All leather ground seat

[Cowboy316]

Howdy Steve

just a quick question on starting an all leather ground seat do i need to put the gullet in first and then the ground seat

and if so ive already go the first pieces cut for the ground seat and took a pic and wonder what ya thought

thanks

Cowboy316

[horsewreck]

Cowboy 316, I think most saddlers cover the gullet first thing. As far as the ground seat goes I put down the piece that bridges the gap between the bars before I put on any lifts, plugs or other smaller pieces. No bigger than those two piece are that you have on, I think I would pull them off and do the gullet cover then the piece that bridges the gap between the length of the bars. I hope this is of some help to you..... Jeff

[Billy H]

Steve,

First off- I would like to THANK YOU for your posting on a all leather ground seat. I made my little girl a pony saddle with your method and it turned out great.

I do have a dumb question though- why do we need risers, I know it must be obvious, some times I am a little slow.

One more question- After you cut the stirrup slots, does this make the ground seat weeker at that area of the ground seat?

Thankyou again for all your postings I have really enjoyed them. Billy

[jwwright]

just bumping this thread back up.............there were a couple folks that posed questions for Steve that I don't think he saw. JW

[Steve Brewer]

Tim you can put the gullet cover in first or after your ground seat is installed

Billy,I use risers to help make a rise for my strainer piece,You don't have to put them in.The stirrup slots shouldn't weaken the seat at all.If you are worried about it you can hand sew the back of the hand hole and that will keep it from moving

[Billy H]

Thank you Steve!

I am a green horn to saddle making .

I would like to post pictures of the saddle i made using your method but for some reason it keeps telling me my file is to big. Thanks again Billy

[roperdad]

I found this just this morning. This provided some information I have been looking for. Thank you so much!

Any chance we could see some pic's with the handhole and stirrup slot cutting process?

[Steve Brewer]

I found this just this morning. This provided some information I have been looking for. Thank you so much!

Any chance we could see some pic's with the handhole and stirrup slot cutting process?

Clay,I looked and don't have pictures of the hand hole or sturipp slots being cut in this saddle.I do have of the skirts being blocked on and the seat being fit .I will post those,On the next saddle I will take some of the hole being cut and the slots being cut.

[roperdad]

Clay,I looked and don't have pictures of the hand hole or sturipp slots being cut in this saddle.I do have of the skirts being blocked on and the seat being fit .I will post those,On the next saddle I will take some of the hole being cut and the slots being cut.

That's great. Thank you for sharing. I've been cutting plugs for so long I can't get my mind wrapped around any other day to do it!

[Steve Brewer]

Clay,Stretch your seat in and let dry,then mark your slots by using a awl from the bottom of your bars.Draw a line down to your bar and use the bottom slot as a guide.Then cut them out.

[roperdad]

Sorry if I seem a little dense here, I just want to make sure I'm getting the sequence correct... You leave the ground seat intact until you have your seat fit and stretched and dried and THEN cut the stirrup slots and handhole? I've been in the habit of making my last ground piece layer cover the slots/plugs to help keep my seat from eventually sagging and leaving a little hollow over time.

Thanks again for the responses. I'm pretty self taught, so have a tendency to ask too many questions.

[harrington]

I like the way this method insures a smooth seat pulled down without using plugs. I have a question about what you do to line the exposed edge of the handhole after it is cut out though. The method I have been using involves a jig with the first ground seat piece having a soft leather cover sewn on which is pulled over the edge after all pieces are installed and shaped.

thanks, Tom

[lottarope]

After using both types of groundseats man these all leathers sure feel good. One thing I've noticed is when I use Barge they seem to make up a little softer then when I use dextrine. I haven't had any problems with either but then again im not cinching them down to stockracks either. Have you had any experience this?

Thanks in advance,

Buck

[Steve Brewer]

After using both types of groundseats man these all leathers sure feel good. One thing I've noticed is when I use Barge they seem to make up a little softer then when I use dextrine. I haven't had any problems with either but then again im not cinching them down to stockracks either. Have you had any experience this?

Thanks in advance,

Buck

Buck,If you want use dextrine on the cover piece,it will get harder then.Sometimes i sew all the groundseat togather on the back side of the hand hole,won't ever move then.

Steve

I like the way this method insures a smooth seat pulled down without using plugs. I have a question about what you do to line the exposed edge of the handhole after it is cut out though. The method I have been using involves a jig with the first ground seat piece having a soft leather cover sewn on which is pulled over the edge after all pieces are installed and shaped.

thanks, Tom

Take a piece of 3 4 oz. strap and cover the cut out up to where your fork cover tucks under the gullet

[lottarope]

Thanks Steve

[equiss]

How come the pictures don't show up?

[Johanna]

Pics are showing up here just fine. Send me a link for where you can't see the pics and I will try to help you troubleshoot the problem.

Johanna

[Billy H]

Hi Steve!

Thanks for all the info on a all leather ground seat. Your way of fitting the seat jockey before putting fork cover and cutting hand hold worked really well for me.

I am having trouble understanding how you would sew the ground seat and what it is actually doing? Sorry I am a little slow sometimes:helpsmilie:

Thanks Billy

[harrington]

Thanks for the reply, Steve. Do you have any pictures of the lined edge of your hand hole. I'm not clear on how you glue or sew that piece of 3-4 oz. to make a nice finished edge to and bottom.

thanks, Tom

Buck,If you want use dextrine on the cover piece,it will get harder then.Sometimes i sew all the groundseat togather on the back side of the hand hole,won't ever move then.

Steve

Take a piece of 3 4 oz. strap and cover the cut out up to where your fork cover tucks under the gullet

[GianniWest]

My question is: Is not there a risk that the seat does not hold the weight of the rider? The risers are sufficient to support the weight?

Thank you very very much for the answer

GianniWest

[Steve Brewer]

You are only bridging 4 "s are so.I would think that the leather will hold the weight of the rider.Haven't had any trouble with them not holding up.

[GianniWest]

Thanks, you're very kind.

Pardon my insistence, another question: you put 3 layers of leather? thickness of 13/15 oz? And risers that are thick?

Thank you for your patience

gianni

[Steve Brewer]

Thanks, you're very kind.

Pardon my insistence, another question: you put 3 layers of leather? thickness of 13/15 oz? And risers that are thick?

Thank you for your patience

gianni

Yes,I use heavy necks and skive them to my desired shape

[GianniWest]

Ok, thank you very much Steve

[Saddlebag]

My Association has a leather ground seat. Because I live in forest country we frequently experience high humidity, the wet kind. It would take a sledgehammer to soften the ground seat. Mildew should be a primary concern, not the ground seat might soften.