BondoBobCustomSaddles

You are all being too nice. The folks on this sight are always willing to step in and help, correct, modify, and just plain listen. If you don't like the way it works, or what they do, forget the apology, just stay the hell off it! Oh by the way,Stringduster, I just edited added this (edit) in about ten seconds.

I would only make this change by changing the whole horn. You can get a new horn from most of the tree makers. strip the fork cover off being careful not to ruin it as you will be re-using it. Dampen the lacing on the raw hide horn cover, if it has one, and once the raw hide is pliable, unlace it and remove the horn. Mount the new horn the same way the old one was mounted, and then re-lace the raw hide cover. Then cover the horn with leather the same as if you were building a new saddle. This a lot of work and not worth the effort for a run of mill saddle. Be sure that you are charging a fair price for doing this job. Chances are once you tell him it will take several hundred $ to get this accomplished, he will change his mind. If not, at least you will give him a product that is sound and he can use. Bob

I have sold a spec saddle a time or two. Generally, these are saddles I have made for myself, and used for a little while. Part of a way of educating myself on what different styles and types do well in specific riding situations. When I sell them, the first thing is I set a price on them, that I feel is fair and what I want to sell it for. I don't really waggle from that, much, mostly because I like I said I set what I felt was fair. As for can I take it and try it? Usually when I go out to discuss a saddle purchase with a prospective customer I also measure up a horse for templates, I take along the saddle they are thinking of buying, and a couple of saddles of different specs. to show the difference to the customer. A little education goes a long way towards cementing a relationship between customer and maker. At this point you can make the determination whether the customer is serious about investing in a good saddle, or just a "tire kicker". Also if you have a real customer , and you are comfortable with them you can leave it for them to actually try for a couple of days. Be sure to set a prescribed time period they will have it to make a decision. Also, when I go out, I let them know, up front, that I am coming out to measure up their horse and I charge for that. Usually $35 per hour from the time I leave my house to get there and back and mileage. This fee is taken off of the price of the saddle , new custom made or used when they purchase. After all you are giving up your time and wear and tear on your vehicle. If they are serious about buying a saddle from you, they will understand why you operate this way. As a side note recently I did this with a customer that wanted a new saddle made, while on the visit, I found that a spec saddle I had brought along fit her horse the way it should, and let her keep it for a week to try. She called me after a week end of riding trails and the conversation was simple. She said I couldn't have the saddle back, she was on her way past my house and would just stop in and pay the $3500 I was asking for it. Since then she has called me back to make one for her husband, and also refered me to two others that I have now made saddles for. Sorry for the long winded answer, but; that's what you get when you ask me a question! Hope that helped. Bob

Hi Denise, sorry to hear about the misfortune of those guys. I don't personally know either, however I feel like I know Steve through the leatherworker. Things here are tight, but, I would like to help in some way. Please let me know what it is that they need. I might have something here that I could send. Tell them to hang in there. The ole man upstairs never tasks us with more than we can carry. It just seems that way sometimes. Sincerely, Bob

Nicely Done Rod! Obviously you are taking your saddlemaking as seriously as you take your tree making. Welcome to the saddle makers ranks, it's is always nice to have another maker's work to look and and draw from. At least one thing is a good bet, we don't have to ask who's trees you are using! Again, nice job. Bob

Nice job Dwight! I am sure that you will be doing many more as you get going on them. Bob

Nicely done Josh!! Keep up the good wotk. Bob

Nice work on the whole project. Clean and crisp, and it all flows together. Again, nice work. Bob

Aurelie, placement is as most have told you in their posts, a matter of preference, and need. Sometimes the type and build of a specific horse will dictate where they should be. Bottom line I have seen them in many places and seen different types of collars utilize different placings on the saddle. Here are a few pics of saddles that have the attachment in the skirts and you described, also a little higher and finally under the concho at the front of the fork. Each has it's own use. The high ones mostly are for pulling type collars like on the mule, the mid-high on the pic of the paint is because the owner likes to use a collar that has no tie-down going to the cinch. Again a matter of preference. The in-skirt shown on the Quarter horse and the Tennessee Walker is also a common and good placement. The key as somebody mentioned is that the collar when attached rides high and allows good shoulder movement without restriction. Hope that helps. Bob

