Rear cinch strap

[DieselTech]

Guys & gals I got a friend, who broke a rear cinch strap on his J&J Saddle. 

Well I elected myself to make a new one & got a couple questions. 

#1: what kind of leather is used in the cinch straps? Veg-tan?

#2 do they use a reinforcement piece sandwiched in between the layers of leather where the strap adjustment holes are? 

Thanks. Any & all help will be greatly appreciated. 

[rktaylor]

I use fairly stiff veg tan lined with latigo. It shouldn't need reinforcement at the holes. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

6 minutes ago, rktaylor said:

I use fairly stiff veg tan lined with latigo. It shouldn't need reinforcement at the holes. 

Randy

Ok thanks. I got some stiff veg-tan saddle skirting & most other weights of veg-tan leather as well. 

What weight of Latigo side should I buy to line it with? I can purchase what I need. Do you got a recommendation? 

Thanks again for the help. 

It's much appreciated. 

[DieselTech]

The cinch strap are 1¾ wide & 9mm thick on this particular saddle. If that helps any. Looks like 2 layers on the strap. 

[1hp]

i have a Martin saddle. bout same width & .34 thick. 2 layers veg.

[1hp]

Martin billet.

[rktaylor]

I have used everything from 6-7 ounce to 9-10 ounce latigo. It depends on the expected use. You could just double the saddle skirting if that's what you have on hand.

1.75" is pretty standard width. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

10 minutes ago, 1hp said:

Martin billet.

That looks real close. The billet that broke has a hoof pick pouch. Looks nice. I'm hoping mine turns out that nice. 

Thanks for sharing that billet. I like the gunslinger stitching. 

[DieselTech]

18 minutes ago, rktaylor said:

I have used everything from 6-7 ounce to 9-10 ounce latigo. It depends on the expected use. You could just double the saddle skirting if that's what you have on hand.

1.75" is pretty standard width. 

Randy

My buddy does a bunch of roping cattle & uses a breastplate/collar strap as well. I think that's what he called it. 

To me it looks like on the original billet/strap, they used 14-16oz saddle skirting & lined it with 6-7oz or 9-10oz Latigo. 

Should I just order a Herman oak 9-10oz Latigo side. 

I would like to make a new matching set of billets for him. 

What would be a good buddy price on something like this? 

I'm not new to leather working, I'm just new to the horse tack saddle stuff & the nomenclature of it. 

Thanks. I appreciate everyone's help. 

Edited September 9 by DieselTech

[DieselTech]

The other thing I'm curious about. 

What length of Latigo lace is used to tie your billets on with?

I watched Don Gonzales video on tieing billets & it was real informative. Looks like he used a lace about 36" long & then cut the tails off when finished tied. 

Thanks. 

[TomE]

I mostly work on English tack, but here are some thoughts.  I bought a side of HO 11-12 oz latigo that is beautiful leather.  I've used it to make a bridle, some straps, and saddle strings (lace).  I split it to ~5-6 oz and beveled the edges for saddle strings.  I think Bruce Cheaney has a video about this.  Lubricate generously with saddle soap before lacing.  Harness leather is another choice for saddle billets.  It is strong and weatherproof.  It is my go-to for English saddle billets.  Hermann Oak Leather sent me samples of all the colors they make (black and chocolate were my choice for English saddles).  They will sell you items that aren't stocked by their retailers without the usual 5 side minimum order.

[DieselTech]

35 minutes ago, TomE said:

I mostly work on English tack, but here are some thoughts.  I bought a side of HO 11-12 oz latigo that is beautiful leather.  I've used it to make a bridle, some straps, and saddle strings (lace).  I split it to ~5-6 oz and beveled the edges for saddle strings.  I think Bruce Cheaney has a video about this.  Lubricate generously with saddle soap before lacing.  Harness leather is another choice for saddle billets.  It is strong and weatherproof.  It is my go-to for English saddle billets.  Hermann Oak Leather sent me samples of all the colors they make (black and chocolate were my choice for English saddles).  They will sell you items that aren't stocked by their retailers without the usual 5 side minimum order.

Thanks TomE. I appreciate your feedback. I'll check out Bruce's video. 

