BondoBobCustomSaddles

Tossik, you are right, those are absolutely gorgeous! I would love to have them both, but; the timing isn't right for me just now. The price for them is certainly low, and I am sure you will have them sold quickly on this sight. There are always people looking for quality cutting tools and those are absolutely that. Bob

Nice job Rick, I am sure that she will be pleased. What's not to like? I like the smiley face in the daisy. It's those little things that make something different and special. Bob

Josh, very nice work. Clean, and well executed! Bob

Well I just got back from being part of the group that saw the "Last Auction" at the "Big Red Barn". For those of you that are old enough to remember back, that was the place to be on a Friday night from 1912 to 1987, Jacobs Horse sale in Bellville Mi. No telling how many thousands of horses were auctioned off there. Even after the Horse Sale closed, Bobby Jacobs followed in the footsteps of his Grandpa Julius, and until today sold and traded Boots, Saddles, tack and lots of stories of the good old days. Bobby himself was a rodeo cowboy, and later a rodeo clown that performed along with the likes of Lash Larue, (again for those of you that are old enough to remember). If you look up "horse trader" in the dictionary , it will probably have a picture of Bobby. He bought and sold horses all over the country. Truly the last of a breed, and by the way, he was the guy that gave me my first saddle repair work so many years ago. At the end of the auction I asked Bobby what he was going to do with the sign up on the side of the barn? He smiled and said it is yours, but; you have to take it down. I promptly borrowed a ladder someone bought for $4, climbed up and got it!! I knew it wasn't the original one, but; I was tickled to get it anyway. When I got it home, and looked at it closer, I discovered that the front of the sign, was a plastic covered canvas that the new sign had been painted on and was stapled to an old 4 X 8 sheet of wood. As I carefully peeled the canvas off with the intention of hanging it in my shop along with another old "Hoot n Holler Ranch Rodeo" sign that I received as a gift and now resides in my shop, I found the Real Original Jacobs sign. Needless to say, I am now looking at them and feeling really melancholy, as that was the sign that was up there as I remember it all the way back in the 50's when as a boy I used to get my boots there. Guess I just needed tell somebody. It's hard to realize just how much has passed in a life time. Sincerely, Bob

Thanks for sharing Joanna. For those of us that could not be there it is a chance to see what the really good ones are doing. Bob

Reaper, the only store I know of is in Westland which is about 75 miles or so from Saginaw. There used to be one on Van Dyke up around 12 mile or so, but; it closed a long time ago. Bob

Michigan, USA. I would love to see that list too, by Country, Region, or State. Curious how many Saddle makers there are in various locations. Bob

Now there's a good story! Here's one. I've told it before, but; just feels like time to tell it again. A long tome ago, we used to have and show horses. My girls grew up and as it seems to always happen, got different interests so we got out of horses for while. I went on to build race cars and some other stuff. One day my oldest daughter moved back home and you guessed it got herself a horse again. We started to go penning and I just borrowed a horse from the lady that owned the stable. I got the itch to have my own saddle again. So I got hold of a girl that I had sold my old Ryon saddle to. I had almost given it to her because she was just a poor kid that had to earn her money by delivering papers in the morning before school and I felt sorry for her. I sold it to her for $100. Well, When I called her 10 years after I sold it to her, to see if she would sell it back to me. She said that still had it and that in recent years she didn't use it because it was too heavy for her and she had a bad back. She said that she would be glad to sell it back to me, For $750. Well I said that I would let her know. After I hang up I thought to myself, before I would call her back I would make one myself. That is how I got started making saddles. I figured if I could build race cars, I sure as hell could build saddles!! I got a kit from Bowden, (I use the word loosely) and armed myself with a set of Al Stohlman books and that was my first leather project. Pics are of that first saddle and a 3yr old "Duke" that I built it for. I still have Duke, can't say the same for that saddle, it is in Kentucky being loved by another friend of my daughter's.

