BondoBobCustomSaddles

Yes, what she said. We all would like to see them. Bob

To me the correct word is elegant! Clean, with that look of subdued elegance. I really like them, makes me want to make a pair for myself. maybe some day. keep up the good work. Bob

Bebah, you are heading down the right path. This saddle is looking good. I am sure you will be pleased with it when you are done. keep up the good work. Bob

My guess is that it is the mid to late 30"s, based on the fact that the stirrup leathers are in front of the fenders but they are not exposed at the point where they go over the tree bars. also, the type of horn cover used. As for value and the rest, I agree with Bruce, it all depends on who you are selling it to. As they say on Roadshow, for insurance purposes, double the value , because that is what it will cost you to have it replaced. Bottom line, it's worth what you can get for it. Bob

Funny thing! Prices always go up when there is even a perceived reason, (i.e. the price of gas). In this case, you may be seeing the result of so many cattleman selling off large portions of their heard due to the drought. Bottom line is that eventually you will see an increase, some will just jump on the band wagon early to make the most of the situation. All you can do is monitor and be frugal in your aquisition of hides., weighing the price versus the quality. Bob

Hi Tex, I was scrolling through the web tonight, and saw this post from you. Simply put, all the answers to your questions can be found in book #1 of Stohlmans Saddle Making Encyclopedia. You can get it at Tandy or on Ebay. I have used these books for many years and while I have at times ventured on to my own designs, they still give good and accurate information. Read the first and you can decide from there whether or not to go on with yo quest for a good fitting saddle. Bob

Wiz, since I haven't gotten my new machine yet, I am only guessing here, but; looking at what he is trying to do, makes me kinda think of a stirrup. Could he use a stirrup attachment and stitch from the front holding the work in tight to the roller guide? Bob

Been there done that! Just got my computer back and running after quite a while. In the mean time I just called Bobby direct and sent him a check. His phone number is on his web sight. Bob

There is a book by Al Stohlman on hand tools and it gives a lot of information about how to use and sharpen them. It is not expensive and is a real good reference for a lot more than just sharpening. You can get it at Tandy. Bob

Jake, Bobby's book is about planning out and executing your pattern so it flows and is uniform with uniform spacing. It should really translate well, afterall, leaves are leaves. Bob

My Cheyenne rolls are first fitted and tacked in place and allowed to dry. Once they are formed if they are to be tooled, that is when I tool, and burnish the edges and stain. Then I glue, tack back in place and let dry, finally I hand stitch through the whole binding the old fashioned way. It takes a lot longer, and is a lot more work, but; that's the best to do it. Bob

Rounded or square, should make no difference, just don't make the final trim till you have draws-piked it down and in place and then you can make the final trim to match the skirt round or square. Here is a pick of one I did that was squared with rounded corners, and the skirt actually was a shape somewhere between rounded and square, the design that the owner wanted. You can see that regardless of the shape as long as it is pulled tight up against the cantle, it will give you a nice "tight" fit. This is something that is covered in the stohlman books very well. Bob

Hi Buckaroo, nice job on that rig. Especially for your third. I do see the little things like edges and knicks that will disappear as you get farther along. The one thing that stands out to me is the rear jockeys and how they do not lay flat at the back where they are laced together. It is not too late to "tighten up them up". I would pull them off, unlace and then shave off a wedge of about 1/4" on both sides, where they come together, starting at the rear 1/4" in, and tapering to nothing at the spot where they go under the cantle. When you lace them up again, wet them some, and then really draw spike them in tight to the back of the cantle. That will pull them down tight to the skirts and sandwich the rear points of the tree, and give you a nice clean look. Here is a pic of what I am talking about. Bob

Hey Bobby, just got the computer back and working again. As always like to see your work. Been studying your book now for some time, and as i suspected there were lots of "Duh" moments for me. Really enjoyed it, and seeing how you transition from Primary circles to secondary and then scrolls and leafs and so on. I was laying out primary circles, but; then I would just let the vines and leafs and scrolls "grow" from there. A good look, however; it never got that "planned out look and balance" that I admire in your work. I have a saddle on the stand that I am going to get after soon as the time allows and look forward to employing your techniques in the layout and design of the tooling on this one. Great covers and ever greater book. Keep up the great work, love your work! Bob

Very nice! I really like the way your scrolls all flow in harmony. Again, really nice! Bob

Try Boise Foundry. They are a good sized company that has been around for a long time, but; they do cater to the small customer, and give good service. Bob

Tyrel, the first thing that stood out to me was that stitching on the cantle. It just shows the level of detail you go through to create the saddle. It is so much more work to do it straight and neat, but; it tells how the rest of the saddle is made. Nice job! Bob

Rigging is one of the components on a saddle that must be done correctly for a lot of reasons, safety being only one. No room for error, it needs to be installed in a manner that will last and be safe. With that said, any competent saddler can repair it. Best to take it to a good saddler and get a quote. You will then be able to decide if it is worth fixing. Bob

Well there you have it! I learned my "something new " for the day, now I can be stupid the rest of the day and not feel so bad!!!! Bob

Hey Doc, that really looks good! I really like the way your patterns compliment the overall design of the piece. I am sure they will like it, a lot. Again, nice job! Bob

Hey Rayban, if I remember correctly, you live a little south of me. That being the case, there is a place on M-50, 8 miles west of M-52 on the north side of the road called something like "The Honey Tree". I'll bet you can get what you want there. Next time I need some that is where I was going go. Just haven't needed it yet! Bob

Hey Luke, nice work, nice and clean! Professional. How's the weather down there in Tenn? It's going up to the high 90s today here. In this humid climate that is like 120 elseware, think I'll spend some time in the shop today, (AIRCONDITIONED) Bob

I am certainly not an expert here, however; since the only thing you changed is the thread, have you checked to make sure that the thread is the correct size for the needle, in the material you are trying to sew? If the needle makes a hole larger than required in what you are sewing, sometimes the thread comes up out of the hole too easily, and therefor it comes out premature and does not make a loop at the bottom of the stroke so the thingamajig can catch it and complete the stitch. Like I said, I am not an expert here, but; that is where I would look first. Perhaps Wiz or Art can give you better information. Bob