Rancher

Does anyone have or know where to find a pattern for a good German Martingale? I've never made one and I'm needing one. A few pics and some relevant measurements/description would be good enough and I can figure out the rest. Thank you!

Anyone have a set of patterns for skid boots and/or splint boots? How do you get them shaped correctly and what materials are they made of? Thanks!

I'd get a longer piece of leather and do it right, I think. If the belt is for your own personal use and you don't mind using it that way I would think about skiving down each side a few inches back from each end and overlapping them. Make long, sloping, even skives on both pieces so that the skived part when put together will equal the thickness of the rest of the belt. Glue it together and then glue it to a liner and sew it together. I think joining it together as a butt joint and trying to hold it together with a piece sewn over it won't work very well. If you can, position the joint where your cartridge loops will go over it and camoflage it somewhat.

I went in a saddle shop in Midland, TX back in the mid 80's owned by a man named Bill Cook. Wonder if he's any relation?

You'll use your round knife more than any other tool on your bench, so its cheaper in the long run to buy one really good one from a reputable tool maker (Gomph, Danny Marlin, Etc.) instead of two or three that don't fit your hand or won't hold an edge for long. I've had Tandy, Osbourne and Whatever brand they sell at Siegel of CA (the ones supposedly from England). The first one I could never get sharp, the second one wouldn't hold an edge and the third one the blade comes out of the handle so I know wherefrom I speak. As for sharpening, all I use is a fine grit diamond hone and a rouge board.

Excellent point! I forgot to put that in there! But you know....just between you and me, I've done it both ways and I've never had a saddle pad slip. I know some of the purists will reprimand me pretty severly for it, but thats been my experience. That being said, it prolly is better to orient it that way but my point is its not the end of the world if you don't.

Take the skirts off, cut the stitches and remove the old liner. Pick out all the bits of thread from the needle holes in the skirts. Re-string the skirts and re-glue the skirt plugs if necessary. Lay the skirts out on the new liner. If its real sheepskin, make sure you don't have part of your skirt laying over a bare spot on the lining. Draw a line around the skirts maybe an inch or so larger than the actual skirt. Not critical, but it helps to have some wiggle room. Use either rubber cement or contact cement to glue the new liner to the skirts then sew 'em up and put it all back together. Might wanna oil it while you've got it torn down. Thats the way I do it, anyway. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks, guys. I'll switch needles and try everything again. I haven't called Weaver's, though I've been tempted. I didn't know if they would help someone out that didn't buy the stitcher from them in the first place. I apprecaite the help!

I usually pick up a couple of large containers of 100% vegetable oil to oil leather with and it seems to work just fine and costs a lot less than some of the other so called "Leather" products out there. I have used a product called "Harness Oil" from one of the larger suppliers,(can't remember where I got it, exactly) but they wanted a tax number when I called to re-order (which I don't have because I like to keep this in the hobby realm) so I'm out of it, but I really liked it for saddles and tack. It wasn't as heavy and didn't seem to leave as much of a greasy residue as neetsfoot oil.

Desperately seeking Adler mechanic! I need some Guru to work some magic on my Adler 205-374. It was sewing perfectly and I didn't use it much for a year or so and now it won't sew at all. I ordered one of those timing jigs from Weaver's and it seems to be in time. I've tinkered with both the top and bobbin tensions, took everything apart and cleaned it all up several times, but it still won't sew. Sometimes it will start to sew then begin skipping stitches, or sometimes it will make a knotted up bird nest looking mess on the bottom side as soon as I start my stitch, or if it does accidentally start to sew the hook on the bobin will pierce the top thread. I'm already losing my hair and I'd like to keep what I've got left! Does anyone have a suggestion or know of a good repair place in either Albuquerque NM, or Amarillo TX, or even Lubbock TX. HELP!!!!!

Dangit, you guys are going to make me spend money! I bought some McMillen edgers, just the common, ordinary open end edgers, and they came to me sharp and stay that way. I don't know if they are still in business or not, thats been over 10 years ago. Osbourne tools are good to start out with, but I've put almost all of them away over the years.