Randy, one last tip, regardless which backgrounder you are using, whenever possible (as space provides) rotate the tool between your fingers as you fill in the area inside your perimeter. A little practice and this will become second nature and also help to blend in one impression to the next. Bob

I am sure that Bruce Johnson will. He is a splitter fanatic. Bob

I once read this somewhere, "it's not who you know, but; rather, who will be willing to say they knew you." While I didn't personally know Don, I knew him through his work and artistry. He is one of those who's work I try to emulate. Rest in Peace Don. Bob

Hi Randy, well you re getting the idea of what I was talking about. As you make saddles you will find things that are harder than others to accomplish, and you will began to focus on doing those better, that is what will make you a really good saddle maker. In a conversation with Bob Park, he called it "a passion for making really good saddles". He said there are a lot of guys out there that have a passion to make good saddles and those that have the passion to do good tolling, but; only a few that have a passion to do both. That pretty much sums it up. As for focusing on the back of the saddle, really I look all over the saddle, but; the areas that I described seem to be , to me where folks "seem to cut corners". I agree with you about draw spiking the jockeys to get them down tight. Also, You will also find a section in Al Stohlman's books about that and also how to get the outer edge to really lay down by cutting a wedge out of the center of the jockeys to force that edge down when draw spiking them. Don't be afraid to really spike them tight. The tighter the better. As for the edges, I concentrate on all the edges front back, skirts, hand hole, horn, jockeys, billet holders, literally every edge on the saddle, whether it shows or not. You never know when some butthead ;^) is going to lift up a piece of leather to see how you finished it underneath! I have gotten to where every time I pick up a piece to fit or tool or whatever, I take a little time to work on the edge. By the time it is time to finally assemble it for the last time, the edges are almost where I want them to be. Hope this helps you in your quest to make a good saddles. Like I said I am always looking at others work to help improve my own. Bob

Randy, like many leatherworkers I am always looking at others work to improve my own. So, with that said, what I have come up with is that the attention to details tells the story. If you look at the saddles made by guys like Keith Seidel, Troy West and others, regardless or weather it is a fully tooled saddle, or just a working saddle, or anything in-between, if you look at the details, they are always impeccably done. 1) how tight the ear cuts are, 2) how tight the jockeys fit behind the cantle, 3) how well the cantle binding is molded around the bottom of the back and bottom of the cantle and if it is done without any cuts to relieve wrinkles up underneath, 4) Are the skirts centered in back, 5)and one of my pet peeves, how well is the finish on all the edges. These are the things that I always look at when I look for the quality. If these have been accomplished with care and finesse then it is a sure bet that the saddle is done well. Take a good look at some of the saddles on Keith's web sight. If you discount the fact that he is an exceptional artist and his work is beautiful, you will see that he pays attention to the details first. Bob

Dani, just because you didn't buy your machine from Bob, doesn't mean he won't service it or sell you what you need for it. He is first rate and I am sure he would help you do what ever it is that you need to do to get your machine working the way you want it. Bob

CW is spot on. To clean and oil a saddle I charge $75 plus any repairs required. Bob

Wiz's comments are spot on. I have had my Boss since before dirt was invented! It took me a long time to get it working the way I liked, however; being a stubborn old, well you get the idea, I kept at it for a while till I got it. The way I rout my thread is pictured and it keeps a very consistent tension on the top thread. I then adjust my bottom thread to suit. This works really well for me. Hope this helps. Bob

Pictures please. Usually when I glue my seat in, I use a "protective leather" and a shoeing hammer. The leather I use is a piece of 13-15oz skirting that is shaped about 6" round. It is feathered about 1" in from the edge. I pound it and move it around all over the cantle as I pound and it gives a good smooth result. You might try that even now after wetting the seat a little to see if it takes out the marks you talking about. HOpe that helps you. Bob

Nice job, keep up the good work! Bob

"Toot" pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have made these with many different combinations of material and gadgets hanging off of them, for different farriers including myself. I don't shoe any more , but; in my younger years I did a lot of shoeing around this area. Experience is the best teacher. I personally like leg ties to keep them close around my legs, also I use the thinner pearl grey material, however; I have made them out of really thin material and also canvas and put "wear" patches on them for durability. Again, it is all a matter of what you like. I also put the strap end of the belt on with 2 snaps so that in a pinch, I can be out of them quick. Again, all a matter of what you like. Bob

PM me with an address, and I will send you a pattern for them. Also, I like to use pearl grey leather from Weaver. Wears like iron. Bob

Brilliant minds think alike! While the "dollar" conchos on this saddle were fake, the half dollar standing liberty ones on the ear cuts were real. Move over and make room on that wagon for me!!! Bob

This is the one I use. Thought that I had a better pic, I'll post a better one when I get a chance to take one. Bob

Like Dwight, I made my own "concho tool". Not hard to make, and saves a lot of cuss words. Bob

Thanks again to all for the kind comments. Bob

Way to go Lobo, way cool shop. Good luck with the new location. Bob