StolpSaddles

I never heard how he liked them, must have been good as I had no complaints. Wish I could find the pictures of the saddle bags.

This saddle was ordered by a Victoria secret model for her husband last christmas. Followed by a matching set of saddle bags for Valentines

If you are handy and have done some wood working you will find that leather is not that difficult to work with. The hardest part the tooling. Practice tooling on some scrap leather. I found that the moisture content is the most critical with tooling. Keep the tooling simple, a good job of less tooling looks better than a bad job of lots of tooling. Make your patterns out of very hard stiff cardboard, I get them from the feed store off the pallets of grain. I cut both left and right parts to help layout on the leather, then use only i of the patterns flipped to ensure the parts are equal in case the patterns are slightly different. Dont forget Left and Right not two lefts. Pay attention to where the parts are cut from the hides especially the seat. Use the blemished hide areas in the ground seat and areas of the skirts that do not show. Use quality leather, Herman Oak or Wicket and Craig. Spend a little extra and use stainless steel or brass harware, stay away from plated as it will rust in time . Take your time and work on it only when you are in the mood , I find that there are day that just dont feel right and then you make mistakes and a mess.. Have fun take your time and most important...... Post picture of your project so we can see haw it is going.. just my $.02 worth P.S. if you build on the Ralide tree use only ring nails and screw for better holding or better yet only screws.

The best way to stay young is to forget about getting old and rock on

Boy did I start something. love reading all the comments. I did not even think about the tool aspect. I should be around for a while yet ( i hope as I am only 50 ) So I would be willing to put to good use of any tools you want to pass down to me.. LOL

Joanne I read this tread a little late but if you bring the saddle around to my place I will have a look at it. Sounds like you are not far away Ron Ps if you do not get this thread I will talk to you next week or at the Kamloops festival

I was thinking the other day The saddles I build will still be on horses when I am no longer around

You can try Brand felt. They are both in the USA as well as Canada. I use 3/4" for contoured pads

Joanne Where abouts are you located. I have a DL system and live in Langley. Might be able to help if it is not to late. I was invited to place a saddle or 2 in the amature saddle compatition. I have sent up 2 saddles one new already sold and one used that is for sale with a wide gullet.

I tried a suspension saddle. Rode one circle of the arean I could not get out of it fast enough. The saddle moved one rythem and the horse another. I could not feel the movement of the horse. It was also the MOST UNCOMFOTABLE saddle I have ever sat in.

I would not waste my time or material on a ralide tree. If you do not want a good quality custom tree, ( I am also on the list with Rod) then order a Bowden or Superior tree. A little more than a ralide but then you can practice and puild a proper saddle MY $.02

I like the DL system. Finally a tool that works, that a tree maker can also work with and is not thousands od $$$$

I was going to reverse the bench grinder if I got one. Seems safer and more user friendly

Has anyone used this sharpening system http://www.sharpeningwheels.com/ I am thinking of purchasing it to keep knives / round knife sharp

I have the same problems, found it helped to move the conchos forward a bit.

Every saddle maker has their own system for numbering saddles. Some will include seat size, gullet width, year built and saddle number but most people would not be able to decipher them.

The good thing with a breast collar is if you have a lose cinch or a mutton withered horse if the saddle was to roll it will not end up underneath the horse. If you have a well shaped horse and a saddle that fits well you can ride with a loser cinch. I once got of my horse and saw that I had a VERY lose cinch, 2 inches off the horse and did not know it. This is not recommended and is dangerous but goes to show if all is perfect you can ride with little pressure on the cinch Me I ride with both breast collar and back cinch but I admitted is mostly for looks

Hi Art Boy do you have a good eye. All 38 caliber ammunition can be shot from a 357 including 38, 38 special and 38+p as well of course 357. I have always referred to them as 357 which is wrong.It has been almost 30 years since I shot this caliber. Here is the address to my webpage for more picture of this saddle http://www.stolpsaddles.com/gamblingsaddle.html This saddle was designed around the Idea of placing shells onto a saddle somehow, so I came up with this idea. The stirrups at the top of the tread are not mine if someone got confused , but I like them might have to copy the idea. Interesting seeing pics come from unrelated sites and showing up here.

The saddle shown above is mine, or was until I sold it. The shells are 357 cut down and mounted in leather I also made a followup saddle with 45lc shells See the Show off section for pics of the new saddle http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...4&hl=saddle

We should set a time and place for everyone to meet on Sunday sometime, How about 12:00 ( high noon) at the amateur saddle section

I will be there on Sunday. I had a saddle juried in last year. I was not going to attend this year but I was asked if I would submit a saddle this year for the amateur category My plan is to send up 2 saddles, Not sure which the second will be. Might be the saddle I am ridding now. These threads connect to The saddle pics in the Show off forum http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...;hl=wife+saddle http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...;hl=wife+saddle

I have an address I use in Lynden for $5.00 per package any size

What are you asking for it? What do you plan to replace it with/ I am thinking of building my own but might not be worth the effort. Shipping will kill me though to Canada