BondoBobCustomSaddles

CJ, Please take the pics and post them. We would all like to see them and of course if you are really of a mind to sell it, this is where you will find someone to appreciate it. Bob

Hi Craig, I agree with Troy. W/C should be a pleasure for you to tool. I like to use it exclusively, and have never had anything but good results. As for tooling on the tree, I tool the fork cover and the seat on the tree. I use a modified "old george" style stand to do it. It allows me to set the tree with covered fork and seat leather in any position that I need, in order to get a good tool impression. I also tool all the other parts on the bench like Troy, before I "plug" or add shearling or whatever to it. As for those pieces that I cannot get cased properly, I use that carving solution that you can get from Tandy. Put it on in several applications, and be paitient and wait for it to soak in well. I use a spray bottle to apply, and be sure that you spray the whole piece even if you are not covering the whole piece with tooling. That will help you to avoid water marks. As with all work, when you are not sure, try a piece of scrap of the same material that you are working with first to be sure you are going to achieve the results you want. Attached is a pic of an "old georde" that I copied to modify mine, and it works top notch. You can position the area you want to tool in an endless amount of angles. Hope that helps. Bondo Bob

I have done some rough out saddles, usually they are the ones that I call half breed, part roughout and part grain out. You want them to at least look close to the same color. What I have done is choose a dye that is the same or as close to the same color as you can get. If you are using "natural" leather, then you can dye both the same color. What I have done is buff the flesh side like Troy suggests, and then dye it. Be paitient, let it dry thoroughly, to see the color you have achieved. Also see where there are any areas that are streaky and need to be redone. If you use a good oil dye, (I only use Feiblings) and a piece of wool fleece scrap in circular motions, you can achieve a nice even color. Then after it has dried completely, go over it with a fine brass wire brush like you did when you were cleaning up your "Blue Swede Shoes" to get it to a nice even appearence (if you can remember back that far) . Attached is a pic of one I did several years ago, the skirts and fenders were rough out they still have a nice even color to them. Hope that helps. Bondo Bob P.S. Always use a piece of scrap to be sure that the results are what you want before you, before you do the actual piece. That will save a lot of cuss words.

Bob, I agree with you completely. While I always make matching breast collars and rear cinches with my saddles, it is because most customers want it that way. Generally, I only use one on my saddle when I am out in public cause I like to show off my work, it is my way of advertising, but; when I am just out for a ride, or excersizing my own horse at home, I leave the extra stuff hanging on the wall. I have found that if a saddle fits right, it will stay put, even without a lot of chinch tightening. It takes extreme use like cutting, roping, or real trail riding in steep up and down trails, before the need is really there, and at that, I am not even sure. Besides, I would rather see the horse. To me , like Tom T. Hall, there is nothing more pleasing than a well put up horse, younger women, older whiskey, or more money---in that order! Bondo Bob

Very nice! It would appear that you have a talent for this type of work. Keep it up. Bob

Steve, Shelly, and everyone here has every right to be hot under the collar about this. We all know how much work we put into these saddles, and I am sure that we all also think of our work as special, I know I do. Somewhere in this thread, it was mentioned about when a customer opens up the box and it is not what what they thought they bought on e-bay. I am wondering if anyone knows what happens then? Specifically with these saddles that were sold as Luis'. Does anybody know? I am not an e-bay guy, but; I have entertained the thought of selling a saddle on e-bay. Just curious. Bondo Bob

Very nice JW! Good clean lines and balance. That is what I have come to expect from you. Bob

