Tooling Question

[pete]

I am making my first saddle and am thinking that I might want to tool some of it.

Question- How do you tool the swells in place- I want to tool it floral or basketweave but have no idea as to how to keep the basketweave straight. Is there a trick to laying out the guide lines?

Also- what specific parts do you HAVE to tool in place?

pete

[TroyWest]

Hey Pete,

A lot depends on the shape of the swell. I don't know what you have. An A-fork is the easiest. I'm assuming it's not. If it is something like a roper, a Bowman, or an O.Y. here's what I do. First I mark my borders with a compass and cut them. Mark around the horn, the base of the swell, the hand hold etc. You generally can't tool in front of the horn so there will be a blank space in front of the horn about as wide as the top of the horn. If I am basket stamping a roper I usually use a basket stamp with an angled leg. These are the most merciful. I start at the top of the swell, close to the horn and stamp a straight line down the middle of the swell to the bottom. I have done so many I don't mark a line or anything I can just stamp a straight line. I even find it easier without a mark. If you need one you can use a flexible ruler or a straight piece of leather that will contour with the swell. As I stamp this initial Line I space them wider apart than I normally would. You will just have to learn how much over time. I stamp one single line on both sides of the swell starting and stopping in the same places. Now you can let the saddle face you and stamp from your initial stamp line back to the border on the back of the swell. The reason for spacing the first line wider is because the curve of the swell as you go back will force the stamps closer together. It takes a little practice to make it sharp but you can basket stamp a roper swell as pretty as a picture. Then you would stamp the front side of course.

Everything else "can" be tooled on the bench. Horn tops, binders, seat dish, can, if properly fit and marked be tooled on the bench. I generally tool my horn tops on. I basket stamp binders on the bench. I flower carve them "on". You can't basket stamp the binders on, there is just too much bounce in a cheyenne roll to get a good impression. You can flower carve them on the bench and do a nice job. You just may get a little stretch here and there which may throw your borders a little off. A lot of guys will carve a saddle with a closed border everywhere on the saddle and leave an open border on the back of the roll to conceal any discrepancies. Anyway, hope that helps.

Best of luck Pete,

Troy

[pete]

thanks so much Troy. That's what I love about this place. World class instruction.

pete

[TroyWest]

You are welcome sir.

Troy