and I to join her and some friends for dinner at McBride's Steakhouse. Little did BP and I know that her "company" turned out to be Jeremiah Watt and his wife, Ron from Ron's tools, and Don Butler! I was able to speak with Mr. Watt one on one about carving and stamping and a little saddle work. We had a wonderful dinner showing off our pictures and getting free critiques and tips on improving our work. Wow what a night! I was tired and BP and I called it a night. The next day, I spent the entire morning and mid day taking pictures and talking to all of the vendors. I explained to them my connection with LW and how we have members from all over the world who would love to have a list of vendors. So, each of them were nice enough to give me their contact information and allow me to take a picture of their products. They welcome anyone from LW that is in need of an item that they carry to call just call and they will try their best to help out. Anyways, I must have taken about 500 pictures. I haven't gone through them to see how many I ruined, but I will get some of them up soon. I will also compile a list of vendors that I will post for anyone looking for a particular product. The only complaint was the "shine on" I received from one vendor. Not someone that sells a product, but is closely tied to leather work and provides a service. Maybe it was my shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes. Oh yea, I looked out of place there!! Long story, not worth telling it again. Other than that, it was worth the 6 hour drive and $$$$ spent on tools. I do wish that I would have purchased one of Barry's modelers for embossing and the benchtop stitching clamp from Douglas tools? Oh well, I just plain forgot about it. Stay tune to the pictures.

Spend the $20 and buy a roll of film from Tandy. Or, you can call Ron at Hidecrafters and buy their 20 pack sheets for $9 and you can stick it in your ink jet printer. Good luck

Rawhide: I am going to the Boot & Saddle Show at the end of this week. I will make the same offer that i made to Rickyfro. If you like I can see if Wayne shows up and if so, I can communicate with you to purchase one for you? Just let me know.

Welcome to the forum. I am currently in your position wanting to learn more about saddles and saddle making. As a newbie to leather (about 2 years), I can tell you that I am glad I learned how to carve and stamp before going any further. This was my thing. Basically, I saw all of the prudy saddles and wanted to make one. I thought I had to learn how to carve and stamp, so I learned. Little did I know that I opened a whole other door to leathercraft. Anways, back to the story. After a getting a purdy ok grip on leather, stamping and carving, I decided to look into saddles and it's history. I purchased probably two of the best books out there. Saddles by R. Beatie and Man made mobile. I also caught myself ordering Western saddles and Don King's saddle book. Reading reading them twice now, I found the entire volume set of Al & Ann Stohlman's saddle making books on ebay and bought them. I completed volume 1 last week and have started volume two. Now, the following is just my nieve opinion, but I would highly recommend volume #1 to anyone even thinking about saddles. I know that this book is not the tell all about saddle making, but is sure explained how to make saddles and especially for me, why it is put together the way it is. I know that someone on here will object to this series of books, but for someone 'green' like me, I think it is a perfect foundation. I am currently in negotiations to buy a Montana Saddle Making School DVD set. I haven't made up my mine, but I wanted the set to view 'after' I finish all 3 volumes of the Stohlman books. Lastly, I have contacted a saddle maker/collector of old saddles in hopes of getting them to bascially allow me to interview them about saddles and all of those pesty 'how come' questions. This maker has written for the first 3 magazines on leather and found his stories interesting. I believe someone here suggested that you contact some of our brothers abroad to make saddles to get their help or at least be able to ask them the 'how come' questions. I am sure that they will be helpful. You also have some good American brothers on here that do excellent saddle work that may be able to help you. This is just what I have planned to help me understand saddle making, sorry, I am anal about some things. I am also in your position where I cannot travel to a school right now, so I am just developing my own cirrculum by circumventing some avenues without sacraficing the quality of knowledge. We will have to wait and see if I build a saddle or not. Maybe I will get going on another 'kick' or project that will divert my attention. Either way, stay in contact and maybe I can loan you some of my books to help you. Side note: I also bought two English Saddle Making books, but I haven't opened them. I don't want to spoil the fun of my plan. Best of luck!!

That is comforting news for those far away! Being only hours away, I have always been able to pick up the phone or email Ron and get things quickly. Believe it or not, all of these changes have been stressing Ron out a bit. I call him one a week just to see how he is doing. Things have been rough since his best friend left, but he is hanging in there. I wish them well. I know that they (store, customers and employees) have taught me a lot. Best of luck!

Nice website. Welcome back.

Hey Rickyfro I am heading to the boot show this coming Thursday. He is suppose to be there with all of his tools for sale. I can get you one if he has one? Let me know and I can communicate with you when I get it and ship it to you from the show? Just let me know.

Hey thanks for the pictures, but I have a question if you can remember. In the master level, the first place winner was a standing eagle feather statute. I am interested in knowing what if anything different was on the other side? Appreciate it. I hope to have a whole lotta pictures from the boot show this next weekend in the Pandhandle. I have a friend competing in the novice saddle class. I saw one of the fenders and WOW. I cannot wait to see the whole thing completed. Thanks again

Looks promising. Nice work!

Rawhide I saw an ad in the LCSJ about 2001? They were produce a similar maul. Take a look. If you cannot find it let me and I will dig it out. Maybe you can call them? They were back east somewhere.

Very Nice Deno!

Living in your area, we have found nothing. I have bought from Stevenson-Paxton and recently tried Springfield leather for Herman Oak. If you're in a pinch, you can always call me and I would be more than willing to loan you some leather until you get your stuff in. Sorry. Maybe someone else around Texas will chime in to help you. Good luck

Welcome to the Forum! Sit back and look around. I am sure you will find plenty of help and motivation. Best of luck!

Very nice. For your first time it doesn't show! Maybe next time, you can give us a heads up? You never know what you will get for your auction. After all, it is for a good cause. Good luck

how about ebay?

Or you can just buy from the Bearman

Do you happen to have a picture? I guess if I don't recognize the word, my answer will be of no value to you. Sorry

Thanks for your time. Nice job!

Yeehah! UP, Up and away...............We hope that you enjoyed your stay here in America. Many blessings in your new home country. Take care and god speed! Many blessings...

"Soooo many years later,,, here are some of the mauls I've made over the past 10 years or so. My Mauls are in the hands of some of the finest Leather Artist around." Thanks Bearman! I know, I know, you were not describing the average joe here, but I bet these will still be in use long after we are gone, for sure. I just want everyone to know that I have had the Bman rehandle my Barry King mauls (not putting down BK at all) mainly because due to an injury I am not able to grip the smaller handles easily for any length of time. Since I had these new handles, I have been able to last longer (sounds like a Viagra commercial huh?). Seriously, this man is a top notch professional and seriously understands leather work. He even fixed issues with my mauls that I didn't understand that I had. I hope to continue to work with him in the very near future. Rock Stars brother!! Side note: did you recevie my PM over a week ago for a quote on a new project? Let me know, if not, I can resend it. Highly recommended!!

Welcome to the forum. Very impressive knives. PM me and I will send you a presentation board picture that will take you through the steps of a sheridan design. Good luck

First, welcome to the forum. I tried your website, but it took me to the general page. Sorry.