New Shearling on a saddle

[awharness]

Hi guys, I have a customer looking for a quote on getting new sheepskin put on their saddle, advice, how much to charge? I never can get this pricing thing down!

[Luke Hatley]

real sheep skin...............$200.00 (if the saddle is in good shape)

Edited April 8, 2009 by Luke Hatley

[mulefool]

I usually charge $225.00 to 250.00. One thing I have found is that some really cheap saddles are built with tons of staples shot into the bars to hold the skirts on. These can be a real bear to find and pull out before you can even get the skirts off. If I suspect that I will tell the customer it might be the higher figure. Kind of ironic since the cheap saddle really isn't worth putting as much money into. Chris

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

I will add, that the way I do pricing is , first I look at the repair and estimate how long it will take. (like Mulefoot says cheap saddles can be a pain and you have to estimate accordingly) multiply what you feel your hourly rate is, (like $40/hr times 4 hrs = $160, then add cost for materials (don't hesitate to call out all materials since at some point you will have to replace them), Sheep skin Approx $70, Thread $2, New laces (I always just cut the old ones and put new ones on. It's better and faster) $10, finish $2, Glue $5, Glue brush $2, screws (I never replace staples, I use screws in the proper places, along with lugs) $3, gas ( you gotta go get supplies some time and you should add a piece of that to each job you do) $3, total= $257.

That gives you an idea how to price, of course once you do enough of a certian kind repair you will have an idea and not need to go through the numbers every time. You can use the labor and material method for pricing most items and come out at least in good shape. Once you have done a lot you will get better and quicker, keep the price the same, as long as it is fair and the work is quality you will do ok.

That's how I do it, and I have never had a complaint about my pricing, by the customer, or me.

Hope that helps!

Happy Trails!

Bondo Bob

[Saddlebag]

Some charge as high as $375 Cdn but seldom get any business. When refleecing skirts one has to consult the customer on whether to just create a new stitch line or pick out all the old stitches and reuse the existing holes. Picking stitches ups the ante as one can spend an entire evening picking stitches.

[bruce johnson]

To avoid picking the stitches, one of my old friends gave me this tip. I think he let me pick several before he told me, just so I'd appreciate it more. Before you mess with the the woolskin at all, skin the top stitches on the skirt. You can do this with a sharp gum tool/patent leather tool/freehand stitch groover/compass style stitch groover with the loop type blades. You probably can do it with Douglas' stitch groover also. Run the groover tool over the top stitches and cut them down or severely weaken them. Then loosen the woolskin and pull it off. The top stitches will mostly all pull through when you pull the woolskin off. It is a heck of a lot easier than ripping the woolskin with an old french edger and then picking.

Besides the factors mentioned already that figure into the cost, I also look at how the skirts are attached. I charge more for sewing pocketed bars back on than for lugs. It takes me more time, and I usually bleed (repeatedly) from feeling for the awl tip coming through.

[Go2Tex]

I notice nobody mentioned cleaning cost when replacing wool. If you are taking the saddle apart, it seems a good idea to give it a cleaning also. Plus, I hate working on dirty old tack, so I'm going to be doing it anyway. Might as well figure it in as part of the cost.

[awharness]

I like that stitch cutting tip! Wish I had usd it today! I quoted that woman $200, I think I scared her away! GO FIGURE! Thank you for the input on this subject!

-Andrew

www.awharness.com

[Bob]

Do sheepskins is often terrible dirty business, if you like a clean shop. Dust and dirt everywhere. Many custom saddle makers WILL NOT RELINE YOUR SADDLE BECAUSE IT'S SO DIRTY. Unless it's their own build

The way I've done it for years now is this.

Material cost approx 33%

labour cost approx 33%

PROFIT MARGIN approx 33%

Equals invoice price

So the bottom line is this. I've been charging 350 Canadian dollars for years now.

It includes new strings and new leather concho's also. Besides I also take out the old stitches with old dental instruments. You can get them from the hygenist who cleans your teeth. Replacing the old strings can be as much trouble as you'd like. Thats why they get replaced, it's simply too much trouble to reuse them. They often don't fit properly. Too loose or too tight.

So then I can quote over the phone. It don't matter if it's an inskirt rigging, or has a spanish braid lacing the skirts together or not. Those things take time. It don't matter if it's an Eamor saddle or not. (Those are terrible to take apart the first time) It takes extra time and effort, sometimes some blue smoke too.

So around here, I'm not the cheapest. Some ole fellas who are retired and doing it for fun have done this for alot less. Not always, but quite often it looks like it too. These customers come in with chrome tanned sheep skins on their saddle and wonder why the fleece is coming out. Or the sheepskin is not trimmed around the edge of the skirts.

Thats my take on all this. I'm in business to stay. Not just for the cost of doing it. If we did it just for materials plus labour, who's gonna pay for the mortgage and so on it goes???

[Curbstrap2]

Not to hijack your thread, but quick question. I have recently seen older saddles redone with felt rather than sheep wool.

What are the pros/cons to this? I guess cost is the primary deciding factor, but wanted to hear others feelings about this. Thanks.

[Go2Tex]

It don't matter if it's an inskirt rigging, or has a spanish braid lacing the skirts together or not. .............

Laced skirts? No way! I wouldn't even quote them. They couldn't afford it.

[Saddlebag]

Bob, you've convinced me to up the ante on refleecing. I'm getting better at standing my gound on the other repairs as well.