Yeah Don Gonzales had a good video on preparing Latigo saddle lace for tying billets on with. 

Guess I better get some more leather ordered. 

Thanks. I appreciate you helping a newbie. 

[rktaylor]

On 9/8/2024 at 9:13 PM, DieselTech said:

What would be a good buddy price on something like this?

My good buddies would drop off a 30 pack and call it good.

I have trouble pricing items, so I'm not the best source. You can price a set of billets online or at the local farm store and realize there is no way you can make them for that. You'll either give away your labor or materials or maybe some of both. However you'll make a higher quality product. Thus, I try to price items 40-50% above production items and realize, it's not going to be my bread and butter. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, rktaylor said:

My good buddies would drop off a 30 pack and call it good.

I have trouble pricing items, so I'm not the best source. You can price a set of billets online or at the local farm store and realize there is no way you can make them for that. You'll either give away your labor or materials or maybe some of both. However you'll make a higher quality product. Thus, I try to price items 40-50% above production items and realize, it's not going to be my bread and butter. 

Randy

Thanks. Yeah I was looking at some rear flank billets from some higher end saddle makers. I was looking at their billets & @ them prices it is going to be hard to compete with their prices. 

Should I sew these billets together with 346 bonded polyester thread? 

Thanks.

[rktaylor]

I use 346 on top and 277 on bottom. 

RT

[DieselTech]

20 minutes ago, rktaylor said:

I use 346 on top and 277 on bottom. 

RT

Thanks. I appreciate it. I pretty sure I have seen some of your saddles & they are just beautiful. 

[DieselTech]

On my rear flank billets. Lmao I think that is there real name for them. 

What size are the 3 holes in the billet to tie the billet on? This particular saddle  uses 3/8 latigo saddle string to tie the billets on with. 

Should the 3 billet holes be a 1/4" or bigger? Perhaps smaller? 

Thanks. Any & all help appreciated. 

[DieselTech]

Nothing like good tooling! Tools that is. 

Bought this skiver a year ago & finally got around to using it. 

I cut my latigo saddle strings with it. Basically you skive the right & left side to create a half diamond shaped saddle string. 

Supposedly doing this helps the lace to lay flat when you tie the billets on. 

This is all a learning experience for me. 

Edited September 17 by DieselTech

[rktaylor]

On 9/10/2024 at 1:46 PM, DieselTech said:

I pretty sure I have seen some of your saddles & they are just beautiful. 

Thanks. I appreciate the compliment. 

The hole size depends on lace thickness and width. 1/4" seems small to me. Depending on your lacing pattern, two holes could have three pieces of lace going through. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, rktaylor said:

Thanks. I appreciate the compliment. 

The hole size depends on lace thickness and width. 1/4" seems small to me. Depending on your lacing pattern, two holes could have three pieces of lace going through. 

Randy

Ok thanks rk. If I was using 3/8" wide 8-9oz latigo billet tie/lace. What size would you make the billet holes? It does have the lace that passes thru the top 2 holes 3 times on the billet. 

I don't  have the saddle. Till it gets cold. Then the guys stop riding. 

Thanks. Appreciate your help. 

Edited September 18 by DieselTech

[rktaylor]

I would split that to 3-4 oz and use a 5/16" hole. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

5 minutes ago, rktaylor said:

I would split that to 3-4 oz and use a 5/16" hole. 

Randy

Thanks. rk. I appreciate your expertise. I think I may have chance to look at the saddle again this weekend. I will try to remember to check the billet tie hole size. 

Thanks again. 

[rktaylor]

I just looked at a few saddles and most of mine are tied with 1/4 to 5/16 wide lace with about a 3/16 hole. The lace is either 3-4 oz latigo or kangaroo that is really thin. 

Randy

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, rktaylor said:

I just looked at a few saddles and most of mine are tied with 1/4 to 5/16 wide lace with about a 3/16 hole. The lace is either 3-4 oz latigo or kangaroo that is really thin. 

Randy

Thanks rk. I will try to get a look at the saddle this weekend. Then I will kinda get a idea of what they used & what direction to go. 

Thanks.