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Showing results for tags 'saddle'.
Found 83 results
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I acquired this saddle from a friend, who bought it several years ago from one of her friends. There’s no obvious maker’s mark and the only possible ID I can find on the saddle is a set of numbers on the latigo holder. I assume it’s likely from a small maker and impossible to identify, but I thought I would see if anyone had any ideas. I’m also very curious about the age of the saddle. I’m replacing the saddle strings because the old ones were falling apart and it has ended up being a more labor intensive process than I expected. The strings are run under the rawhide tree. The saddle has round skirts and a wide, short horn. It was initially a light oil but has now darkened quite a bit. The tooling appears to be machined, not hand done. Thanks!! -
Does anyone have any good tips- with legitimate reasoning why you use one or the other for the type of leather you use to make 8' split reins with water loops? I have used both- latigo seems to be easier to get heavier sides (thicker reins) and I am always impressed by the durability, but I like the way bridle/ harness finishes and is much more pliable. I have thought about doubling up lighter weight latigo and stitching but together but I also feel this is a somewhat unnecessary step especially when there isn't much of a return for spending a lot of time on reins. If I were to double and stitch say something in the ball park of 7/8 oz. H.O. latigo- should I apply barges in between? Or add anything in the ends for weight? Do you hot dip? What temp do you like to put your oil at? Thanks in advance
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Hi all! I just finished up my first saddle build, built on a 15 1/2" Cliff Wade tree. I had a ton of fun with it, and hope I'll be making many more. I roped in it last night after a few rides and it felt great! I used HO 13-15 skirting leather, and hardware from Jeremiah Watt. Everything was hand stitched (I really need to buy a machine!). I know I need to work on my cantle binding stitching, so any tips on keeping that clean and consistent would be welcome. I want to keep improving and I'd be glad to hear any critiques and advice all of you saddle makers might have!
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Hello friends, I have recently inherited a very old saddle. Through a little bit of cleaning discovered that it was manufactured by the late F.O.Baird. There is not a lot of information on this maker available on the internet today. Mostly of what I dug up was related to his artwork and very little of his saddles other than their auction prices. What I did find about the saddles is that they are highly collectible and rare to find. I'm looking for a little more information -- if anyone happens to have any to share it will be appreciated. https://photos.app.goo.gl/FGUt4YYFAexcmgTD8 -
Hi again, I am wanting to look into building my own pack saddle on a sawbuck tree. I’m wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of some literature or videos? I have plenty here to build off, but would like to build some more knowledge around it. tthanks in advance!
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I had a Hamley saddle in 1981 3/4 single rig. The front rigging leather was run through the brass o-ring, lapped under and laced with the three point configuration. The single thickness was screwed to the bar around the swell. Where on the side of skirting leather do you think they cut these riggings? The single thickness proved to be quite durable and strong with heavy roping and I used it for 25 years.
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I dyed one of my best saddles with fiebings pro dye dark brown, and it turned almost black. I’m so sad and it looks hideous. Is there any way to lighten, bleach it or take the dye out? I would love to save it ❤️❤️❤️
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Does anyone know anything about H.H. Schweitzer saddles out of Matador Texas? I have two saddles inherited from my great great grandfather and great grandfather. I know one was made for my great great grandfather, and don't know where the other one came from. I posted a few pictures, they aren't the best, but at least you can see what I'm talking about. If anyone has any info on the maker I would greatly appreciate it.
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Hello all! Finished saddle 3! It's a 14.5" Olin Young ranch roper. Can't thank Travis Kading enough for letting me do this build at his saddlery and for all the help he gave me along the way! Especially for showing me how to do those single piece swells.
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Hi, this saddle has been given to me and has been passed down in the family for three generations that we know of. It is an N. Porter and the serial number is 23126. I know there is someone here that has the original cards for yhese and would love to get some information to share with the family. Thanks!
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A customer has asked me to restore a favorite saddle of hers and wants the wool redone as well .... Anyone have any tips on how to do this??
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Hi everyone, I'm the leather-craft volunteer for the Equine Rescue and Adoption Foundation ( http://www.eraf.org ). The foundation is located in south Florida. I have been repairing, cleaning, and oiling the leather tack and saddles donated to eraf. These items are usually in in ruff dry, dirty condition and not suitable for use or sale. The foundation currently has about 25 horses available for adoption and sponsorship. Here are some of the leather reins and bridles that I have cleaned and are drying before their wipe down with neetsfoot oil. Here are also a couple of saddles betting repaired.
