Rigging leather

[D.A. Kabatoff]

I haven't seen any discussion about which part of the hide various makers cut their pieces from. I know a few different guys who cut their hides completely different and flipping through some of my books I noticed the hides were layed out quite differently. I've layed my hides out a few different ways depending on the size of them and the saddle to be built. I have some customers who want the thickest fenders they can get and others who want them quite thin... I'm usually happy to accomodate such requests as long as I can get my stirrup leathers, rigging pieces, and rear billets and cinch from good, tight grained leather.

What really got me thinking about this was I have four hides that have 26", one piece tapaderos taken out of the butts leaving some pretty decent leather dead smack in the middle of the butt. This leather isn't large enough to get fenders or skirts from and I don't need anymore jockeys. Has anyone ever taken a flat plate rigging from this area? I have a full floral saddle coming up and thought it may make for some nice carving leather if I pull the stretch out with a slicker... anyone have any thoughts on this?

Darc

[steve mason]

Howdy Darc;

I cut parts pretty much exactly as Harwood showed us, I can just about every time get a saddle out 2 sides of leather, a right and left work the best. one rig is cut out of each side of leather, after one stirrup leather is cut from each side then the seat is cut out of the butt with the rig next, then on the other side of leather the fenders are cut out of the butt with the other rig next to it. I think this is about the best part of the hide, I always have nice heavy,even firm rigs. So I think from what you are describing, that where you want to cut your rigs from is roughly where I cut mine from as does Harwood. Sounds good to me if I understand what you right.

Steve

I haven't seen any discussion about which part of the hide various makers cut their pieces from. I know a few different guys who cut their hides completely different and flipping through some of my books I noticed the hides were layed out quite differently. I've layed my hides out a few different ways depending on the size of them and the saddle to be built. I have some customers who want the thickest fenders they can get and others who want them quite thin... I'm usually happy to accomodate such requests as long as I can get my stirrup leathers, rigging pieces, and rear billets and cinch from good, tight grained leather.

What really got me thinking about this was I have four hides that have 26", one piece tapaderos taken out of the butts leaving some pretty decent leather dead smack in the middle of the butt. This leather isn't large enough to get fenders or skirts from and I don't need anymore jockeys. Has anyone ever taken a flat plate rigging from this area? I have a full floral saddle coming up and thought it may make for some nice carving leather if I pull the stretch out with a slicker... anyone have any thoughts on this?

Darc

[RyanCope]

This is the way I was taught. It doesn't always work out this way, depending on the hide, and I often get certain parts from a 9/10 oz. strap side. The drawings are very old and faded, so I hope they are legible. This is a topic that I have never discussed with anyone other than the gentleman who taught me. I'm quite interested to hear how you guys do your parts layout.

Ryan Cope

[steve mason]

Ryan, I sent you a PM

Steve

This is the way I was taught. It doesn't always work out this way, depending on the hide, and I often get certain parts from a 9/10 oz. strap side. The drawings are very old and faded, so I hope they are legible. This is a topic that I have never discussed with anyone other than the gentleman who taught me. I'm quite interested to hear how you guys do your parts layout.

Ryan Cope

[kseidel]

Steve,

Would you post how Harwood lays out his parts on a hide?

Keith

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hi Steve,

thanks for the information... Where you take your rigging from is where I usually get mine as well... Taking the taps from where I did in the hide cut into this area so that I didn't have enough leather there (poor planning on my part). The area that I had left would be dead center of where most seats would be cut and perhaps slightly lower so that the part of the rigging that wraps around the cantle is getting towards the belly area and the area where the plate will be riveted is pointing up towards the spine. I wound up cutting the riggings last night and although they are a bit thicker than they really need to be, they'll work just fine.

Ryan,

thanks for the photos... I've seen photos in books that show almost identical layout.

Darc

[jwwright]

It sounds like I have been cutting riggings for both D rigs and plates from about the place as described here.

I have a couple of questions on plate rig leather..........how particular are you about where you cut your plate rig linings from, provided you have cut the top out of good stuff? Also, I have seen some plate riggings lined with about 8/9 oz latigo. Opinions on that? Many Thanks, JW.