Ok, I agree wholeheartedly with Keith and shelly and all the others. I have listed my prices before so I won't go into that , suffice it to say that I don't feel I get what I should, but; in Michigan with this economy, you are lucky to get anything. Even so, I will not lower my prices any more than I already have, and if things ever get better and people here starte to spend money again, they will go up expotentially. In the mean time, on the factory note, I have repaired many saddles that were practically new factory saddles because they did not stay together, due to materials, or workmanship, or both. When I repair, I charge $35 per hour labor, plus materials, I am retired and my shop is here at the house so my overhead is not to bad. A lot of people could have had a "good ranch saddle made" for what they have in repairs on these factory saddles. I had a guy come in not too long ago with his $3,500 "custom made" Circle Y, cutting saddle that was a year old with the horn cap loose and the stitches popped out. The problem was that they didn't use a filler sandwiched in between the top and bottom cover that was "permantly" attached to the horn by either screws or tacks. They just glued them to the horn! He didn't want to go through the expense of sending it back to have them fix it so he paid me 3.5 hrs work plus $15 in materials. When I asked him how he got a custom made saddle from circle y and how long it took he said (get this) he said he flew down there to the factory, he ordered the saddle with all the things he wanted on it, like what style tooling, color, type and size of seat, type of horn, stirrups and so on, and they made it right there while he waited and took a tour of the place and had lunch, (they had all the parts already there cut dyed and so on, all they had to do was assemble it). I am guessing that he had probably another $1,000 to $1,200 in that trip, if he was only there a day. If you add that up he now had over $4,800 in that "Custom Made" saddle. No matter how you slice it, the only way to get a custom made saddle is to have it done by someone who is not just looking to get into your pocket book, but; is really following the old fashioned method of saddle making and using lots of elbow grease in the process! Oh by the way, after cutting for a couple years, this guy quit it because it was too expensive! Go figure! Bondo Bob

Basically, all the stuff applies. The only thing I will add is stropping/polishing is the final step. I learned the stuff about angles and so on a looooooong time ago, back in the 50's in the Boy Scouts. It all applies, but; I am convinced that after it is all said and done, that last step really gets the edge complete. I have gone away from the leather strop only for the time and convenience of using a buffing wheel on a mandrel. ( if you choose to try this, BE CAREFUL!!!) Make sure you are holding the blade in a manner that if the wheel grabs it and takes it out of your hand,(without practice it will) the blade will be going away from anything that you don't want to cut off like fingers and such. Some jewlers rouge, a wheel, and some practice, and you will be using a blade so sharp that it will cut through leather "like a hot knife through butter" . This works for me. Bondo Bob

Well, that is enough to frost anybody! I am sure we all will be glad to testify on this sort of thing. If you need help, just hollar! Bob

Newf, you can probably get copper rivets and burrs at most any good hardware, in the amount you need for a couple of bucks. As for a rivet setter, when setting the rivet over the burr, I use a ball peen hammer, peen side to upset the shank of the rivet till it is mushroomed to your satisfaction, then a setter to "finish" it off. Flip it over and "set the head" so it has a nice rounded surface. If you don't have a setter, you can make a couple of different sizes by taking a carridge bolt and grinding the head concave. I did this in the beginning and am still using them today. They worked so well, I just have never upgraded. As for the twist, God forbid I should give you advice that others will frown upon, but; if you don't have enough material to make the twist and wrap, just make them wet on the bottom of the fender, and leathers, put your stirrups on, attach the buckles and twist them by putting a pole through them while on your stand, without the wrap, weight them so they are tristed in riding position, and let them dry. They will take a good set, even without the wrap. Like Andy, I shoot for 2" to 2 1/2" from the bottom of the fender to the fold. Bob

I don't claim to know the answer, however; the reason that I like the maul over the mallet is, 1) you don't have to hit a maul onto the the tool dead center of the head to get a good impression, so you can concentrate more on what the tool is doing , 2) when you hit a mallet off center it twists in your hand causing fatigue, 3) I personally find better balance, since my hands are rather large and the handle of the maul allows me to hold the maul loosely and still have control without bounce back, and finally simply put" tap, tap, tap, / thump, thump, thump, I like Thump! Like I said, I am not the last word here, just why I like the maul. Perhaps some of the real artists like Bob Park, or Troy West, or the many others who's work is shown here can chime in. Bondo Bob

