Flower, Border, and Roughout Saddle

[RWB]

Here is a saddle that I just finished up. As always my skin is pretty thick, so go ahead and fire away. Again Bob Park, Keith Seidel, or anyone, please tell me how to improve my stamping and construction. I think I have improved my stamping since those taps. But I'm finding that it is tougher for me to cut a circle that flows to the right, like this one does, as opposed to one that flows to the left. I don't know why that is, but my circles aren't as round going to the right. I appreciate it.

Thanks

Ross Brunk

Northern Range Cowboy Gear

[CLH]

Here is a saddle that I just finished up. As always my skin is pretty thick, so go ahead and fire away. Again Bob Park, Keith Seidel, or anyone, please tell me how to improve my stamping and construction. I think I have improved my stamping since those taps. But I'm finding that it is tougher for me to cut a circle that flows to the right, like this one does, as opposed to one that flows to the left. I don't know why that is, but my circles aren't as round going to the right. I appreciate it.

Thanks

Ross Brunk

Northern Range Cowboy Gear

Hello RWB, everything is looking better. Looks like you're getting a little more comfortable with your work. Some thing that has helped me,From Clint Fay and from J. Watt is this, lightly scribe 2 concintric circles,about 3/16" apart. Than cut your out side of your circle first,ignore the inside lines until you're completly done on the out side. Remember to bring your leaf lines to the outside circle only,make them long and flowing. Than start at your flower stem and do your inside lines,again bringing your lines into the inside circle,long and flowing. You'll find by cutting like this your circles will be pretty and your stems even. After a while ,a hundred saddles'you'll only have to draw 1 circle. Hope that helps,Clint Haverty

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Ross, when you take the time to do good work with pride, you deserve to have good results! Keep up the good work!

Bob

[hidepounder]

Ross....I think you did a great job on this. I love the dyed graduated circles in the border and the dyed flower center. Lots of neat stuff here!

Bobby

[gtwister09]

Ross,

I too like those graduated circles [alot]. The first time that I saw one of those graduated circle/beaded line/sunburst combination was on a Slim Green saddle. The graduated circles were in the corners of a square skirt/jockeys, seat. center of cheyenne roll and on the fenders. Very simple and clean but an added touch. You have incorporated them into your design nicely as well.

Regards,

Ben

[TimKleffner]

Ross,

I sure like that saddle. I like your combination of roughout and smooth. I'm with Bob, I like those graduated circles. Give it a nice look.

Keep up the good work

Happy tooling

Tim

[RWB]

Thanks for all the kind comments, I appreciate them. Don't be afraid to tell me what you don't like about it.

Ross

[TimKleffner]

Laughing.... Ross you missed a decorative cut! L o L snort snort .. my side hurts now

Great work

Tim

[mulefool]

Sounds like it's unanimous on those graduated circles. Really nice look overall. Did you use hole punches for the outlines of those circles? Chris

[GAP]

Here is a saddle that I just finished up. As always my skin is pretty thick, so go ahead and fire away. Again Bob Park, Keith Seidel, or anyone, please tell me how to improve my stamping and construction. I think I have improved my stamping since those taps. But I'm finding that it is tougher for me to cut a circle that flows to the right, like this one does, as opposed to one that flows to the left. I don't know why that is, but my circles aren't as round going to the right. I appreciate it.

Thanks

Ross Brunk

Northern Range Cowboy Gear

You asked for a critique, I'll try to offer one.

The lines and balance on your saddle show lots of good things, as well as the mechanics show from the pictures. I like it and would be glad to throw a leg across it.

I'm on dial up and pictures can take forever to download... but on the rear jockeys, I would like to see the area below the top leaf broken up by something and backgrounded. It would be easy to insert a stob or something to break up that area???

Decorative cuts is something I have continually struggled with! On your leaves, I would use more of a lazy S with diminishing cuts below that. Your Deco cuts just need a little more finesse, as mine do! All of my cuts I try to start with a sharp hook, then tapering to a gentle curve and diminishing. It's a challenge, as to where to place them, cuz I don't like to get into shaded areas much.

Most of what I've learned was by askiing for a mentor to critique my work... and my work still isn't up to snuff. Don't want anyone to think I'm being critical, just offering a perspective.

I'll try to get some stuff up, and you or anyone can critique it. I've always been open to suggestions. There's a couple of saddle pictures posted in a" homemade drawdown stand".

I too, liked the graduated circles and placement of them, I hadn't seen that done before! .......Lot's of stuff I havn't seen, and this site is an eye opener for sure! I just keep saying WOW!

Maybe we all have had a hard side with cuts?? I don't know, but I still have a harder time with cuts coming from my left, and I say a lot of "well... cheet"...

