Saddle Kit??

[Tkleather1]

I was curious if you guys "the true profesionals" and I do mean that, could give me any advice. I was searching around and found a complete saddle kit. I found this at www.jjmaxwell.com it sells for 1295.00. I have never built a saddle before and I really want to get to a school but at the current time things will not allow that. Would this be worth it or not. I currently do some saddle repair and alot of chap and chink work as well as the small day planner books and what not that people order. I just want to know if this would be a waste of time and energy as well as of course money? I hoped that the profesionals here could give me some insight and either save me from a mistake or help me along the way. I do have a general knowledge of the leather industry and tack builing and repair but by no means a pro.

P.S. I am looking at Jesse Smiths Saddle school what would the general consensus be on that.

Thanks for any advise that you can give.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Tkleather1

[Denise]

There was a discussion about saddle kits in a previous topic here: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...&hl=maxwell Hope this helps till the pros chime in.

[mulefool]

I really don't know about the kits although that one looks to be better quality than some that I've seen. Have you thought about rebuilding a worn out saddle that still has a sound tree? YOu could pick up a worn out saddle for pretty cheap and with the help of one of the books or videos out there you could learn alot. If you mess up then you aren't out too much, other than the leather.

I learned from Jesse Smith back in the early eighties. He helped me develop an appreciation for attention to detail that I might not have had if left to my own devices. (Although I'm finding that reading some of the saddle critiques on this board are helping me to refine it further). I would think there's still some folks around Spokane that could give you some feedback as well.

Good Luck Chris

[kseidel]

TK

The kit you are looking at seems to have all the necessary ingredients to assemble a saddle "by the numbers." A kit can be very restrictive, however, if it is the style and shape that you want to make, and you do not want to change the options, then it would end up similar to what you would make yourself struggling without patterns and instructions. Expect it to be more difficult than it seems. It is not like a kit car, airplane, or house. It is, after all, leather; and as you know, no two pieces are the same. The minimal skiving that they refer to will be primarily shaping the ground seat, and that is not minimal.

The drawbacks for a professional are the assumptions that the designer is a competent and qualified saddlemaker, and that the parts are cut from the correct places on a hide.

If you just want to get started making saddles it is a good way to get your feet wet. (the first step can be deep) If you want to make a saddle that you will use for the rest of your life, this is not the road to take. This would be a good learning experience. If you want to be a great saddle maker, the best route is to get qualified hands on training and spend some time as an apprentice. That is harder to do with the responsibilities of a family and making a living, but it is what all great saddlemakers have done. There is no substitute for experience.

I know Jesse Smith well, and he is a competent saddlemaker. I do not have any experience with his training. He taught at Spokane for many years. I don"t know anyone that went through his school and have not hired any of his students, so cannot speak for his training.

You probably have the experience and skills necessary to assemble this saddle kit; just don't plan on it being a saddle that you want to keep forever.

Good Luck!

Keith

[Tkleather1]

Thanks guys, I jsut really want to get started and right now I dont know if a saddle school is in the near future. So I thought that this might be a way for me to get goin. I do plan on getting to a school some day however. I was thinking that Since theis kit looked pretty complete with instruction I could use some patterns and the information and Learn how I have learned everything else I have done in leather, The Hard way. I have had no formal training, So when the time comes that I can get to a school then on one hand I might have a little better knowledge but on the other hand might be doing it all worng.

Thanks for the input and I might look into a worn out wade as well.

[colttrainer]

My concern would be with the bowden tree. You my be getting a tree that was sent back from someone that rejected it.

Al

[dvaught]

This is my first post here. I recently had the same idea about the saddle kit but decided against it and I'm glad I did. The person that taught me about working leather is a huge stickler for making your own patterns. Thats just as important as working the leather is what he always says. Anyways I looked into the same saddle kit but ended up getting an older retired saddle and broke it down to the tree. I then made patterns and fit everything piece by piece. Granted, the saddle isn't perfect but I learned so much in the process I wouldn't have it any other way. Infact, I started my second saddle yesterday and can already see improvement. I don't think theres anything wrong with a saddle kit, other than it won't allow you to truely learn the little things that make the difference. DV