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Hello Everyone! I have a couple of Vergez Blanchard tools for sale that I got as a gift but never got around to using them. First there is a stitching roulette or pricking wheel with guide and includes #7, 8, 9, 10, 12 wheels, and a saddler's knife which is used to trim leather edges or cut veg tan leather used in the saddlery trade but not limited to it. Stitching Roulette - USD 240 Saddler's Knife - USD 60 -
Hello everyone, I recently moved from Montana to Oregon. Specifically, I moved near Albany, in Linn County. When I lived in Montana, I was being taught how to make a saddle by a great guy. Unfortunately, I had to move short notice and wasn't able to get very far. I would like to find someone local to me that would be willing to teach me. I have the Stohlman books and I could probably find some videos, but I would much rather have someone with experience that I could ask questions to and get to know. I also don't have every tool that a person needs. I'm happy to pay and/or help out with any chores that need done. If anyone knows someone like this I would love to be connected with them! Thanks in advance
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Hey y’all! I was wondering what I can use in a pinch from the kitchen to clean and bring leather back to life. A few days back I found that ALL of my leather care products have gone missing when I went to clean and condition an older saddle. I have had this saddle 3 years and I haven’t touched it, before that it sat in a antique shop for God knows how long, and before that I don’t think it was ever cleaned and conditioned. The saddle is super stiff in areas, dirty, and cracking around the tooled areas. All vital parts are in great shape. I’m leasing a horse that I can actually use this saddle on and I do intend to use it. Back to the kitchen.. I got to researching what I can use in a pinch and my search brought me here where I found an old post about using tallow. I don’t have tallow...I have pork fat, duck fat, and spray coconut oil. I opted to use my duck fat. I was quite shocked at the results and how the suppleness returned to parts of the saddle, granted my whole jar of duck fat went into the saddle..it was a tad thirsty.. The duck fat didn’t discolor the saddle either. Can I continue to use duck fat or should I get beef tallow/pork fat? Or should I just buy some kind of leather care product again? (Picture is of saddle after a jar of duck fat) -
Hello all! Here is my second saddle I finished just in time for the leather trade show in Prescott. I was beyond thankful to get 2nd place! I learned so much from judges Gordon Andrus, Bob Klenda, and Al Gould. What a great experience! Can't wait to start on number 3 and make it even better! Saddle details: 15-1/2" Hogg roper tree with leg-cuts. Thoroughbred leather All hardware was from my good friend Gordy Alderson.
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I have an N Porter saddle in nearly pristine condition with the id # Q31895 and, as a collector of artifacts and an amateur historian, would like to find out the history of this saddle, at least the year it was made and for whom it was made. I hope I'm on the right forum and thanks in advance for any information that can be provided. Renegade12
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Hello all! Here's a roper saddle a friend asked me to replace the seat and fenders with a rough-out seat and fenders. It's a Vaquero stock saddle made by D. L. Moe. My friend said he didn't like how the padded seat was so high and said a deeper rough-out seat would be worth more to him than a tooled padded seat. I removed the seat and worked on the ground seat a little (there were some bumps under the pad). I also cleaned the tooled areas and put a new finish on it. It was a shame to replace all the beautiful tooling, but at the same time, I'd personally much rather work in the deeper rough-out seat than in that padded seat. Here's before: Here's after: Critique always welcome. Thanks! Ryan
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Hello, I am pretty new to leather work so I've been soaking up as many youtube videos as I can trying to learn. I found this forum while looking for inspiration to make this and found some gorgeous work here. This sheath was made for a guy at work that wanted to hang his knife off the horn of his saddle while riding but could also wear it on a belt from time to time. I decided the best way to achieve this was as a baldric style rig. The leather is 8oz veg tanned. My stitching chisel is labled "4.0mm" so I'm assuming that's the spacing and I used .8mm thread. (If any of this sounds wrong, please correct me. I'm still learning.) After looking at other's work on this forum and comparing the cheap chinese stamps I bought as a set off of amazon to others I've found at hobby lobby, I've decided that my tools aren't "crisp" enough and are not leaving great impressions. I plan on a better basketweave stamp as my next purchase. Over all, I learned a lot making this and am fairly happy with the results. I did make plenty of mistakes so don't look too close. Hopefully I can avoid those in the future.