I Don't know if any of us ever reach that pinnacle where we are totally satisfied with our work. Hope I don't.

Just living and learning....

Edited January 20, 2010 by GAP

[TroyWest]

Ross,

Continueing in the critique mode. I think the overall appearance of your saddle is nice. Nice flowing curves all over until you get to the front seat jockey, under the latigo holder you have a sharp angle at the front jockey corner. It should be a nice radius there also. Set your compass at 2 or 2 1/2" and make that a nice round curve in the future. I also find the sharp pointed back billit a bit of a distraction. It's too nice of a saddle to have that. There is a lot of work in that saddle and you are making a good hand. I hope that helps.

Troy

[RWB]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it. Quick couple questions though, Troy. What would you prefer to see on that back billet? An English point perhaps? Also down in Wichita Falls you said that my skirts and my overall saddle flared out to much. On this saddle I'm having the same problem of getting everything to lay down and still be tight. Even my stirrup leathers and fenders are sticking way out, kinda like wings. Consequently my seat jockeys flare out as well. Any suggestions? Should I stick it on my draw down and crank on it? I hate to do that, but have no other ideas.

Thanks,

Ross

Edited January 20, 2010 by RWB

[TroyWest]

Ross,

An English point would be fine. You could also square off the tip of that billet and that would look good also. Look at Chuck Stormes web site. That is how he cuts all his billet ends.

You can't tell from these photos that everything is flaring out. When you block in your skirts and they are still damp, bend them into a nice curve like the curve of the horses barrel. If you dont it will dry sraight out, flared too much. Then you plug them, making them stiffer and nothing can go down any farther than the shape of the skirts will allow. In other words, if you put a saddle on a horses back and the skirts stick up in the air at the back corners, they are flared out too much. They should have been bent down when they were damp in the blocking and forming stage.

You are doing many things well. You have a pretty good eye to be doing what you are doing and it looks like you used a nice tree as well. Getting honest and constructive criticism is a good way to improve. I probably would not have commented had you not repeatedly asked for it. The problem with a critique is we tend to, even have to point out the negatives in order to eliminate them in the future. I just want you to know you are doing many things in a good and positive way. I also think you have a great attitude to learn.

Troy

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Ross,

Very nice saddle overall! I'd agree with Troy about the rear billet and seat jockey. To take things a step further and in no way diminish the smooth, functional work you have done, I'd take a closer look at the front, rear, and middle seat jockey lines. My eye is a bit distracted for a couple or reasons. Your rear jockeys maintain an even distance from the edge of the skirt except for the portion under the rear rigging to where they disappear under the seat jockey... they start to move away from the skirt. I prefer to see that distance even, all the way around the skirt. Because the lower edge of your front jockey matches up with the lower edge of the rear jockey, this has caused your front seat jockey to appear narrow (up and down) directly below the fork. Because this area is so narrow it exposes more of your flatplate rigging which then seems "heavy" compared to the front jockey and throwing things out of balance.

I think if you kept the lower edge of the rear jockey to skirt edge distance even, all the way round, it would require you to drop the front jockey as well as the seat jockey, hiding a bit more of the rigging and giving a more balanced look to the saddle. This is a very small adjustment but when added to the graceful lines of your skirt and seat jockey, I think would give this saddle a nice look.

Darcy

Edited January 20, 2010 by D.A. Kabatoff

[TroyWest]

I completely agree with everything Darcy said. I even thought the same things I just didn't want to write a book or overwhelm you with too much information. Still, if you can apply those things it will greatly enhance your work.

[RWB]

Troy and Darcy, I really appreciate the input. That's what I was looking for. When I ask for a critique, I mean it. No holds barred. My skin is about a foot thick. It is also great to hear you guys point out things that I have seen and don't like, because then I know I'm looking at the right things. Like the front jockey, I didn't like how it looked, but until you said what to do with it, Troy, I wasn't sure why I disliked it. So again I appreciate it. The great thing is that this saddle is going to Pennsylvania, and I will hopefully never have to see it again. The guy who is buying will never see the things I do, so it works out. I will work on all those things on the next one coming up here in a bit.

Thanks again,

Ross Brunk

Edited January 21, 2010 by RWB

[GrampaJoel]

I know I'm late on this but I really like the added detail put into your work on this saddle.

Like the dyed graduated circles that match all the concho leather edges, and your high gloss skirt edges, and finished edges on everything with an edge. Stuff like that takes a lot of extra work and a lot of extra pride in your work..

[RWB]

I know I'm late on this but I really like the added detail put into your work on this saddle.

Like the dyed graduated circles that match all the concho leather edges, and your high gloss skirt edges, and finished edges on everything with an edge. Stuff like that takes a lot of extra work and a lot of extra pride in your work..

Thanks I appreciate the comments.

Ross