pella

I never been able to use linen thread on my boss sewing machine, it always break. I tried a polyester thread that i like a lot, it never break when i stich, made by "gutermann" I just cannot find back the exact same number, if someone know where...it was M2654 or D-tex 2650(4) NM 15/4 Equivalent to a 18/3. I do not like nylon for hand-stitching, too stiff. Polyester is quite stretchy, maybe too much, but well...it is strong I buy my linen thread from england, Abbey saddlery carry 2 brands. Sometime i receive excellent bobbin, other time, thread just seem to break every two stiched, i discard it...kind of costy. I have an old bobbin who is excellent and a newer i receive that just break, so it is not just the age that play for that. I use to groove a line where i know there will have more rubbing on the piece, thats extend the life of the stitching. ex: underside of a belt stitching.

i guess your right. I supose thats just on the back part of the tree that you can widen it? Do you know the difference of heigth over the horse back between a regular western tree and a "closer contact" wider one? curiosity. How can we know if a tree maker make it the way we want, is there a measure to ask about that fit? ...i am still looking to buy my first tree. More i know, beter i will understand the complicated wolrd of saddle trees...!

Johanne: I cannot see how a wider tree could place you lower on a horse, if that happend, that mean the previous saddle was too narrow or angle was wrong. I dont know parelli stuff. I am also interested about english/western mix saddle, and as you, more i think about that, more i am confused ! lol! Some french saddler use to make hybrid and one use a kind of western bar tree BUT with webbing for the seat instead of a rigid leather ground seat. Sound like a trooper saddle but not the same.

SUPERB!!!!! Congrulations

Hello Michael, it is also one of my speciality. A good post to share. Your collars are beautiful. Here is one of mine. Different technique but same use!

Welcomen Masja, great to have another horse and dog lover ;-) I miss the REAL goudse kass... Dont worry about your english, it look perfect to me (english is also my second language)

I have a JUKI LU-55 for sale. Good condition. I am 1 hour from Montreal, Quebec. I dont use it anymore. Price on request.

Hello, welcome here, i am also from Quebec. the forum is a great source of knowledges.

How do these natural dye react with sun and elements? Do they fade a lot?

that is an incredible experience :D Do horses have humidity problem ...with their legs and hooves?! Well, i guess they have time to dry without two ride! lol

I find interresting informations in the Elwyn H Edwards book "saddlery". A classic, worth to buy it! I love this book He tell: thick wool serge, sometime covered with linen (to save the serge from ravage of sweat and grease) I would add, that in that time, they usually place the saddle directly on horse back, no pad. disavandtage, absorb sweat, wich cause hardening of wool To keep a serge panel in working order, it is necessary to brush it with a stiff brush when dry. Then, to beat it with a stick to prevent the formation of lumps. Advantage (witch should be one of the reason why they where used): it was easy to adjust the wool for accurate fitting. He tell: you lost the advantage of adjusting the wool panels witout removing whole panels when you cover wool serge with a strong linen He say, that they used merino wool (talking from england) He also add: that a Walsall (englang) cie, recently (book date from 70's) go back to use heavy serge panels, for fitting and reslience advantage) Hope that help If i find something else, i'll come back!

well, good question! I will look at this thread for answer, if there is one! For my part, i would say they used linen because it was readilly availaible, cheap, "strong" and soft for the horse. Australian saddles still use some kind of fabric underneat too. They can be re-line with another thickness of fabric when too used. I will take a look in my books if i can find something. Quite strange you did not find the answer in your part of the world! There is any old saddler who knows?!

Bruce, i agree that it should be reline with sheepskin for value and for authenticity, but i make the job the customer want. He like to have them look more "like new". I do remove all old stitched and restitch in original holes. Of course if someone arrive with a family heirloom, he probably want to put more money and use real sheepskin. I use to pass a "dirty waxy" rag with yellow saddle soap to color the thread. O yes, i remember why he did not want me to use the real sheepskin too...he did not like the orange color! he find it look ugly...! ha ha ha! I buy mine from Weaver, is that the lazy M? So if i follow you, you are telling me that olders saddle used golden shearling veg-tan and it is age that make them fader? more beige...Maybe i will be able to convert him to the "genuine" lining...with a new hide. Marie

Very interresting, keep posting that kind of thread :-) I understand you about not want to reline very old saddles. I regulary have to restore some old saddle for an antique dealer, but we want me to put kodel fleece...thats make me sad, but well, at least i tell to myself that there is someone out here who care about old saddles. He is a dealer so i need to make some $$ reselling them. A question here: old saddles often have white dirty sheepskin, where they chrome tanned? Why do we use veg-tan shearlings on new saddles? We always put a heavy pas under the saddle so there is no contact with the back of the animal with chrome salts. Do veg-tan wear better?

