hidepounder

IMHO I think Keiths advice is spot on! I have an old pair of bulldogs that were my Dad's that I use in the cholla and mesquite and to get that tap off the stirrup would be tougher than passing health care legislation! And even if I did get it off I doubt I could ever get it back on where it fits like it does now. Stirrups aren't that expensive and it is very easy to change them out as oppossed to stripping off a tap. Bobby

Pete - I lightly trace the main element of the design onto the leather and then fill in freehand. The main element provides spacing and size for the minor elements. If you look closely you'll see quite a variation from one area to another, LOL! Cowgirlrae - it really is all a matter of personal preference. I sometimes design a circle for the concho to sit on......with this pattern I drew petals in a circle around the concho as if the concho was a flower. There are lots of choices, use what looks good to you! What I do not care for is when there has been no consideration in the pattern for the conchos. Bobby

I would STILL be braiding had I decided to do the edges, LOL! I can't thank you enough, Andy, for all the help you've been during this whole process and I'm looking forward to seeing you next week! Bobby

Thanks wvcraftsman, I appreciate your comments......The base is made out of a thick piece of maple and yes I created the tap pattern. It is a composite based on photos of several different taps that I like.

Roo...a tapadero is nothing more than a hood which covers the stirrup of a Mexican saddle. It is designed to turn back brush to prevent it from being caught in the stirrup. Taps come in a variety of sizes and designs. Eagle Beak taps are most often seen on parade saddles and were often seen on saddles made by Ed Bohlin.

Thanks terrahyd, I appreciate the compliments. No this is not a personal piece...it was made for a show. Thanks Tim, I appreciate the compliments.....and for what it's worth...I'd never made a tap like that before, either, LOL!!!! Thanks Marlon....yes I designed the floral. The piece is antiqued and I used NeatLac for the resist and final finish. Crystal.....are you and Troy ganging up on me?! LOL, that's the first thing he said, too. No this is intended as a single.....and it's a good thing! I'd have gone broke and would never have finished on time....I almost didn't finish on time as it was!

Here are some photos of my latest project. This is the first time I've ever tried to build anything like this and it was a lot of fun to do. It was also much more expensive and time consuming than I ever imagined it possibly could be. While there are a few things I might do differently next time, I am generally pleased with the outcome. The tapadero is 24" tall and was made with 7/8 oz HO with 2/3 oz HO lining. The laminated oak stirrup was modified and then stained, finished and mounted to the lamp. The lamp was custom made to accomodate the stirrup/tapadero. The rawhide shade was manufactured by Foss and the sterling silver was custom made by Bill Stewart of Paonia, CO. Bill is featured in the Modern Makers edition of BITS & SPURS by Ned and Jody Martin. As always I'm anxious to hear your comments/ideas/critiques.... Bobby

Welcome Fred....this is a great site, I'm sure you will like it here! Bobby

Ross....I think you did a great job on this. I love the dyed graduated circles in the border and the dyed flower center. Lots of neat stuff here! Bobby

Kate....I knew it would be spectacular when you were finished....and I was right !

Great job as usuall Steve. Nice and clean! Bobby

The RediFlow Pens you all are talking about is what I'm using......I'm not sure why I was calling them PartnerPens. I think I'm losing my mind!

You might try using some paste saddle soap and some heavy canvas and basically burnish the back side.

That's a terrific idea Troy! That essentially is what this Partner Pen is. I bought it from Ron (Ron's Tools) as part of an edge burnishing system that he was selling (which didn't work for me) and so I just started using the applicator for dying edges. Bruce or someone told me it was a Partner Pen and gave me a link which I saved, but when I tried it tonight it wouldn't work. Prior to that I used a piece of felt folded over and then riveted it to a leather handle (folded) and like you said it lasts for years. The ones I have I made while at Bill Porters back in the 70's, LOL. I also emptied a plastic edge dye bottle that had a flat round felt dauber on the end and filled it with cordovan dye and that works pretty well too, except in corners. Bobby

I'm with everyone else Andy...they've said it all and I agree! Beautiful work! Bobby

Buttons.....sorry I missed your post. I use a Partner Pens. They are a piece of felt with a chiseled point pushed into a plastic tube. If those are not available to you I recommend getting a heavy piece of felt, fold it in half and staple or rivet a leather handle on it. Those work very well. I recently read where a maker took a piece of a kitchen sponge and folded a piece of it over and stuck it in a clothes pin to edge with. I'll bet that probably works pretty well also. You'll have Google Partner Pens....I can't find them at the moment. They used to be available through American Retail Supply. Hope this helps.... Bobby

No...I glue everything together and just sew once.

Mongo, I experience what you are talking about from time to time, but I am ususally able to touch up those areas by reapplying the dye. I think what seems to make the biggest differrence for me is to let severything completely dry between steps (burnishing & dyeing). I don't like to wait after burnishing to dye the edges, I am usually dyeing right right away because I am impatient. However if I see that some aresas are not taking the dye I will stop and let everything dry before continuing to dye. I agree also, that sometimes utilizing alchohol will help. I edge sequentially this way because I have never been able to get a nice clean dye line by dyeing first. If I could I would dye and then burnish. I know this doesn't really answer your question. By the way, I think the edges you're getting on your holsters look good. Did you polish them with parafin when you were finished? That will really make them shine. Hope this helps... Bobby Some weights of leather are just too thin to burnish.....when they are I typically turn them back and sew them so that you get a nice finished edge. Hope this helps.... Bobby

Wyvern, When I do bindings I glue them in place before sewing them. I cut the width oversize so that I can trim the backside of the binding to the stitch line. The front side I glue to a light mark that I make so that the binding is straight and even. I skive both ends of the binding so that when they overlap there is not a big bulge. Hope this helps... Bobby

You do a remarkable job Kate. I can't wait to see it finished! Bobby

I think Keiths comments are right on the mark.....that's good advice IMHO. Bobby

Welcome to the site. There are quite a few Zonies here! Bobby