Mountainman saddle

[oldtimer]

I have started a new project, a mountainman saddle from the fur trade era (c:a 1830) and the other day the saddle tree arrived. While waiting for the tree to be made, I cut out a pair of solid oak stirrups from a 2" oak board. The goal is to make a saddle , as authentic as possible and still comfortable to ride. The big challenge will be making a mochila that will cover the whole saddle. Never done that before, and very hard to get info about how to do, so I´ll let trial and error roam free in my shop. Time will tell ! I have a feeling that the scrap bin will be well fed for some time! I´ll post pics of the progress.

Cross fingers, please! / Knut

Sources: The Books of Buckskinning, UMO Cayuse handbook, They saddled the west, Saddles, TLCSJ (R Sherer) , Man made mobile.

Edited August 30, 2009 by oldtimer

[oldtimer]

a pic of the rigging

[dirtclod]

I think i would try to make a pattern out of paper or poster board before i cut any leather.

Hope you will post some pictures of your journey showing your progress and the finished saddle.

[oldtimer]

I think i would try to make a pattern out of paper or poster board before i cut any leather.

Hope you will post some pictures of your journey showing your progress and the finished saddle.

You can follow the progress in the Mochila topic. I will make a poster board template before cutting !

/ Knut