Introduction

[RyanCope]

I am very new to this forum and just wanted to post a recent saddle.

Ryan Cope

[bruce johnson]

Ryan,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting. The saddle looks great. I especially like the way the carving flows around the meander on the back billets. Seeing some Visalia influence in the leaves and florals too. Nice, nice, nice.

[Skipknives]

I don't know all the pains it is to make a saddle but i figure its a bear.

I have been saving photos of stuff for the past week to study.

totaly awsome.

[steveh]

Excellent work, unique mixture of floral and basket stamp well done.

Steve

[Beaverslayer]

Welcome to the forum Ryan. That's some beautiful work you've done there, saddle makers just impress the hell out of me with all the detailed carving and work that goes into one. I really like the Ostrich seat, nust wonder what it does to the old derier after a days ride.

Ken

[Matara]

I saw a monkey making a saddle on youtube. Cant be that hard!!!lOl HAHA

Amazing work Ryan!!!

Welcome

Freddie

[Don101]

Hi Ryan welcome to the forum, that is one nice piece of work, great carving and really deep, just very impressive, Don

[fortysomething]

That is a beautiful saddle. The work displayed on this site is truly impressive.

[ClayB]

That really is a beautiful saddle. I have had the picture up on the screen since last night when I first saw it and I keep going back to it. I would have thought floral, basketweave, AND a serpentine border would have to be just too much, but you really brought it all together and made it look great. The large pictures make it nice to see how you carved things and you did some interesting things. I like the large viener instead of pear shading some of the leaves. I haven't figured out what you used instead of a seeder for some of the flower center, but it looks neat.

It almost looks like you rolled the edge on you seat cutout, did you? On the first inlaid padded seat I did, the inlay set a little below the seat leather like it looks like yours does at the back. I was told that was wrong so on my second one, I used two layers of padding and then it stuck up above the seat leather. I am wondering how much padding should there be.

Great looking saddle. Glad you found Leatherworker and thanks for sharing the pictures.

Clay

[RyanCope]

Clay,

If by "rolling the edge" you are referring to the pad, I did taper the edge with my scratcher. I wouldn't normally do that. However, the person who ordered the saddle was adamant about not wanting the pad to stick up above the leather when it was new, or after it was broke in, so I did things a little different. By that I mean he didn't want to feel the squared edge of the pad on a long day. Whether or not it worked, I'm sure I'll be hearing about it after the fall works. I did use a 3/8" closed cell foam pad. As far as right or wrong goes.... I couldn't tell you. I'm sure there are plenty of you more educated on the subject than myself. Thanks for the kind words.

Ryan Cope

Edited November 7, 2007 by RyanCope