Rolandranch

Here's some Arizona Bell chaps I finished up a couple days ago. Thanks for viewing! Ryan

Thanks for looking! Ryan

Hello! First time doing filigree and yes, I got a 2" slot punch! Pretty happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for looking! All the best! Ryan

Hello all! Here is my second saddle I finished just in time for the leather trade show in Prescott. I was beyond thankful to get 2nd place! I learned so much from judges Gordon Andrus, Bob Klenda, and Al Gould. What a great experience! Can't wait to start on number 3 and make it even better! Saddle details: 15-1/2" Hogg roper tree with leg-cuts. Thoroughbred leather All hardware was from my good friend Gordy Alderson.

Thank you! I see what you're saying. I dont think it will cut through the stitches because I added a welt. It's not necessary for folding knives but I wanted to be sure it fit snug and didn't cut any stitches. Your sheath looks fantastic by the way! Ryan

@fredk @akguy59 Thanks guys! Here's a sneak peek of the swells of the saddle I'm working on. Only 5% of the grade goes toward decoration so I got put my swivel knife down and make sure I'm getting the lines right. Ryan

Hi all! Here's a knife sheath I did a little bit ago. Always think the airbrush is fun to play with. Stitched on my CB4500. I really need to get some large slot punches because punching holes and cutting between ain't my cup of tea. Also, anyone going to the Southwest Leather Workers Trade Show in Prescott this year? I'll be entering saddle #2 in the emerging saddle maker contest. All the best, Ryan

Very nice work there! Ryan

Haha! Thanks!

Not really. I just used a sharp trimming knife to carefully cut the stitches between the binding and the seat. Then I used a flathead screwdriver to separate the old glue between the binding and seat and from there I could just work the binding off without much trouble. I did flatten the old seat and used it as a template. In the future I will be more careful when cutting ears near the cantle because each one was about 1/8 of an inch too high on both sides. I think this was because the new leather was thicker than the original seat. @Smartee Thank you! Ryan

Thank you! I also shoe horses! I work for a farrier here in Tucson who shoes a lot of special needs horses so I have the privilege of learning the trade myself. It's hard work but I sure enjoy it. Ryan

Hello all! Here's a roper saddle a friend asked me to replace the seat and fenders with a rough-out seat and fenders. It's a Vaquero stock saddle made by D. L. Moe. My friend said he didn't like how the padded seat was so high and said a deeper rough-out seat would be worth more to him than a tooled padded seat. I removed the seat and worked on the ground seat a little (there were some bumps under the pad). I also cleaned the tooled areas and put a new finish on it. It was a shame to replace all the beautiful tooling, but at the same time, I'd personally much rather work in the deeper rough-out seat than in that padded seat. Here's before: Here's after: Critique always welcome. Thanks! Ryan

Here's a custom rifle sling I did a few weeks ago. I lined the shoulder part with 4-5 oz bison with the flesh side out so it won't slip off the shoulder as easily. Also, I noticed that the bison edges burnish pretty well with the veg tan. Ryan

Here are some heavy weight breast collars I made for Christmas. 13-15 oz. Saddle skirting from Thoroughbred leather lined with 5-6 oz latigo. Used tan kote, olive oil, and Fiebing's tan antique finish to get the color.

Thank you! I started having a lot more success with my bar grounding when I switched from tandy grounders to Barry's grounders. You get what you pay for!

Haha! I'll work on a sheath for that one! :D

Here's a pancake knife sheath I did a while ago for a friend. 6-8 oz. Veg tan. Ryan

Thanks! I think so too. I'm just starting out roping so not real good at it yet but I'm having too much fun with it! Thank ya! I get my practice from roping little siblings Thanks Sofaspud! Appreciate it! I see what your saying. Thanks for the tip. I'll do that on my next belt.

I went to Greenville, SC to visit my brothers at Bob Jones University. I entered my saddle in the art/craft festival there and won 1st and best of show which was pretty exciting. My little brother approves of the saddle so that's a good sign! He'll grow into it eventually.

Thanks! I did hammer the bleed knots down a bit but I think I used too heavy material for strings. Or maybe I just needed to bevel more like you were saying. Ryan

Thanks Ron for your comments! I would really like to enter a saddle in the Prescott saddlemaking contest. Right now I'm seriously debating if I should let my little siblings use this saddle now and make another saddle and enter #2 in the contest or if I should enter the first one. I don't think this kid saddle would place but I'd still really like to get critique from some of the best saddlemakers. The handhole isn't quite as small as it seems in the pics. I have a somewhat large hand and I can fit it easily in it. I bought a ranch saddle and the handhole was cut too small and it's quite annoying so I made sure to make this one larger. You are right about the cantle binding. I will pay closer attention to that when I build #2. You seem to have a good method for blocking the skirts. I'll definitely make some shot bags. Thanks for all the information! Ryan

I agree it is background heavy. It's weird, when I draw the pattern on the leather it looks like it's fine, but when I carve it I notice there's more background than I wanted. The heavy background stood out even more when I dyed it. Yeah, I wasn't quite sure on how or where to end the liner. I guess I didn't want the fold to be too bulky even though I split the fold area a couple oz thinner than the rest of the belt. Thanks! Don't forget you also know how to use his hide.

Here's me practicing my roping with that steer.

Hey all! Here's a couple tooled belts I did. I used Thoroughbred's golden skirting and split it. Filled in the background with a paintbrush using fiebings usmc black dye. Lined them with 3-4 oz veg tan. The one with the brand I made for a friend in exchange for a roping steer so I thought that was a pretty good trade! I'm still new to tooling belts so if have any advice on the floral design I'd love to hear it. Comments/critique more than welcome.