getting started

[BevJones]

Hi all, I am from Wisconsin and have a deep desire to build saddles and make tack. Pretty big goal as I have no leather working experience, but, one must start somewhere. Tired of painting and drawing and I have become too frustrated trying to fit my horse and myself. Should look to purchasing a custom saddle...... anyway, after many days of internet searching, I felt your site was the best to guide me. People seem friendly and knowledgable. I intend to purchase Harry Adams and Al Stohlman's books. Will also purchase Jeremiah Watts DVD and may even spring for Dale Harwoods one of these days. Will look to this group to recommend where to buy kits for beginning based on quality and not getting ripped off with prices. I believe you get what you pay for, but I know some charge too much. I am realistic and realize I will probably need to make many belts and checkbook covers.....anyone have any recommendations on what kits to start with?

Bev

[Randy Cornelius]

Kits are a great way to start out with and to learn. Save all the patterns ect out of the kits that way you can build one out of your own leather some day. One thing about the kits is that the quality of leather is very low. I have complained about this but quality leather is not what sells these kits. As far as saddle making, I would also suggest Bill Gomers Video. But with any video there is a lot of little things you will not pickup on that you will in person taking a saddle making school. Having someone show you as you build one is the best way in my oponion. Trying to learn saddle making from a video or books would be a hard thing to do. I tried it and broke down and paid the money to go to Bill Gomer's school. The Stohlman books are also a valuable resourse to have.

Randy

[BevJones]

Randy,

Thanks for the tips. I have been looking at the schools and my head is swimming. They have them from 2 weeks to 2 years. Working full-time in healthcare, I could probably swing 3 weeks off at the most. Is a 3 week saddle course realistic? How long is Bill Gomers school?

[Beaverslayer]

Welcome to the forum Bev, good to have you here. You will find that everyone is very friendly and always willing to help.

Ken

[Randyc]

Your best bet is studying under a saddlemaker.

Best Wishes In Your Journey!

Randy

[broncobuster]

Hey Bev welcome im a newbie here to and from Wisconsin. but i do have a leather shop mostly repair. Where abouts are ya im in west central. good luck youll learn lots here. Bonnie

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hi BevJones,

starting out in saddlemaking is certainly a large endeavour. As was mentioned before, building your first saddle with someone who is experienced would be the best way to learn. Understanding what you are trying to achieve before starting a saddle is very important. If you follow a video and mimic what is being shown without any real understanding as to why things are done a certain way and what the end result of a process is meant to achieve, you really aren't learning all the skills you need. Working with an experienced saddlemaker would give you a better chance of learning what makes a good saddle a good saddle.

Recently I was getting some help with ground seats from one of the finest saddlemakers around and he told me over the phone that before starting the ground work I needed to have a clear picture of the final seat shape I was trying make. After I hung up and thought about this, I was sure that on previous saddles I had built, an image of the final shape I wanted was in my head before I started. It wasn't until I was in his shop watching him put in a groundseat that I realized I really didn't have the clear picture in my head that I thought I did. This thought process extends to every part of making a saddle; Being able to ask questions really clarifies a task and can make the whole learning curve much easier.

If it is absolutely impossible for you to spend time with a reputable maker, I'd suggest at least having a clear understanding of the mechanics of a saddle before trying to build one. By mechanics I mean what makes a good saddle perform correctly as far as fit for the horse (trees), comfort for the rider (seat shape), and safety and security for both the horse and rider (rigging). If you don't understand these aspects of a saddle, you can mimic a video all you want and still not produce a useful saddle.

Darc

[BevJones]

Thanks all for the advice. I really appreciate it. My final goal is saddles, however, I have other goals to meet to get there and you are just the group to help me with advice on the steps to get there. I appreciate all your help. I have ordered all 3 volumes of Al's saddle making encyclopedia to read. My goals are to read those 3 volumes. I also intend to read other books I ordered so I can find out about Darc's recommendation on trees and fit, etc. I also will get some kits and work on some smaller items. After that I want to call Bill Gomer for his recommendation on what else I should have under my belt before asking him if I can sign up for 2 weeks with him making a saddle. I will also order Bill Gomer's sadlemaking DVD as well, not Dales, a bit pricey. Bev

[David Genadek]

Bev,

You would be welcome to visit my Shop in Spring Valley MN about an hour west of La Crosse. I have many kinds of trees here and a bunch of horses so I could give you a pretty good perspective on different approaches in the industry. I have also spent a lot of time with Bill Gomer and will say that Bill is as good a teacher as you are a student. In other words the more you know going in the more you will walk away with. I also have a friend nearby that took Bills class recently that I can get you in touch with.

