cowboycolonel

I'd thinnk there should be at least 2" clearance from anvil to hinge, or a proper 3" stirrup leather will not fit. That's why I prefer to use the singe strike punches.

5/16 -- # 10 is 17/64

Wiz, I haven't been able to find anything along those lines, and am not adept at twisting and turning my work accordingly. Invariably I pull the fenders and leathers and use the Blevins (or Kreger) to get the proper spacing and then tap a #12 punch.

So what kind of tools do you put in there -- Not sharp ones with no compartments ???

Think of rawhide as an embellishment -- not a primary structure. Weave some in as an accent, but like Matt said, 5 oz backed up with the same and wet formed will serve nicely.

Nothing wrong at all, but I'd allow room for a stitch line all around and probably a tick line as well. My guess is that the swirls and acorns above the cut out are a waste of time, as the jockeys will doubtless cover that area.

look at Roohide in Malibu

The saddlemaker in me wants to ask - "Why don't you have a saddle made? Of course you could do it yourself, and start by ordering a custom tree - they really aren't THAT expensive - and have it made without the horn. I see way too many instances of people trying to cut corners on their saddlery and although they never come back to admit it, I'm guessing that most end up abandoning the project or starting over. I'd just do it right the first time. And by the way, cutting the horn off won't give the horse any more clearance. It's the size of the gullet that makes the difference. Take a picture of the saddle on the horse and post it here. You're certain to get at least as much advice as you want.

If you REALLY want to go "period", then I suggest you use leather buttons as closures. Easy to do, and as authentic as it gets!

I use Barge's or Master's. Master's is more readily available, but you can get Barge's in small quantities at some hardware stores. The small quantities which are available without HAZMAT considerations (California) make Barge's cost prohibitive for large projects like saddles. With both products I have had very good success with tight and lasting bonds.

Call Carlos at Goliger Leather in Ventura

Same story here, but I went to a monument and grave marker place and got a piece about 2 inches thick, 18 X 30". It will stand up to uneven surfaces and hard use (had it about 10 years). I don't move it, of course, but teh price was right. Have gad several pieces that were thinner and they just don't seem to last too long.

Roland. You can buy a new tree for less than $300, which is a whole lot cheaper than medical care and a whole lot less frustrating than trying to figure out why you horse has a sore back and won't stand still to be saddled. Brenner knows whereof he speaks! Taking apart an old saddle will yield some lessons, but best you not learn others by trying to re-build something that will end up being just as expensive, take more time, and end up hurting you AND the horse. ... and then you can even get a tree that won't make you do welts on your first saddle. Look for one of the Bowman trees to begin with -- much simpler and you'll like the result. Go to Saddletree.com.

so is there a chat location on this site? How do I find it?

Unlike Sioux (finally found a point on which we differ) I always sew my shearlings to my skirts by hand. I use the two needle method, and when I get to the end of a length of thread, I leave the ends dangling until I pick up the stitch with a new length. Then I tie a blind knot and pull it into the combined thickness of the shearling and skirt leather. However, one of the guys I learned from simply tied a square knot at the splice and trimmed it short.

Have you ever heard of re-inventing the wheel? This will be as if you were starting over, but with used parts. The Al Stohlman Saddlemaking encyclopedia will show you a layout arrangement for the parts, and will provide patterns as well. The set can be bought from Tandy for a pretty good price. Don't bother buying them individually, because it will cost more. You need Volumes 1 and 2. Depending on what you're going to do with the saddle, trail use, cowboying, display, etc, you will want two sides of skirting leather. Opinions vary as to what weight to use in what area, but I'd start with a 9 - 10 side and an 11 - 13 or bigger. Fill all existing holes to start with, and then you can start. Dusty Johnson sells DVDs on saddlemaking, and also provides pattern and written instructions. Bill Gomer's videos are good as well. Good Luck

Durn near everything you need to know can be found in Bruce Grant's book, Leather Braiding.

Like everything else ... The right tool for the right job. I use the potato peeler and the heel shave for saddle seats, but a head knife or potato peeler for small work that is not stationary. Seems like Sioux and I have to same experience with the "peelers" from Weaver. Sometimes they work, but if they are misshapen, they simply won't! Wish they come in both right-handed and left-handed models though. As for the Chrome Tandy models -- same as Sioux. not worth spending money on.

Strip of what? Lay the pattern out over a piece of 7-8 oz. or 8-9 and trace around it. Cut out one for each side. Match and smooth them, then take a set of dividers and score a stitching line about 3/8 in from the edge of each. Then score another line 5/8 in from the edge of each. Use the 5/8 line as the boundary for your tooling. If you're going to use a creaser, use it INSIDE of the 5/8 line. Remember to smooth and burnish the bottom side of each yoke prior to stitching it to the legging leather.

Tandy sells patterns for chinks and chaps - not too expensive and of course they can be modified. Why not start there and make your own adjustments as you go along?

All I have is a number, and I believe he is in Wisconsin. (715) 532-6301

If you haven's solved your problem already, i suggest Richard Anderson. He hand=makes every awl and does a magnificent job, I use his awls to do hand stitching on saddles ( which isn't the easiest leather to pierce) and have been very successful. Never hurts to have several around though.

Make it easy on yourself. Contact "The Hide House" in Napa, CA, or Goliger's Leather in Ventura. Either one will send you swatches or photos. They are both easy to work with. I don't know who Panhandle is, as I have never had to go outside these two. I use them exclusively. They'll bend over backwards to help you get what you need. Goliger Leather 800 423-2329 The Hide House 888 443-3468

If you are going to be stitching by hand, you'll find nylon thread to be a MAJOR pain. Your stitches won't stay tight and they'll constantly be slipping. Get some good quality linen thread or some flax sinew.If you're going to do machine work, then nylon will do, but I don't use it for anything heavy - like a saddle skirt or rigging.

You really don't need all that much if all you're going to do is replace the skirts, jockeys, and fenders. You can stitch on a machine or by hand, but if you do it by hand, make sure you have a wheel to mark your stitches. Very likely the only stitching you will have to do will be the shearling, and if that's so, a number 5 or 6 wheel will work fine. No need to stitch aft jockeys, and the only place you'll have to stitch the fenders will be where they attach to the leathers at the top and the bottom. I use a number 5 for all this work. I also cut a groove for my stitches to they won't wear out from friction. This is all going back to your original post, of course. If the job is expanding - which they tend to do - then you'll need more tools. If you've been repairing saddles for a while, then you probably have most of what you need. If not, then you can pick and choose from the above posts. The one thing I haven't seen recommended here is a skife. They come in really handy when you're trying to make mirror copies of fenders, skirts, and jockeys. I also use a rounded surform tool for matching pieces up. A Number 3 edger will round things out, and I use saddle soap as a burnishing medium.