HanginH

Just got this wade finished a couple of weeks ago to use for myself until somone takes it off my hands. It is just a plain rough out with no stamping other than my makers stamp on the frog because I wanted to work mostly on just the building process on this one. I am pretty happy with how the lines on this saddle turned out but as always there seems to be a number of things that I would change on the next one. It is built on a very fine 15.5 inch Nikkel Tree but I can't remeber all the specs on this one off the top of my head. It has an inskirt rigging, half stirrup leathers and I used meium weight Herman Oak Leather. Haven't put it on the scale yet but it is certainly lighter than the last one I built with the plate rigging. I know the pictures are not the best but didn't have any that were better on my phone but any pointers our critiques would be greatly apprieciated. Thanks and Have a great day everyone!!

Very Nice Darc! You must be busy out there on the coast!

I agree with you that I like the bar grounding all running the same but am not nearly good enough at running it yet to make it look any good. I was down in Sheridan this summer and spent a couple of days with Clint Faye and he helped me out lots trying to run it a bit better. I was also glad to find out that he doesn't run it all in the same direction and just fans it so I guess if it works for him it could work for me. Just seems like i need more practice! (I never luck out at being a prodigy in anything! Ha!) I am thinking about going to the show just to see how it works and see the competition in the ameatur saddle makers division. I was hoping to get one built to enter in this years competition but time got away from me once again so I guess we will be aiming for next year. Already starting plans for a wade potentialy to keep for myself or as a spec saddle but we will see. Would like to get out to meet some guys and maybe pick their brain a bit about saddles, carving etc. As always the saddles look great!

Nice Saddle Darc, Was admiring your backgrounding and was just wondering what size of bargrounder you use? On a side note are you going out to the Kamloops festivle this year? Thanks and have a good one guys!

WOW those look really nice! Haven't done any braiding but am looking to start and would love to be able to make a set as nice as those ones that you have made! I hadn't seen a set out of roo hide before but like the color a lot. Thanks for posting the pics.

Hey everyone, I posted this in a different section as well but thought I should post it hear as well. I just finished up this pair of chinks last night for my wifes uncle as part of the pay back program for keeping my horse at his place amongst many other things. I managed to draw up a bit of floral pattern which would be painful for any semi artistic person to watch because it takes me so long but this is the first bit of carving that I have drawn the pattern for and put on any project. I thin it turned out OK but think that I need to make the vine work a little larger around the outside as well as work on the overall shape of the petals on my flowers. THe pictures are not great as I took them with my phone and will try and get some better detailed ones if I have time but if you see where a guy could make improvement would love to hear some critiques. Thanks Justin

Hey everyone, I just finished up this pair of chinks last night for my wifes uncle as part of the pay back program for keeping my horse at his place amongst many other things. I managed to draw up a bit of floral pattern which would be painful for any semi artistic person to watch because it takes me so long but this is the first bit of carving that I have drawn the pattern for and put on any project. I thin it turned out OK but think that I need to make the vine work a little larger around the outside as well as work on the overall shape of the petals on my flowers. THe pictures are not great as I took them with my phone and will try and get some better detailed ones if I have time but if you see where a guy could make improvement would love to hear some critiques. Thanks Justin

I was hoping to try and find a distibutor that was more a commercial firshing supply company because this type of rope is acutually used for Longlining and for crab pots. I had a look at frontier and for the 3 strand stuff they are charging 1.70/foot and some of the stuff that I have looked at that sounds and looks similar other then color is selling in the neighborhood of 0.17 cents/foot. Just thought I would see if anyone new anything about that stuff sold by commercial fishing companies to see if it is the same stuff. If i can't find it might just have to break down and buy some from one of the suppliers you guys had mentioned. Thanks for the info. Justin

Didn't know if anyone would know of a supplier that sells the 3 or 4 strand yellow/gold polly rope that has the lead twisted into as well? I have heard that it is a fishing rope used for crab pots and fishing nets. I have found lots of suppliers that carry a leaded type of rope but haven't been able to find the gold stuff. If you know of anyone who has tried ordering a spool of this type of rope and has had good luck with ordering it that way let me know because if it is the same stuff as I have been looking at it is much cheaper to just order a large roll of it compared to getting it cut at some of the local suppliers. Thanks Justin