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I found this Simco saddle at the curb on a neighborhood cleanup day. I've cleaned it up some with saddle soap, and got the suede looking better. I can't read the number on it. It has a lot of tooling and a silver piece on top of the horn. The tree looks unbroken. to me it seems worth the trouble.
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Hello All, Here is saddle project #4 - This is a slick fork saddle I built for a friend on a Swanke tree. Finished out at 15.5" seat. 4.5" handhole w/90 degree bars. As per usual by this stage of project all I see is problems & mistakes. I'd be very glad of input from other saddle makers as my goal is to improve my work continually/ My tooling is still very amateurish. Trying to develop my own style but it seems to require a lot of practice! Looking forward to hearing critiques and input! Regards, Ron L
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Hello, I am selling a Gritzner sole stitching machine in a good working condition. It was cleaned and oiled regularly. Pictures from the machine and stitching done with it can be seen at the following link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SbHjPHS4q-634VPuNwNaDd8E9KXapoFl Please let me know if you can't see the pictures. Price: 300 eur + shipping costs via transfer service (like Transfer Go, Transfer Wise, etc.) or paypal. Shipping from Romania. Weight approx.30kg Let me know if you are interested so we can find a good shipping solution. Best regards, George
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Hi All, New to this site and to saddle building. I have had the Stohlman Encyclopedias for years, but am just beginning my first saddle (no 2 in the encyclopedias) now. The encyclopedias are great and very detailed, but when it comes to modifying their plans there isn't a lot of info on how to do this. For example Al raves about 'Stohlman Style Rigging', but then only uses his style of rigging in one example (Saddle No. 4). I find it odd that he dedicates multiple pages to explaining why his methods are better, but then reverts back to a standard flat plate rigging in saddle no 2. If anyone has had success with using Stohlman's encyclopedias please let me know any tips and tricks to being successful with this guide especially in regards to rigging and deviating from his exact plans. Thanks! Jason -
Alright here's a question that came to me in the grocery store of all places! As best I've heard olive oil is the best option for conditioning/oiling leather particularly saddles yet, we all know supply and demand has made olive oil definitely not the cheapest oil to choose from. So my question here is what about cotton seed oil? I go to Texas Tech University in Lubbock which is surrounded by fields of cotton, so since cotton seed oil benefits my area I'd love for this to work. It is supposed to be growing to reach more markets but what if this could be a newfound market?
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Here is a few of my tips for getting your sewing to look like it was machine stitched. I took a few photos and a video, to hopefully show and explain it a bit better.... As you all know a saddle stitch is very nice looking and is accomplished by threading a needle on each end of the thread. The rule of thumb I use for measuring my piece of thread is slightly more than 3 times the length of your stitching. 3 times the length is how much thread you will use and the little more gives you enough thread to pass the needle into the thread to lock it as you work, and when you get to the end of your piece you have enough thread to backstitch to lock your sewing in place with no nasty looking knots. EG... if your piece to be stitched is 4" long, then you would cut a piece of thread that is 14" long (3 times 4" is 12" with 2" left over to lock the needle and backstitch). You start with your first hole by pushing one needle into the first hole, and pull the thread through until you have EQUAL amounts of thread on either side of your work. Now your ready to start stitching. It is always best to work from right to left, or left to right, but ALWAYS maintain that direction. Imagine your piece of work on a stitching pony in front of you... you have one needle in your right hand, and one in your left to help explain it. In this case I am working from right to left, meaning I push the right needle in first, then push the left needle through. Once you snug up the thread, you start into the next hole with the needle that is now on the right. When doing this, you should notice your right thread is always BEHIND your left thread. This is the key to making it look like it was machine sewn, and getting an even sturdy stitch. Push the right needle through and pull the thread a bit. Then push the LEFT needle through in FRONT of the thread you just pushed through. When pulling the thread tight, always pull the needles from ABOVE the threads in the holes, and when pulling the left needle, make sure it is between and above the threads in the work. The video and pictures below should help to explain this a bit better if I have confused you with my instructions.
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