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Frontpost - Not sure what a helper is...I'm guessing either a guide or platform of sorts. I just found out they import them (don't know where from yet) but they do sell replacement blades and parts. Don't think I want it if its from China. Thank You!! Helper: A person to help hold the hide to make a straight cut.

Looks like a good deal, is it made in China? Also check if you can get extra blades, if you can't I would not buy it. Some times it's nice to have a helper when your cutting a side. With out help your straps may not be straight.

If they were frozen and have separated, I would not use them. I have dye that's 30-40 years old, and they work great.Just test first.

youtube.com has several videos, I did a search of leather round knife. You might also use head knife. Tandy's has some books, "Leathercraft tools" by Al Stohlman is a great one.

Landwerien Leather Indianapolis 1-800-827-9867 I am sure there are many other places that stock the thread. I buy all my thread there.

I would say 50/50 with water.

Many saddle factories use finishes from Johnson wax in 55 gal. drums. We made harness in the 70's and used clear floor wax, worked great. The cost is much less when buying in gallons or more.

Harbor freight has them. You can buy the air chisel with an atatchment needle scaler $19.95. http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=scaler&Submit=Go Just the scaler cost more.

Water buffalo is what the people from India make harness and english saddles out of. The harness and saddles are very poor quality. Water buffalo makes for poor strap goods. The cow is holy there, so they don't use cowhide.

Stitching across the strap will weaken it. The bag looks great.

Dixie is great to deal with. A single action brush might be better to start with.

I didn't mean to make the saddle sound like junk, but most factory saddles are made about the same. I grew up with our family's saddle shop and we picked up truck loads of saddles from Chattanooga. As a child I got to roam the factories and see how things were made. Most of the name brands won't make something that fall apart. But you would not want to go roping with a saddle that has a ralide tree. Most of the tooling is pressed from a plate instead of hand tooling. Imported leather is used unless the company says different. You get just what you pay for. I am sure the Simco will be fine for your mother. If there is a problem, I would contact the maker and most of the time they will make it right. No one wants an insurance claim.

Most of Simco's saddles are factory production made. They use staples and maybe a few screws to hold them together. Simco has moved to Texas this spring. The saddles are not bad, but they are not hand made.

Good idea punching the holes at the ends of slits. Looks good.

You can get it on Ebay.