Hello Everyone I am thinking of making up some reins and possibly some good using bridles to add a bit of inventory and for some of the ranchers in my wifes family. I haven't bought any harness sides before and was just wondering what type of price a guy would be looking at . Also if you have any recomendations for suppliers that seem to have nice long sides for 7-8 foot reins that a guy would be able to get 8-10 sets of lines out of that would be great as well. Thanks Justin

Thanks. Most of the pics were last minute because I am usually finishing projects right at the deadline! I need to get a light box set up and some stands for hanging things like breast collars, bridles, chaps etc so I can get nicer pics. All things in time I guess and thanks for the comments! Have a good one. Justin

Hey Everyone, I have been working off and on for the last couple of years trying to put together a website to try and promote my leather work more. I have struggled with trying to find a lay out that is easy for people to use and at the same time tries to present my work as good as possible. If you have time and feel like taking a quick look to give me a critique on the lay out I would appreciate it and don't worry about hurting my feelings if you think something needs to be changed by all means let me know. One thing I do know is I need to start taking better pictures of my stuff but that will have to be a work in progress as more stuff comes off the bench. Denise did point out to me that having the pics in a silde show format doesn't allow for people to see a bunch of pictures and allow them to pick one they want to look at and might not stick around long enough to see the all the pictures run though. I changed the saddles page to a tile format for the pics but left the other pages the same just to see what people think. Also if any of you are on dial up would love to hear if my site functions alright when not on high speed because Ihaven't been able to test that yet. My site is www.hanginh.com Thanks Justin

Thanks for the info guys. Have a good one!

Hey Everybody! I recently got a saddle in for some repairs that had a fender rip off after a colt got the stirrup stuck on a rail or post or something and I have been debating with myself what I should be charging for the repairs that I made. I had to put a new blevins buckle on, its a cutting saddle so only had half stirrup leathers which got ripped in half so that had to be replaced and then a new latigo strap had to be put on. It doesn't seem like a lot of work but of course when you move as slow as I do it did take me about 2.5 hours from start to finish. I really don't care to do lots of repair work because it tends to get my bench dirty and I feel that the grime in the leather can't be good for my tools and the edges on them as well. I would love to know if anyone has a base rate they charge for repair work and from the description above maybe even a ball park figure of what I should be charging! Thanks for the help! Justin

They look great Bruce! The tooling and craftmanship are great as always. Thanks for posting them. Justin

Hey Steve, Have been a long admire of your work since I saw a art square of some floral caving that you had done in at Caledon here in town. Will definitely take you up on the offer and would love to meet and talk saddles and maybe even a bit of fly fishing! Thanks again, Justin Hozack

Hey Guys, I think this is a great topic and one that I find really interesting because it does apply to me being someone trying to become a better saddlemaker and just starting out. Having read the previous posts by Darc, Bruce, Steve etc it has been enlighting to see how the other side of the coin thinks and feels about providing help and information to young guys starting out in the business. In the past I have found it hard to ask for help not because I feel that I build good saddles and don't need the help but rather that it is intimdating sometimes to ask established saddlemakes questions because i feel that it is a stupid question that I should know the answer to or they are just to busy and I don't want to be wasting their time. Case in point I was lucky enough to have a vist with Chuck Stormes and I think the second question out of my mouth was "Where do you get your trees?" I have read through Chucks website probably a dozen times prior to meeting him and I know exactly where he gets his trees from. He builds them! Felt like a real Donkey after that but he was really helpfule, gave me lots of good information on my saddle that I had built and told me how to make it better and for that I am very grateful because he didn't need to help me but did because I had asked him for some help. The point that I am trying to make is that if you are just starting out some of the best help you can get can sometimes be in asking the question and trying to open up the lines of communication with someone that is more experienced than you. I am still not as good as I should be about calling or seeking help from others but it has been one of the better tools that I have found to try and improve my saddlemaking abilities. Also I am planning on taking your advive Darc and am planning on trying to build a Wade to enter in the Kamloops festival next year to try and get a critique on my saddle and spend a weekend trying to gather up as much information from the other guys as I can. Thanks Justin Hozack

