Saddlebag

It seems to me the G (can't remember) Saddle Works. Not the same as Great West Saddlery.

I blew the bank on my Union Shoe/Pearson and have never been sorry. I use an old Singer that was used in the upholstery trade for the lighter threads but seldom use it as most of my work involves the heavier leathers. Harness I do by hand.

There has to be a better way than how I've been doing it. Can anyone tell/show me the correct way? thanks

I've heard of saddlemakers using auto body putty to strengthen that type of tree. I may experiment with doing just that.

I'm curious, is the name Lebman or Lehman? as I've heard of Lehman saddles. A saddle with a Ralide tree came into my shop as it was cracking from the slot across the seat. The cantle screw had been place too close. I'm thinkng it was the manufacturer's fault.

Is it the blevins buckle that is catching the leather's? If so you might want to consider have them removed and use lacing instead. The blevins were great for riding stable saddles that needed to change the length frequently. Since no one else uses my good saddle, the leathers are laced. I'm also wondering if you are sitting too far back in the saddle. Your pelvis should be in the deepest part but then some saddles push the rider toward the cantle.

A light Circle Y barrel saddle came into my shop a few years back for minor repair and the finish made it look like it had been thro a war. Darker areas appeared where the finish had worn off. I considered buying it, deglazing and going with a dark oil antique look, but I wasn't prepared to pay her asking price.

Are you sure the GSW refers to Great West Saddlery? It seems odd the letters would be switched.

Toni, did you get the Longhorn?

The style of the round skirted saddle was popular thro the 50's and 60's. I rode in one for 5 hours and nary a complaint.

Have you tried putting a piece of paper over top and penciling with the side of a soft pencil? Sometimes this will reveal more. Just lght side to side strokes.I wondering if I'm seeing the word Menea in the inner circle. Menea was an earlier maker.

Some of the topicals add a nice high shine as long as they are applied only to areas that don't bend, the forks and maybe the cheyenne roll. If the leather moves, the topicals crack leaving a fine spider web appearance. I have cleaned hundreds of saddles and pretty much stick with elbow grease.

My first was a pony saddle. The jockey were curled right up and rock hard. I saddle soaped several times to get some moisture back into the leather. I then used flannel rags folded into thick pads and put them under water as hot as I could stand it. I then pushed a wet pad under each side and secured with flannel strips. After 5 or 6 hours I dmapened the pads again and retied the strips. Altho the jockeys wouldn't lay flat since the molecular structure had stretched, they were flatter and at least comfortable under the leg. There's a saddle in the shop at the moment that's going to get this done. The jockeys are trying to curl, altho not bad yet and the leather is dry. It's had it's first good soaping and get's another tomorrow. It's already looking and feeling better.

There is also info on youtube.

Contact Dusty Johnson (web site) He quit making saddles and turned his attention to restoring, refurbishing the older parade saddles.Very knowledgeable.

50's? Just by the style, conchos which are likely original.

By the style of the barrel front, the cinch ring and the rawhide cantle and stirrups, you saddle likely dates early to mid 80's to sometime in the 90's.

I saw a saddle like this years ago and was told it was a horse patrolman's saddle, as in police man.

Strange thing, back then saddles were built to last a lifetime. The junk we see today didn't exist then.

These were sold in the late 50's early 60's.

If you know Pearson's then you know this machine. It is in A1 condition. Sits on a cast iron treadle base. Best machine for sewing sheepskin on heavy saddle skirting. Micrometer stitch length setting. Never given me a lick of trouble. Operates on manpower, free of the grid. I don't know how to post pics here but have numerous I can email.

Meem, that is more or less the natural coloring of the saddle. The main background was called dark oil antique. The flowers were lighter so the design would stand out. The white you are seeing is likely old dried saddlesoap. If so, working with a toothpick should remove it. Don't use a round cocktail toothpick or anything metal. Just flat toothpicks. They will break before you damage the leather. Your saddle is a great trail saddle.

I've now looked at the pics and I think you got yourself a good deal. I've worked on hundreds of saddles and yours is right in the middle for quality. There is nothing to prove the saddle is Mexican made (apparently in a derogatory tone). I suspect that repair person knew he could turn a good dollar on your saddle.

That saddle fellow is full of hooey if he told you the fenders can't be shortened. I've done it. I make a pattern of the top of the fencer, reduce it by how much the owner requests, I then use the paper pattern to reshape the top of the fender to resemble the original and reattach to the stirrup leather.I suspect your fenders aren't as high as they can go. You might be able to push them up another 3 or 4 inches. Since the stirrup leather wraps around the tree it may not want to budge. I push up on the fender with one hand and pull down on the stirrup leather with the other. Grunt like hell. It helps. Let us know if you can't get them to move. Once your fenders are higher you can adjust the stirrup length.

A Leddy comes to mind.