Reommendations for Getting into Saddle Repair

[Samer]

Hello folks, I have a Shoe Repair, I have done little saddle repair work. I’d like to get into the saddle repair service. And you recommendations where to start and what to get for startup tools?

Are there any online schools?

Any comments or recommendations are appreciated.

Sam

Edited 11 hours ago by Northmount
Changed tile to relect actual topic

[DieselTech]

Check out Don Gonzales he has physical classes. & might offer online classes as well. 

[TomE]

As you no doubt know, English saddles and western saddles are 2 completely different items in terms of materials and construction.  There are a lot of resources and classes for western saddle making, which will show construction methods that are relevant for repairs.  I'd start with the Stohlman's Encyclopedia of Saddle Making from Tandy and also check out books and DVDs at the Leather Crafters Journal online store.  Fewer resources available for English saddles.  Robert Steinke's books on repairing harness and saddlery are good if you can find/afford them.  Joshua Siegel is a skilled saddler in western MA who might be a resource for you.  Also, the Facebook Saddle Restoration group includes some skilled saddlers (scattered among many saddle cleaners/flippers).  Jack Stewart does saddle repairs for Stubben North America and is a helpful member of the restoration group.     

[Northmount]

6 hours ago, Samer said:

I’d like to get into the saddle repair service

Updated the title to represent the actual topic.

[BlackDragon]

Be very careful when repairing a saddle. If a shoe repair fails a person will walk funny for a little bit but if saddlery fails it can lead people to severe injuries. If a stirrup fails a rider can slip or completely fall out of the saddle, if a billet strap fails the rider can wind up under the horse.

With that out of the way since you've done some repairs you know a little bit about it.

What I've done is bought some cheap saddles. I bought 3 saddles for $150 at auction and I tore the worse of the three apart to learn how it went together and to experiment. 

I highly recommend Don Gonzales' videos, he gets really in depth with his breakdown and repair videos. TomE makes good recommendations. Also look at some of Springfield Leather Company's video on saddle reconstruction.

There are a few videos out there that are horrible for saddle repair so be wary of those. One says she is a master class cobbler but the repairs she make on an English Saddle are really... bad.

[Tove09Tilda]

Hey,
as BlackDragon has already pointed out, saddles are a sensitive piece of equipment. 
The idea of toring saddles apart is nice, but also try to get your hands on books and stuff by Jochen Schleese and saddlefit for Life to understand the basics. I really never get tired of recommending Schleese (also the saddles, as well as Albion), as he has great insights into: 
1. saddles and why they have to be constructed as they are 
2. Biomechanics and why a saddle has to fit a certain way 
3. The work of a saddler (he was trained by Passier and Sohn but now lives in Canada)

And believe me, you need those things to understand saddlery and therefore how to repair things. If you want to learn the basics, there you get a very good foundation, so you can offer a real benefit to your customers. He also writes in some articles about western saddles and what to take into account for them and why don't fit every horse, despite most saddlers (at least here in Germany) trying to make them work on every horse. 

I can't say much about Stohlman and Gonzales, but they seem to be great for observing how it is done. Schleese, gives you the why it is done in accordance with science. As a scientist and a soon to be saddler apprentice, he is my best weapon and also helped me to prepare for my upcoming try outs, so I can ask informed questions instead of dumb ones. 

Best Tove. 

Edited 8 hours ago by Tove09Tilda