Hello Everybody! Just getting started on a new calf roping saddle for myself and got the bright idea to try and put pointed square skirts on it tro try and do something different from other saddles that I have built in the past. Been looking around at a bunch of different saddles with square skirts on them to try and get some ideas on shape and size but thought I would see if anyone had built any square skirted saddles in the past and if there are any tricks/tips you could give me to try and make the process as easy as possible.... if thats possible? Thanks Justin

As soon as the wife finishes residency and gets into surgery so she can support my hobbies! Now I just need to convince her!

Thanks for the pointers Andy. I seem to always have a bit of trouble with getting the rear jockeys to fit down really tight and i am not sure if it doesn't have something to do with the pattern or if like you say I am not pulling them down tight enough or blocking the skirts enough through the back. I have always blocked the skirts after the rigging is on and I was wondering would it be ok to block them prior to installing the rigging to allow a bit more room to get them up around the edges of the bars better. Maybe I just need to be a bit more diligent when I am blocking the skirts to make sure I get up and around the edges. The fork cover didn't end up quite as good as I would have liked it to and partially blame it to not paying enough attention when I was pulling it down tight with my awls and making sure that it stayed square. I will have to add it to the list of things to watch for when I start the next one. Thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone it has been a big help from one saddle to the next for me to improve my work. Justin

Thanks JW and you are probably right that I should have a bit more skirt out the front and on the next one I will be keeping a bit more out there. Since this saddle was for a lady I was trying to keep the skirts as small as possible to keep it lighter but by the same token another inch out the front wouldn't have made any difference to the weight in the end. This was saddle number 4 for me and like the other 3 before it there is always things to change and try and improve on for the next one. On a side note JW I was on your website having a look at your gear that you have made which looks great but the other thing that sure looked good to me was that nice Grey stud that is on the front page! I didn't see all his bloodlines but he sure looks like a Playgun to me. Thanks Bruce, the Rose knife I bought from you sure came in handy building this one. Just need to convince the Boss/wife that I need more tools and then I will be giving you a call again. Thanks Justin

Hope that everyone managed to have a good Christmas and if you were like me you at least "tried" not to over indulge in the turkey. This is the latest saddle that I have made and any critiqes or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It is a 14.5 inch wade built on a Rod Nikkel tree, is a complete rough out with a San Carlos border and i put a strainer seat in this one to try and change things a bit from the last ones that I have made which have all been leather ground seats. I didn't get a chance to weigh it to see how heavy it was but it didn't feel to bad and more importantly the girl I made it for seemed to like it so if she is happy then so am I. Thanks Justin

Hey everybody, I was looking a building myself a new saddle to Calf Rope out of and seeing as I have never built on before I thought I would see if anyone on here has made any or had any insight on construction, trees, hardware etc. Lots of guys that I have talked to are using the Faith calf roping saddles and I had a look at one of the trees and they seem to be similar to an OY tree but didn't know if anyone has a tree or modified tree that they like to use. Like I say any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Thanks Darcy and Steve, I see what you mean with the symetrical seat on your saddle Darcy and I think that by raising my rigging will definetly help me achieve a better line because I won't have to the seat jockey drop so much to try and cover the rigging hole. Also Darcy I noticed on your saddle that your rigging is put in with what look like brass rivets and I was just curious where you get them from because I have never seen them before. I also notice that with the skirts on your saddle Darcy that they appear to be some where in the that 5-6 inch range from the bottom of your bars and I was just wondering if you ever build them smaller than that or would that be a standard size on your wade saddles. The reason I am asking is I am currently working on a wade saddle for a gal and she would like it as light as possible with small round skirts. I know that you don't want them to small but I am just not a hundred percent sure on what is considered to small. I have looked at my father in laws saddle made by Deryk Pitts and his skirts do seem a bit smaller than mine but thought that I should ask in case there is a prefernce or not. Thanks again for all the info guys i hope that my lines on my saddles get half as good as either of yours and I would be one happy camper. Have a good one!