JW is spot on, it takes a little longer, but; the results are worth it. I do it the same way, and of course, practice, practice, practice. Bob

Very nice, if the rest of the saddle is as nice, the owner will be proud to ride it. Bob

Newfman, thanks but; "Duke" and I have been together for close to 13 years and he ain't going anywhere without me any time soon. Bob

Weazer, I got your note. Actually, I wasn't looking to make you a saddle. My base saddles start at $2,650,and with the amount of work that goes into one, I can't afford to drop that price, however, what I had in mind is that I have 2 saddles here, one I am going to sell, which one depends on which has a buyer first. The one is fresh off the bench and was going to be for a woman that had put a down payment on it and was buying it to surprise her husband. during the build process he surprised her with divorce papers! Needless to say, she isn't going to buy this saddle now, but; I am discounting it by the amount of her deposit so it is for sale @ $3,500. The other is a used cutting saddle I made for myself, and does not have much use, too busy working to pay the bills to ride lately ao it hasn't been getting much use. The saddle is one that had a price tag of $3,500 on it new, but; I will sell it for $2,000. These may be in your price range and are both completely hand made. If that interests you just let me know and we can talk further. I am attaching a couple of pics of them. Bondo Bob

Andy, simply put.....5 Stars! All the other superlatives have already been used up. Bob

Alan, I am still trying to get my mind around 60 Strands! You are probably good at keeping track of a whole herd of calves, and where they are, at the same time too! Whew, I do some braiding, but; only what I can teach myself from the book. I think I will stick to saddle making, I can do that one piece at a time. Very Nice! Bob

I will probably get a lot of flack here, but; I have always had the opinion that a saddle that was made properly, with attention paid to the basics such as skiving properly to a feather edge in the parts underneath that you don't see, and where they mate, and also in the building of the ground seat, regardless if it is a tin seat or a leather seat, but; more to its shape, will yield a good riding comfortable seat. That is why I favor the old hand made saddles from the likes of Price, and Ryon's and the others out there, for people who are starting out, they were made correctly and just feel good. What my goal in making a saddle is, to first fit the horse then fit the rider. If I have done my job right, the saddle when it is done, doesn't need any breaking in. From the get go, it feels like an old pair of comfy slippers. That's how it should be. Bob

Bruce, if I were a roper, I would be proud to have that to carry my reata in. Professional all the way! Bob

Wow! Those are way cool, I am always looking for ideas for something different to make for myself. Both the sheaths and knives fit that catagory. Guess I'll save these pics for later, when I get a chance to work on something for myself that ultimately, I will leave to my grandsons some day. That is, if you don't mind. Bob

Joe, I agree with Kevin and JW, there are lots of good suppliers out there, I like all of the leathers they have listed and would add Whickett and Craig to that list. They are my personal choice, however; if you use any of these, I am sure you will be satisfied. Bob

Well Josh, look what you started! I wasn't going to post here because I thought that I had done too much to list, but; obviously, there are many more folks with lots of stuff and it is interesting to read, so here goes. Out of high school, I started on the drafting board at an engineering co. for a year or so then ended up in the Navy in the mid 60's. I was a hydraulics spec on F4 Phantoms, then out of the service I ended up as a supervisor ar Ford finally branching off into engineering. At the same time I went to horseshoeing school, and that was my "side" money. Along the way I also built motorcycles, race cars and sporterized guns. Always loved horses though, and always kept my hand in them. Along the way I finally ended up as a supervisor at Lear Corp. Once the auto industry took a dump, I was forced to retire, nobody wanted to hire a 63year old engineer around here. So at the end I was an advanced seat system engineer, now I am an antique seat system engineer! I now work on saddles and have been for 20 years or so, and leather goods for the race track full time. Not getting rich, but; getting by. Bob