Mustangdave

They were taken with my cell phone

Thank you, it is for the Winchester 1866 rifle with the 24” barrel. I appreciate that except the images are all too large to post here.

Saddle Pockets https://postimg.cc/5HczP6kw https://postimg.cc/0r5wHgZH Shotgun Chaps https://postimg.cc/64h4qc9c https://postimg.cc/3yyG12Br Rifle Scabbard https://postimg.cc/cgBft0hf https://postimg.cc/vDwP1mYx https://postimg.cc/5jmm6qKD

I am looking to build a western saddle and have no idea how the pieces go together much less where to find the patterns for them. I have made military saddles (‘59 McClellan) along with all manner of tack, holsters and belts so I know how to cut, stitch etc. Are there any resources out there? Patterns? Kits? Any suggestions are welcome. Dave

Bert, Having made quite a few holsters, I offer the following as suggestions. Stitching: Get a set of 4mm lacing chisels. Cut out your leather and tool it (If desired), dye it then lay out your stitching line. Use the chisels by placing them on your stitch line and then using your mallet use them to pierce the leather. This will make your stitch holes evenly spaced and properly sized along the stitch line. For the actual stitching, you will need a clam to hold the hold the project along with two needles and thread. Assembly: After finishing your stitching, submerge the entire project in warm water for no longer 10 seconds then sit aside until it appears dry on its surface. Then fold the holster body through the loops and if desired, insert your pistol (wrapped in plastic) into the holster and work the leather with your fingers and thumbs to mould the holster to the gun. Leave the gun i the holster over night until the leather is completely dry, then oil and wax the leather.

Yes but synthetic fibers, synthetic oils, analine dye stuffs and chromium tanned leathers were not widely available if available at all until the 20th century.

Wallpaper paste is a starch based paste. I am not sure how it will react with the tannins in the leather over time. That being said, to add to my above post, for clarity, I only work with veg tanned leather, use linen thread, oil or iron based dyes and vegetable or fish based oils and 100% pure bees wax, in short things that were available to our ancestors only.

Just so you know, reproducing one of the cartridge boxes is not an easy task there are many hidden construction details

I had very good success using the following method. Get an old or very inexpensive clothes iron. On the lowest setting, press the flesh side of the leather until it it is warm enough to liquify 100% pure wax without burning the leather and follow the iron with a block of the beeswax. After the piece is coated in the wax, allow to cool completely, then go back over the piece with just the iron to even things out a bit. It takes a bit of practice to get right on but works really well, and if done before the work of stitching and edge finishing etc it is not overly hard or stiff and won’t flake or rub off.

Richmond VA

An FYI, I drove by my local Tandy store this afternoon. The signs were gone and inventory removed. I was basically just a shell.