readytogiveitup

Some makers use thick poly butchers cutting surface. you can get the thin kitchen cutting boards just about anywhere. The big heavy thick commercial grade tops at a restaraunt or butcher suppy. Can be sanded on occasion to keep it smooth and clean. but I learned on a soft pine board.

Oh yes, I forgot about the built in strainer. Thats too bad. I actually purchased the last rawhide covered association tree they had made up some years back. Thats when he told me there would be no more made with a rawhide cover unless I was willing to hire on as the new rawhider. Needless to say I declined.

Family of the great saddle making legend Wilford Lewis. Definately know their business. No longer covers trees with rawhide due to not being able to keep a good rawhide man employed so just went to fiberglass covered only. One could always add a rawhide cover themselves if it were a big concern.

Thanks johanna, As I said... my humor may be a bit raw for some and even borderline controversial to others but as you probably already know such usually keeps audiences "tuned in" and coming back. My punctuation has much to be desired I know. Yes some of the stories are intersting and others simply should not be told in order to protect the innocent.

Just trying to put my two cents worth in here along with a little raw humor and recollections of my experiences before I am banned from the site altogether. If you will notice the lady asked for a "hands on" approach and noted that she wanted to learn the "right way" In my opinion this would be it and pretty much applies to any true hand whether they were born into these trades or got involved in them because they were starving to death and needed a way to make a living. The first thread I commented on was deleted alltogether due to comments I made giving my opinion of a saddle customer who whined about a perfectly excellent handmade saddle because he misordered bar degrees on his saddle and wanted the maker to eat it and build him another. I have been attacked on the other posts as well for giving my opinion. Sorry if folks arent given to reality here but I SAY THAT IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO JUMP INTO SOME OF THE PUDDLES I HAVE DESCRIBED THEN PERHAPS ANYTHING "COWBOY" IS NOT FOR YOU! At least that is how I feel about things and my brothers who gave their lives in a foreign land so that I can do so all agreed as well.

Oh, I did not even get to go into phase two which is learning all you can about the actual animal a saddle goes on.... the horse. All I can say is during this second and very important phase one should get ready to shovel lots of horse poop and if aspiring to build working cowboy rigs be prepared to muck through a knee deep mixture of cow manure and mud while standing aground pushing cows toward the working pens so the real hands can stay clean enough to flirt with the pretty waitress when they go into the local cafe at lunch time. Dont worry though they will arrange to have your burger brought back to you at the ranch so you dont starve to death or pass out from mal nutrition and exhaustion! Forget about the whole rodear and chuck wagon scenario because greenhorns are not allowed to witness much less participate in such excursions.

The only thing I know you can do is exactly as I had to do to learn which is..... look in your area telephone directories, or just drive around, until you find an old saddle shop with a filthy floor ....ask the owner if they will let you sweep it for about six months until they decide you have learned the right to start washing grungy manure stained saddles. continue workin at washing saddles, sweeping the floor, getting everyones cofee, breakfast, lunch ect. learning whatever you can by keeping your ears and eyes open and your mouth shut for about a year then perhaps you might even get moved up to stamp hand as well.. after you have dissassemble about a hundred saddles washed and oiled them and reassembled them you will start to get an idea of how a saddle is constructed and thus how to build one. All the time you are doing this make sure you have permission to sleep in your car out back so as to be sure you are on time for work each and every morning so you dont get runned off. If after all this the top hand saddle maker decides he likes you and you are worthy he might start to explain some of the procedures he is doing and allow you to watch...If you are not willing to do all that I mentioned then save yourself the time and simply go buy you a damn saddle cuz you dont want it bad enough!