Shotgun Chaps

[hidepounder]

You do some beautiful work, but let me get this straight... Someone is going to wear this piece of artwork for working in, not for show. More power to em'!!!

Thanks Jana!

These are going to a friend of mine who is a Cowhorse trainer. I wanted to make them them really fancy but he wouldn't have any of it. He's afraid I'll make him look like a Western Pleasure trainer, LOL!

Bobby

[hidepounder]

Thanks everybody for all the nice comments. They are always appreciated!

Bobby

[gtwister09]

Thanks Ken,

This material is sure new for me. I'm more accustomed to a stiffer, heartier material. These wouldn't hold up a week down here in our Mesquite thickets, but they are going to a pro horse trainer so they are just going to see a lot of dirt and sweat. I'll bet you're right about the break in time though, they are soft and supple and a little stretchy. I've been told the material is tough. Tim K said me he has seen several pair and that they wear well. Time will tell......

Bobby

Bob makes some great points about material selection. Matching them to the customers use is important. Mesquite thickets are awful unforgiving. I have seen a new pair of elk skin chaps be eaten up by the thorns (not to be confused with chromed elk skin) in a relatively short amount of time.

Regards,

Ben

[customcowboyleather]

just like all your other stuff.....looks amazing Bob.

Justin

[ChuckBurrows]

VERY nicley done Bob! I like all of it....

FWIW - A note re stretchy leather:

In the type of work I do I've used a lot of "stretchy" leathers such as buffalo (which I love), deer, and elk, and what I learned and do is to pre-stretch it. It takes a bit of extra work to do, but IMO it makes the leather a whole lot easier to work with in the long run and it also prevents post construction stretch. Another advantage to stretching is it can and usually will add 10-15% surface area albeit it also thins it a bit.

To stretch it - I wet the hide thoroughly, squueze out the excess,and then hang it on the clothes line until it's tempered - you want it pretty much like you case your carving leather - damp through is best - not sopping wet. Once at the right temper I stretch it up on the side of my shed and leave it there for 48 hours if possible, but dry through will work, just not quite as well. I live it at 6500' in SW Colorado so drying in the sun works good.

When dry it will be a bit stiff feeling, but as you work it, it will soften up, but you won't have near the stretch as with an unstreteched hide.

Caveat: the above process may lighten the color a bit on the side facing the sun and as noted it will be a bit stiff when dry since you've rinsed some of the oils out, but it's easy to recolor if need be (I age everything I make so this is necessary anyway) and you can add a good conditioner to replace the oils.

[stockyardjohnnyred]

Bob,

Being new to tooling and carving I have to say the tool work on those chaps have to be some of the finest work I have ever seen...I can carve wood, but the leather is being a bit of a challenge for me...Really fine work. Giving me something to aspire to....

John

[LNLeather]

Wow, these are Beeeauuuutiful!

I found this old post and thought I'd

bring it up to the front so some of the

new folks could see it.

Bobby is one of the Best!

Edited February 13, 2013 by LNLeather

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Hey Bob, glad to see some more of your work. I was wondering what you were working on lately. As always, the only comments are superlatives! I just really love to see you work. I pick up on something every time I look at you stuff.

Bob