Cattledude

HO is superior for tooling, in my opinion. Ease of carving and good burnish of tooling. Panhandle leather in Amarillo is my go to supplier.

I have an old wax pot from Ferdinand Bull if you want to try a pot on your machine. Let me know and I will find it and send it to you...

I am so very sorry for your wife's cancer. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer April last year. She passed April 15th. Cancer is such a thief of life. Prayers sent for a full recovery. Keep your chin up and be her warrior, don't weaken and stay strong for both of you.

Is the forward/reverse lever in the neutral position...?

I use a 4'x4'x1/4" sheet of HDPE on my cutting/layout table. I'm on my second sheet after 25 years...

You might look at youtube, look up threading a 441 machine...

Very well done! I like your seat jockey shape and overall, it's well balanced. The only thing I would change is the rope strap where it attaches on the right side. When you dally, your rope will hit the strap and could tear it loose. I like to attach a cross over rope strap low on the front of the swell on the right.

Steelstamp Inc, Not cheap, quality usually isn't.

Those are awesome! The holsters are good, too...

Bruce, is that a William Matthews watercolor on the wall? Nice shop!

Very nice, i really like the file work.

You know the difference between a horse shoer and a dog with no legs? There is no difference, you can call them all you want but, they still won't come...

Some say red meat is bad for you... NOT SO, green fuzzy meat is bad for you!

You can fold a piece of paper in half, draw one side of the curve, cut it and unfold the paper. That will give you a pattern.

...lots of experts out there...! Be careful on what you are sure of. Leggins, batwings, shotguns, and chinks are all chaps and have been made & used by what kind the cattledude wanted. Any and all of the chaps in the above photos could have been used by cowboys, therefor they all could be working chaps, if they worked in them...

... Corb Lund, Jerry Jeff Walker

I cut my buckle end 7" and 11" on the other billet. Add 1" if the belt is over 40". Not science, just the way I do it. Good luck!

Turning it inside out would hide the seam and the machine issue...

+ 1 for Barry King, I use them on my saddles. Very nice imprint and easier to run than the cheap stamps.

Cut it close and sand to shape...

If you can't fix it with baling wire or duct tape, you have an electrical problem...

Does anyone know who made the 2021 Champion Saddles for the Frontier Days Rodeo?

This is just my opinion and we all know what that is worth... I want my breast collar tugs attached almost as stout as a rigging D. When (if) you rope a 1500 # cow, your breast collar can take a lot of strain! It happens in the mountains as well when you are riding up a steep hill. I want all parts of my saddle cowboy strong, you never know where it might wind up. I don't think a latigo hanger would hold up.

You might check with Bruce Johnson. He has vintage learher tools and is a good guy to do business with, honest and good service.

I use the B King and like it. To me, the most important thing with any knife is to have a sharp, polished blade...