I know the pearson, thats my dream machine, by it "look" because i never tried it. I ask landis couple years ago, and they had one for 3500$ There is another guy in Toronto that rebuit them, couple years ago, it was 4000$. Possible to get them direct from a saddler for less maybe 2500$ but problem is to find the saddler who want to sell... but for now, it is not a priority, i just want to fix this adler machine. I guess i will need to contact a profesional. thank you for the help

Thank you for the info greg, i didint know it was made for mocassins. The feed and needle plate is modified, i can see big blob of bronze. I dont know if that was made by the company, it look home-made. I am not sure about what is a bottom feed, but i can say it is pretty exactly like my tippman boss. What is best as a saddle stitcher? Needle feed, but why? Anyway, the only thing i will machine stich on saddles is the skirts, ah maybe thats the problem? the wool? I repair a lots with kodel fleece and dont have too much problem with my tippman...exept the wool sometime caught in the "bobbin". I hope to be able to use the machine for general repairs, chaps, bags, halter and bridle maybe. I dont know for now, i do most hand stitched. It do not take a lot of leather, big max 2 layers of skirting and it fit tight, so my tippman is still useful. I look at the arm, and there is no collar, i see no screw, nothing that look like "adjust me!!" I dont feel confortable calling at weaver, i have an old machine, i dont want to bother them with that, i suppose he help his customer for the new adler he sell. I just dont have the money for a "even" used machine, so i feel lucky to have this machine for free now. nb: what is pleats?

A friend of mine let me a machine, wich is a ADLER 105-25 mo. I am setting the machine but the stitch lenght is stuck to 5 or 6 point to the inch, wich is far too long for my taste. How can i repair that? Are there some machine expert around? I have a base in sewing machine repair, but i do not remember ever had to touch this stitching lenght arm... You have to turn the ball handle to release and then you can place the arm upper or lower to adjust, not is serve no purpose : thank you in advance for your help, or if you know someone who have the owner manual

I repair many old saddles and they are narrower for the horse but not the rider! I sat in them and it feel so WIDE between my legs... As a woman, yes, i do want a narrow waist saddle seat, and that bring to closer contact with the horse and help for a proper balanced position.

I agree that the visalia dont look that old...i am not an expert, but the seat jokey in one piece, the conchos (unless they are changed), even the back jockey that is sewn on the skirt, that look more modernthan beginning of 19th century, 1912? Correct me if i'm wrong...i am there to learn, i love history. can we know you buy it or sell it on ebay? maybe we can contact him? It is an important part of the history!

LOL i have the last issue of western horseman and theres a couple fo wades...

thank you for this useful answer, they are always interresting. Another advantage i could see maybe is that you can place the reins lower? As i ride with 2 hands often, i dont like to have the horn in my way...i dont rope at all. Maybe a wade without horn...! But thats would not be a wade of course. O yes, another question...i see that the wade fork is quite deep, does it begin at the same distance where the seat is, just going deeper on the front bar? or do it place your farther back on the horse back?

Do someone know the purpose of that? The saddle tree of my old Textan western saddle have a kind of rotative cup on the front of the bars...strange, i suppose it is to adapt to degree of shoulder? The thing i dislike is that it is a little too round, look like it dig into the shoulder. The tree is wood covered with rawhide laced with nylon. If i change the shearling on that saddle i'll take pictures. I dont know the age of the saddle, but there is a code, if someone know how to read it...it begin by 79, maybe thats the manufacturing year?

Why do Wades style saddles seem so popular, i see them everywhere on the net! Custom saddle makers seem to like them too. Do they have a special feature i am unaware of? or it is just a fashion...i agree they look nice

i foind a place that make this kind of medieval trees, dont remember the name of companie, it is in usa, email me if you want it, and i'll find my papers! Dont know about construction... i find a place in france the guy make a model for 2000euros but a portugease saddle should be pretty good, much better than a western saddle

I'm looking to by a saddle tree for my first saddle, it will be for my own horse. I am looking to make a woman narrow twist saddle. I dont need a x-duty ranch type tree, i preffer to make a lighter saddle for trails and equitation. But I would like a wood tree... wondering is there some tree maker that make bars with "plywood", i am sure thats not the good term but you know, layer of woods glued togeter...for flexibility and strenght as they do for english saddle tree? Bah, not sure is that could be good...just want the lighter/stronger possible and easy to work with (nail holding well in material, good expecting life in a tempered "humid cold winters" climate). I dont know where to look, is there saddle tree maker specialised in that? or everyone can make it, i just have to ask for? thank you Marie-Josée