Old Time Cinch

[Don101]

I finally got around to covering the cinch buckles for my saddle, almost all the cinches were covered back in the good old days, do any of you saddlers still do this? Don

[Crystal]

Hi Don - Nice Job. One of my grandfather's old saddles had a cinch with covers. I don't know if I still have them around or not. If I find them I will take a pic. I think they were detachable and were backed with shearling. Open on the bottom side and just slid over the ring. Always wondered why no one uses them any more. They seem like a good idea.

Crystal

[Don101]

Crystal i would love to see pics of any old stuff you have, Don

[bruce johnson]

Don and Crystal,

As was explained to me by the historians, the reason for the cinch ring covers was due to the cinch rings. They were all handforged and not necessarily all that well sometimes. They were also subject to corrosion from sweat and exposure, which then made them abrasive. The leather chapes/chafes/safes were added to protect the skin from rubbing. Over time, these covers would get hard from exposure and were replaceable. Some of these were lined with woolskin scraps to cushion them. The woolskins were prone to pick up cheatgrass awns and burrs in that kind of country too. That brought another set of issues to the skin. One guy I worked for used to use sections of inner tube as a sleeve over his buckles to prevent galling and protect from those old buckles.

[Crystal]

Don -I found the covers. Pics aren't the best. ( I am tech challenged.)

I am not sure how old these are. They were not off of the saddle that I had mentioned earlier. These were in a trunk - never used. I am guessing they are somewhere between 40 and 50 years old.

Thanks for the info, Bruce. Always nice to know the history.

Crystal

[Don101]

Crystal thank you very much for posting them, Don