Mulesaw

Yes, I noticed that one too. It looks very authentic :-)

@Jaypit Welcome to the forum :-) Since you are a member, you can post pictures directly in the forum. My educated guess is that you'll get a lot more response that way. I think the most appropriate category to post your pictures in would be: https://leatherworker.net/forum/forum/50-leather-sewing-machines/ Just make a fitting headline like: Need help identifying this sewing machine. And then take it from there. Brgds Jonas

Here are the pictures from the ad. Please note that the pictures are not mine, They just give an idea of how the oxen harness is built.

@TomE I just remembered that I once downloaded this paper on how to build an English saddle. I found it in an old tread on this forum Scroll down to the 2nd last comment. There is a link for the pdf there. The first link is dead, but down there the Moderator Northmount added it. Have fun reading it. Brgds Jonas

Thanks for the tip, sounds like a doable recipe (not something with drops of unicorn blood and tailfeathers of a speckled Kiwibird :-) Brgds Jonas

Interesting subject. In Germany, traction harnesses for oxen are called: "Ochsen zuggeschirr". If you Google that and chose "pictures", then a bunch of different ones surface. I know it isn't a detailed how to make instructions, but normally there are plenty of pictures in those classifieds ads that it will help in giving an idea. https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/zuggeschirr-fuer-ochsen/2403421497-240-1220 Here's the link to a classified ad for one in Germany. I don't own the right to the pictures, that's why I just put in the link. I know it will expires at some point. but I don't want to mess up some copyright stuff. @Northmount Do you have an idea if we can copy the pictures from that classified ad without getting into trouble and posting them here?

@TomE Good idea with diluted ammonia, I just used grated soap and tepid water, but I had troubles getting the old "caked" grease off. So the ammonia might be a better choice for a start cleaning. And I normally give the saddles a light touch over with grease afterwards anyway, so they look nice and the customer can see that I care about their tack. - so removing a bit of oil/grease in the cleaning process wouldn't be a big deal since it will be reapplied :-) Brgds Jonas

It is a strange construction, I am also most used to saddles that are stitched in the fwd part. I have repaired a couple of Passier Mono Optimum dressage saddles lately. It is admittedly a professional rider that uses them so they see a lot of working hours. But I think that the main course of most of the wear that I see on those particular saddles are due to lack of cleaning. Most people happily oil away on their saddles and give them nourishing creme etc. But the very fine dust that comes from riding in a riding house or on a dusty track gets stuck in that grease/oil and soon starts acting like very fine sandpaper. It also goes on the boots, and pretty soon the lower part of the saddle flaps wear through. I have tried to tell her as diplomatic as I can, but it is kind of hard to break the truth to someone when they haven't even asked why I think the saddles look the way they do. I mean if I was a customer I'd probably feel insulted if someone kind of accused me of not cleaning my stuff thoroughly. It is a different matter if they genuinely ask: Why do you think this happens? Then I'd be able to show them where the dust and grease accumulates and scrape a bit if it of and make them feel it between two nails that it really is abrasive. I think that would give them a better understanding of the importance of cleaning the tack - not just grease it. Before I started the last repair job, I cleaned it the best I could, but I didn't want to use an hour or so on that without having cleared it with the customer, but it still helped a lot as I could see. Brgds Jonas

Welcome to the forum :-) I'd try some beef tallow. There is an old recipe with beef tallow and neatsfoot oil, but the neatsfoot oil will darken it a bit, so if you try pure tallow it might be better. But I guess it will still darken the leather just a bit until it is dry again. Similar to if you wet leather with water, it will immediately become a bit darker. It is possible though, that the leather is too dried up to be salvageable. But you won't know until you try it. Brgds Jonas

Really nice job! Some of the European saddles have the billet attached to the tree with a copper rivet. and I have seen a single one that was attached using a screw. When I have to replace them, I check first if it is possible to skive in a new piece of leather, or if I have to take apart the fwd part of the saddle to get the boom out (the cross stiffener). I don't know why they are made this way. The system where you can sew it onto the heavy nylon webbing works really well, but they must have their reasons for not always wanting to do it that way on the fwd billt. Brgds Jonas

Start with a nice set of chaps. It is something that will look good and hopefully draw some attention. Brgds Jonas

@zuludog Interesting idea to make rounded corners. Most of those Japanese type skiving knives that I have seen, are straight across save for those that are made from the start with a curved profile of the cutting edge. I think that my 2nd bevel ended up on around 6 mm as well, I can't remember it, cause I just eyeballed it on the grinding machine before taking it to the water stones. But getting the blade angle down to a "normal" figure from the original 45 degrees was a winning move :-) My original idea was to convert one of those scrapers to a Japanese skiving knife. and see how that would work. I bought one a couple of years ago for restoring windows. The blade goes all the way through the handle and it is around 2 mm thick. In Denmark it is known as a "rigid scraper" It is used mostly as sort of a very wide crowbar when you have to break off old glass retaining strips from windows. The rosewood handle is decent on them though admittedly it could use a bit of sanding and oiling, but not much work would be needed on the handles.

I don't know anything about the saddle, but if you can't find a makers mark on it, I guess it would be OK to go on and learn something from it. It is always kind of scary to do those things with antiques because like you say you don't want to ruin a collectors item. But once in a while it helps to look at it with a different set of eyes: you bought it, so you decide what should happen with it. If you take it apart and learn something from it - it serves a good purpose. I'd say go ahead :-) Brgds and good luck with the learning Jonas

@ThisIsMyFirstRodeo I had a brace once when I was younger. I had some problems with tendinitis, and that brace really helped. It was the same system as the one in the picture, I borrowed one and made a set for myself back then. can't remember the weight of the leather but is wasn't terribly heavy. Also I used Velcro instead of a buckle to be able to make perfect adjustments. Brgds Jonas

Two paying orders are still a good starting point. As long as you make sure that your products are top notch and the customers are happy, they'll most likely tell friends/families etc about it and you could get a bit of business that way. It doesn't feel like it is fast compared to advertising on the Internet, but word of mouth in my opinion is still the absolutely best form of advertising you can get. If you are mostly into making strap products, dog leashes and collars are also good products. Brgds Jonas