I made a "stretching rack" to do mine. I wet the back of the fender mostly down by the bottom where it will want to twist when being used, and I wet the stirrup leathers, half or full, no matter, then I put then on my stretcher, not so much to stretch but to "set" them with a twist in them so that when on the saddle they will want to stay twisted so the rider will have a much more comfortable ride with less stress on his/her knees. Here are 3 pics of different saddles, both half and full leathers. Bob

Grant's book will lead you to quite a few different type quirts. I have made a couple as gifts to a couple of friends that ride at the track, and they loved them. Stuff from Grant's book always get's the nod. Bob

I asked that same question of Ann quite a few years ago. She told me that Al had passed away before he got the chance to finish vol #4. She sent me a couple of pages on the subject that I was asking about. She also put me in contact with Bob Pleyton and he sent me some pages from the Robin Yates book. Very well illustrated and complete, aside from the Stohlman books, the Yates book is where I would go for information. Bob

Really nice work Bret. I'd like to have a set of your stuff some day. Bob

Elsa, first from an old Vet, welcome home and thank you for your service! Second that looks really good and you obviously have retained what you were taught. Last, you should see if the VA will cover some of the cost of getting you started in the saddle making business as transition rehab for your PTSD. See your veterans advocate, and if you don't have a good one, go to your local chapter of the VVA, it is not just for Vietnam Vets. they are there to help all Vets. Once again, welcome home! Bob

Like Jim, I use Tan Coat most of the time. Once in a while I use Balm with Atom Wax if the customer wants it, but; the result is almost the same. Bob

Cal, obviously, you guys do good work. Everything about the way they are built and balance looks good. Not particularly crazy about the skull tooling pattern, but; then again I am sure there are those that think it is awesome, it is a matter of taste and personal preference. Even so, it appears from the pic to be done very well, and the girl on the fender adds some class, Nice work. Bob

Very nice! Someone will be very happy to own It. Bob

Just a little tip. On chaps, because of the stress in the beginning and end of a zipper run, I always put a #10 rivet through that hard piece of the zipper. Just a little something that gives good service. I started doing it on excersize riders chaps at the track because of the extreme wear they get out there. A lot of those riders ride with their stirrup leathers drawn up so tight they look like they are racing! Here are pics of one, he doesn't ride as high as most. Bob

Hi Billy, I don't have my first saddle anymore, but; I know where it is, and the lady that has it uses it all the time. here is a pic of it. Bob

I don't use pliers to pull except in extreme cases like the end of a run when I purposely make the hole smaller and work back a couple of stitches to end the run. Mostly I get the wax on my fingers from the thread till they are "sticky". This helps me get a grip on the needles, wish it was that easy to get a grip on other things I need to! Bob

Cogs, there are a lot of different ways to achieve your goal, most of which have been already suggested. Personally, I would make a 1" or so short strap that goes from the button up high enough around the neck, so that it clears the neck by an 1" and then neck down the main strap to 1" or so at it's front end. Use a swivel to attach the two. that way the main strap will lay flat and the twist will occur just above the neck in the swivel, a plus is that he won't have to modify the guitar attachment point (which he probably wouldn't do any way). Bob

Aurelie, like Grampa said, you have come a bunch in the saddle making arena. Keep up the good work, It's nice to see "western" saddles in other countries besides the USA. Hopefully western riding and cutting and roping will also become the norm there also. Again, keep up the good work, Bob

Very Nice! It all goes together just like "it grew that way". That is what I strive for in the work that I do. I know how much planning it takes to get it that way, and I appreciate it when I see in others work. Again, nice job! Bob

Nice job Bill, I like the overall look of the saddle, and am sure that it will look right at home on one of those long eared critters! Bob