Re -fleecing question

[Curbstrap2]

Does a double line of stitching along the skirts always indicate a saddle has been re fleeced or do some makers stitch a double line?

This is an example of what I am referring to:

http://i84.servimg.com/u/f84/13/54/52/44/cimg1811.jpg

[bruce johnson]

Most of the time I sew two lines on new saddles - one to hold the plugs and another for the woolskin.

Some repair places cut the stitches on the backside of the wool and don't pick the old stitches. They sew the new woolskin with a new line of stitching and end up with two that way.

[jwwright]

Hi Bruce...................please educate me regarding the two lines of stitching.......as you said, one to hold the plugs, the other to hold the lining. I sew one line of stitching, and it goes through both the plugs and the lining. I use contact cement to put the plugs in, and rubber cement to glue the lining down, so when the day comes that it needs to be re-lined, the repair man should be able to remove the lining without tearing out the plugs. Thanks, JW.

[bruce johnson]

JW,

I had an old guy tell me about it, and just kind of stuck with the two lines. I oil up my plugs and skirts before I sew them. I was using Barge, and that didn't always bond the oiled leather all that well. I would set the "curve" to the skirts, then went to stick my wool down and my plugs would sometimes shift and the skirts would flatten out when I pressed down the wool. Try to re-establish the curve and the plugs moved and the wool would get a bubble in it. Bad words said, etc...

If I sew the plugs in first, they are there for good. Another thing that is my impression (and told to me by an old guy) is that if the plugs are sewn in, they don't shift or shrink as much at the edge over time. Bob Brenner referred to it in another thread today about having to replace plugs on nearly every reline job because the plugs shrink back and the needle holes aren't true anymore. Granted you shouldn't have to reline one maybe once or twice in its useful lifetime, but on the double sewn ones I haven't had to replug any. I have done several oldies that the plugs came right off with the wool too. I do soak my plugs and work the stretch out a little. I am sure a lot of the curled skirts and shrunken plugs were never wet when they were made, just pulled out of the scrap and cut, skived, and stuck.

It is kind of a cosmetic thing too. One line of stitching looks a little cleaner. I rubber cement the woolskins too. I am using another glue right now for the leather, and it is bonds better than Barge. I think I could glue the plugs and feel pretty confident with this glue now.

[jonwatsabaugh]

I always make sure the skirts and plugs are bone dry before gluing them up. The skirts should have the blocking and curves set. While applying the plugs, I always bend them into the set skirts to maintain the skirt form. After burnishing in the plugs, I wet the inside edges of such with a spray bottle and blend nicely with a French edger. By gluing the pieces dry, and applying very little moisture to finish, shrinkage should never be an issue. When plugs come loose, they were not done right in the first place IMO.

Jon