Old Vs New - Quality?

[hansol04]

Wanted to throw this out to the experts here: When it comes to quality, is there a noticeable difference between the "Old" (Let's say pre ww2) saddles and construction vs the new stuff? Obviously there's some nuance here (junk is junk, no matter when it was built), but is there any truth to "The old leathers were better/thicker", or the old craftsmen did things better, or that kind of stuff?

I don't have a ton of experience to judge this, but I know when I compare 1920-1950's era firearms, there's a noticeable difference in quality vs modern stuff. On the other hand, modern Toyotas sure blow the pants off a Model T.

[Dwight]

I don't think it is as much old vs new . . . as it is the X craftsman vs the Y craftsman.

You cannot buy a 1920 era 1911 that will outshoot my Springfield Armory 1911

None of the old 03-A3's will outshoot a brand new Browning.

The new frames for saddles are fiberglass now . . . as opposed to rawhide and wood a hundred years ago . . . so I'd give the edge to new ones . . . IF . . . and again IF the new craftsman is equal or better than the old fellow from back then.  We have sewing machines that will do a more even job . . . the thread used for sewing is much better than the old cotton . . . 

I think personally you are barking up a tree with no squirrels if you truly believe what you will use today will be better if it was made 100 years ago.

Just my opinion.

May God bless,

Dwight

[badhatter1005]

I'd say in this situation it's a matter of preference. I can't think of anything saddle wise that was made a hundred years ago that is going to be more comfortable than a current saddle made with a fiberglass frame. Also not as light to carry back and forth.  Seriously pick up a McClellan saddle Pre-World war II ride with it for 2 hours and then carry it back to the tack room. Then do the same thing with a modern saddle and feel the difference. I think it has to do more with the person making the saddle. Find a reputable tackman. I can personally recommend Don Gonzalez. Probably the best I know of.

[bruce johnson]

There were good makers and poor ones throughout history. I really don't think there can be much generalization. What changed is that most  older saddles were made to a quality and durability standard for the most part with a few catalog exceptions (Sears and Montgomery Ward). When horses went from a tool to a hobby then some rider's expectations changed. Cowboys needed users. Casual riders were different. They wanted something affordable to go ride down the trail for an hour or around a ring, not 4-8 hour days. Enter the pricepoint saddles. 

Materials? Maybe the hides were thicker, maybe they were tanned differently. Some of those old guys talk about drowning your leather until it stopped bubbling, then put into a sweat box to case for a day to be able to work it. Was it any better or worse? Who knows. The fact is that leather is a perishable product and leather weakens over time. Would I strap a hundred year old saddle on now and trust the rigging -  oh hell no. The cattle business has changed - younger cattle, less brands and scars, and smaller hides. Leather has changed and tanning has changed. Those old needle and awl machines and waxed linen thread held a ton of saddles together. Nothing to sneeze at there. 

Saddle trees. - some are fiberglass covered wood, some are rawhide covered wood, and some are molded composites. At one time you could not sell a fiberglass covered tree to a great basin buckaroo - had to be rawhided and some buyers were specific as to who needed to make the tree.  Likewise it was a hard sell to get a Texas roper to buy a rawhide tree - had to be fiberglassed. Both are right. The casual rider either didn't care. They'd buy a brand name saddle from a store and not care what kind of tree it had or who made it. 

Makers - Those older saddles were generally shorter seats and had a pretty ground seat in them. They were made for longer day users.  New ones from a quality maker - sure. Production saddles - maybe to no. Ground seat, stirrup set, balance points - they all affect the ride. You can sit in anything for an hour but 5 hours changes that equation. The good makers know that. 

Good ones were good then and good ones are good now. Horse's backs have changed, riders have changed, materials have changed, information explosion has changed a lot of stuff too.