Fender repair...

[BlackDragon]

Great beginning!

One thing that will make it a little easier for you on the next fender. To remove the rivets on the Blevins buckle I take a large slotted screwdriver and use it like a chisel. I put it in between the leather and buckle and give the rivet shaft a couple of hard wacks and it'll cut right through the rivet.

[Brokenolmarine]

Thanks BD.

I was back out this morning, and was about to start the layout, when I realized that with the way the original owner had laced up the fender above the Blevin to make the riding easier, it was all twisted.  My wife and daughter were/are horse folk.  Me?  All I ever did was pay for things, clean a stall here and there, or go to shows and admire the horses (or the riders - female riders - in their tight riding wear.)  ADULT riders... get your minds out of the gutters. LOL.  The wife told my daughter to tell the original owner that when I remade the fender, I could flip the Blevin and have the same result and she wouldn't have to lace up the fender to clear her legs, it would automatically twist the leather.  Nope, she liked it like that.  Hey, it's her leather.

BUT, it's so twisted it won't work like this as my template.  I had to disassemble the good one as well to make it usable.  First step, (hadn't read this post yet) Center punch.  Went through the whole process and got it all done.  Next up was to flatten the twisted sections so they would lay flat.  I went them down good, then using a cutting board and some short wood pieces, clamped them flat.  Not as easy as it sounds with two hands.  The fender wanted to fight me, and I had to coordinate the fender leather, the boards and the clamps, and tighten them... but I got 'er done.

 

I will let it sit for several hours, and check it.  If it needs more time, I'll re-wet 'er and leave it overnight.  Not worried, in this case, about damaging the leather, as it will all get tossed.  I just need it flat to act as my template.  Here is a long view of the clamped Fender.  

 

I am looking forward to actually getting started on the process.  It's an older saddle, I think she bought used.  My daughter told my wife that the saddle isn't as dark as the fenders, so she is supposed to take pics of the saddle to help me try and match them when I dye the fenders... but we know how that might work.  A picture on the phone depends on the color settings on the phone.  I may tell her to bring the saddle when she comes up the next time.  The girl isn't riding in it with it broken down.

[BlackDragon]

One trick I learned about taking a picture of something I want to color match is to take the picture along side of a known color.

I would take a colored object like red playing card and take a picture of the item next to the card. When you have the picture and the card in hand you know know the amount of difference between the two. 

[rktaylor]

I suggest you draw a new fender pattern to ensure the top and bottom are square. This isn't as critical with the half stirrup leathers that you have, but I like things to be straight. Assuming they are 3 inches wide, you draw a rectangle 3 inches by the length of the old fender. Then you can use the old fender for general shape and use a little artistic freedom to make them look appealing. 

Sounds like you are going to twist and wrap the new fenders. If so, I have a couple tips that make it easier (at least for me). 

Randy

[Brokenolmarine]

5 hours ago, rktaylor said:

I suggest you draw a new fender pattern to ensure the top and bottom are square. This isn't as critical with the half stirrup leathers that you have, but I like things to be straight. Assuming they are 3 inches wide, you draw a rectangle 3 inches by the length of the old fender. Then you can use the old fender for general shape and use a little artistic freedom to make them look appealing. 

Sounds like you are going to twist and wrap the new fenders. If so, I have a couple tips that make it easier (at least for me). 

Randy

I was planning to use a ruler to make the edges straight, but you are right, razor straight edges do give a nice appeal.  The rectangle idea is a good one.  Once everything comes out of the clamps I had planned on making measurements on everything to insure true layout in spite of the twisting.  The wife and I had been discussing this earlier.  Great suggestion though.

 

As far as the wraps for the twist?  Nope, I have a great plan for that.  I'm going to cheat... I'm going to remake the fenders, do whatever tooling and borders, burnishing, and finishing, etc.  Then I'll rivet everything together.  I am going to make NEW wraps from new leather using the old wraps as guides and send them along with the new fender assemblies. 

I'll let HER wrap the fenders to her liking since they need to be wrapped to fit her position in the saddle.  I'm doing this project as a favor to my daughter and her friend.  I'm not claiming to be a saddle maker.  My daughter has been trying to get me to make fancy nose bands (?) to sell at shows and rodeos for a good while.  Her friend does the wraps on all her saddle fenders because she likes them that way... I'll let HER do it. LOL.

Edited Saturday at 04:42 AM by Brokenolmarine

[Goldshot Ron]

 I am going to cover two tasks. 1. Rivet removal tools needed: hammer, sharp center punch, awl, and drill will bit about the size of a number nine rivet.  Flatten the burr end of the rivet, punch with center punch to dimple a hole in the burr end of the rivet, drill out the rivet until the burr comes out.  Punch out the rest of the rivet with an awl.  Be careful not to burn the leather; I use to use a Drimal tool, but it creates too much heat and burns the leather.

Stirrup twist:  the Blevins pin part can be placed in two different directions.  If the pins are facing outward, you cannot twist the ends properly.  The pins need to be facing inward, or when the stirrup end is folded, the pins will be toward the fender.  In this position, the twist is 180 degrees, and the pins will now face outward (or toward the horse).  To set the twists, the stirrup end needs to be wet and the saddle placed on a stand with the stirrups weighted to set the twist.  Often, the twisted leather does not need to be wrapped after setting.  But, I wrap them most of the time.

[Brokenolmarine]

I have had a couple more sessions out in the shop.  First and foremost... the compression worked.  The original fender now got flattened enough to work as a template.

 

I carefully drew it out on the cardboard, then marked the holes.  I cut it out, then overlaid the originals to verify the templates were correct.  I will be able to flip the cardboard over to cut out the mirror image for the other side.

[Brokenolmarine]

I laid out the four needed pieces on the 15 ounce saddle leather.  The side I ordered from Weaver Leather was very nice.  That much leather is very heavy, and came shipped in a box, so it was curled up and wanted to stay curled.  What a pain in the ... um... Butt.  Weighted it down, and got the layouts done.  I cut off the section I needed and rolled up the rest, put it in a black trash bag to store, keep the mice out and the light off the leather.  No need to ruin it.  Cut out the small pieces first.  They came out nice, but cutting the heavy leather is hard on old Marine arthritic hands.  Time for a break before cutting the larger pieces.

I'll go rest a bit, watch some tv with the boss, and have some soup, then come back out and get back at it.

[Brokenolmarine]

I put in one last session before quitting for the day.  Changed the blade in the knife and got to it.  I managed to get them cut out and they look pretty good.  They are pictured here with the original fender.

Here we are standing by waiting for the next move.

I have to decide what I am going to do about details.  A linear border?  That border plus some accent tooling?  A touch of floral for accent as well?  We shall see in the morning.  I won't punch the holes yet, but I will certainly mark the locations so that the border won't be suddenly interrupted by holes.  BTDT.