Personally I would advise you against doing any kits. You learn virtually nothing about leather working from a kit and it will actually hinder your developement as a saddlemaker. I would advise you to pick some projects you would like to make and make them. You need to focus on why, not how. You will discover the hows as fast as you get clear on the why's. You have to learn to think leather.

David Genadek

[BevJones]

David,

Wow, this is great. I live in Black River Falls and work in La Crosse so this is doable

How about we set a time up sometime after the holidays if that might work for you.

I have a horse so I know a bit about fitting them, however, I know nothing about fitting the rider other than seat size. I have a Crates saddle with basket weave and I would like to make a bridle and breast collar to match it. Maybe that is what I will start with.

I also need to figure out what tools to buy. I try to buy sets off Ebay but with no success. I try bidding during the last minute and always end up getting outbid. I'm afraid to go to high as I don't know what these tools are really worth.

Do you sell tools or leather...or strictly saddles? Maybe you can recommend a reasonable place around here where I can go to buy tools and supplies? Maybe I can buy some scraps from you to do a bridle in??

Bev

[David Genadek]

Bev,

You lucky dog your near one of the best restuarants in the country, Casablanca.

You can get a hold of me after the Holidays. I don't sell tools and there are no places around here that would have the quality of tools you would need to get a saddle done. The Leather Guy in St Charles has a good supply of leather though and is starting to get into other supplies. Other than that it is Tandy which is really a Fundametalist Christian organization (or at least has been in the past) that focuses on camps and Boy Scouts so as a rule thier tools are not suitable for real leather work although you can get by with thier stamps for tooling. As a rule their hand tools are worthless. But I can get you in touch with the people that make functional tools.

For the purpose of clarity you don't make a Bridle you make a headstall and riens, it becomes a bridle when you add the bit. Although the peices are small it is not a product you would want to use scrap for. I can explain enough to you when you are here to give you a beginning point and I certainly have enough scrap that you can use to practice with.

I will look forward to hearing form you.

David Genadek

[BevJones]

Thanks Dave,

I will be in touch after the holidays. Oh....I have a bit that I plan to put in the headstall.....so I could call it a bridle, yes? (don't expect an answer to that one) Met some horse people from Winona today that know of you. Said your real nice and do beautiful work. Looking forward to meeting you. Have a nice holiday!

Bev

[David Genadek]

Bev,

No you can't call it a bridle until the riens are on there too. Sorry one of the pet peaves around here. Living with a horse trainer I have learned that we leather people can be a bit sloppy with our terminology. I get corrected often.

David Genadek

[rdb]

You are mighty lucky Bev!!

If only this forum was around 35 years ago.....

[bruce johnson]

Bev,

There are several other suppliers of leather tools besides Tandy. We have have a few threads going in the saddle section, leather tools, and suppliers sections which discuss different tools. There is also a section in resources in the saddle section discussing the DVDs and instructionals. I would expect that you don't have a resale number. Weavers are wholesale only. Others have a website and you could look at them to get a bit of an idea of tools and price ranges. Jeremiah Watt (www.ranch2arena.com) has stamps, tools, and DVDs. Ron Edmonds (www.ronstools.com) are good. Hidecrafter sell tools. Siegel of California (www.siegelofca) sells leather and tools. They have Osborne as well as other French and English made tools. Other tool makers and sellers are Wayne Jueschke (Elko, NV), he makes stamps, mauls, and knives. Barry King (Sheridan WY) makes stamps, mauls, and cutting tools. Bob Douglas (Sheridan WY) sells old tools - stands behind them.

My thoughts are that unless you have unlimited time to sit there and money to buy duplicates or possibly used up or incomplete equipment - avoid ebay. Buy outright what you need. Ebay is the place to buy entry level sets that often sell for more than new. Also a place to buy collectible or obscure tools you may not need early on. It pays to know what you are bidding on there. There are tool collectors, who are just that - collectors and traders, not leather people. Leather tools are the hot thing right now. They are running on anything with Gomph, HF Osborne, Rose, and the other oldtime makers. A lot of these are good, useable tools and were designed correctly, but theses folks collect, show, and trade among themselves. They are not users, and will pay more than the useful value.

[BevJones]

Bruce,

Thanks for the info I will plan on reading up and visiting the sites you recommended. I'm really happy now that I did not win anything on ebay!

Bev

[cjf]

Welcome, You will get a great insight on saddle making by learning the anatomy of horses and also humans . I believe the saddle is to horse and rider as to what cartilage is to joints .This site will help with everything from saddle tree construction and rigging style and position, to myths and folklore. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask ANY questions.