charliep Report post Posted May 29, 2010 What is the best way to go about shortening fenders/stirrup leathers on a western saddle? I have found several good discussions on replacing fenders and leathers, but I just want to know the best way to shorten them without doing any replacement. Any advice is welcome. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted May 29, 2010 (edited) Without making new fenders and not cutting them off ( which i wouldn't do period ). You best bet is to take the stirrup off, grab the stirrup leather and pull the fender up as far as it will go under the seat jockey. You may need to spay some saddle soap up under the seat jockey and between the skirt and bar ( turn it upside down to spay the saddle soap ) . It will make it slick where it is easier to pull if their stuck. Sometimes it takes two men and a boy if they haven't been moved in a long time to pull them. John Edited May 29, 2010 by dirtclod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horsewreck Report post Posted May 30, 2010 Charlie, are the fenders to long even when adjusted up, and hole punched as short as they will go, is that what you are saying?..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charliep Report post Posted May 30, 2010 I haven't tried shortening the fenders yet, but for the discussion, lets say the leathers are still too long with the fenders shortened up and hole punched as short as they'll go. What would the next step be? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horsewreck Report post Posted May 31, 2010 Is this saddle going to be ridden by a child, a small adult, and how much to long are the stirrups? Is the saddle tooled or stamped, is it slickout or roughout, are the fenders lined. What is the age and value of the saddle. Is this a bench made saddle or is it mass produced. If this is to be used by a child, will they want to ride it when they have grown. Please pull the fenders up all the way, and punch any holes needed to adjust the stirrups all the way up, then report back as to how much they are still to long. These are some of the questions that need to be answered before moving foward. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BevJones Report post Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) If converting for a child and the above ways do not make it small enough, I will make the fender smaller all around. Generally I take and make it smaller at the back of the fender and shorten it. I generally leave the front part of the fender alone. Sometimes I will have to remove and re-attach the stirrup leather at the top of the fender as well. Also the Stohlman saddle making volumes, I believe volume 1, gives you some measurements based on the length of the riders leg that you may find helpful. Edited January 19, 2011 by BevJones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saddlebag Report post Posted January 23, 2011 I have a saddle in in which I will be doing just that. The owner isn't concerned about resale. I will remove the two rivets holding the fender to the stirrup leather at the top, then remove about two inches of fender and reshape the top of the fender making it narrower again near the top and reattach. The fender was up against the tree and still too long. The bottom edge of the fender was at the top of the stirrups so the hobbles weren't able to function as they should. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe59 Report post Posted January 25, 2011 Back when I was dating the girl who became my wife, I rebuilt an old HH Heiser saddle for her to ride. The major problem I faced was that she is 5 foot nothing and I'm over 6 feet. The stirrup leathers were laced and needed to be replaced. I put Blevins buckles in when I replaced them. The next problem was that when the stirrups were adjusted for her the fender was way up on the bar and caused a lump under her leg and the Blevins slide was cutting the latigos. When adjusted for me, the top of the fender was about a half inch below the seat jockey and would sometimes pinch. I couldnot see the forrest for the trees and was at a loss as what to do. Back in the day, when stirrup leathers were laced together, the length of the leather below the curve of the fender was between 12 and 14 inches. With the invent of quick change buckles, this length could be shortened. When I'm installing Blevins style buckles, the length below the curve of the fender I use is 10 1/2 inches. This will put the hardware below the lagigos where it will not rub and 2 to 4 inches of adjustment can be gained. This solved both problems. Before you go to the trouble of cutting down the fenders or cutting new ones, see if the length below the curve of the fender can be adjusted. The 10 1/2 inches will be ample room to use a Nevada twist. JOE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saddlebag Report post Posted January 27, 2011 Joe59, in my case this won't work. When I built my own saddle the leathers were laced, no quick change buckles. When I was a kid a good working saddle was laced and if someone else used the saddle they just had to make do with the length. These fenders are just too long. The owner has short legs and her daughters are even a little shorter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted September 27, 2011 Back when I was dating the girl who became my wife, I rebuilt an old HH Heiser saddle for her to ride. The major problem I faced was that she is 5 foot nothing and I'm over 6 feet. The stirrup leathers were laced and needed to be replaced. I put Blevins buckles in when I replaced them. The next problem was that when the stirrups were adjusted for her the fender was way up on the bar and caused a lump under her leg and the Blevins slide was cutting the latigos. When adjusted for me, the top of the fender was about a half inch below the seat jockey and would sometimes pinch. I couldnot see the forrest for the trees and was at a loss as what to do. Back in the day, when stirrup leathers were laced together, the length of the leather below the curve of the fender was between 12 and 14 inches. With the invent of quick change buckles, this length could be shortened. When I'm installing Blevins style buckles, the length below the curve of the fender I use is 10 1/2 inches. This will put the hardware below the lagigos where it will not rub and 2 to 4 inches of adjustment can be gained. This solved both problems. Before you go to the trouble of cutting down the fenders or cutting new ones, see if the length below the curve of the fender can be adjusted. The 10 1/2 inches will be ample room to use a Nevada twist. JOE nice tip! and may i ask what you call "Nevada twist"? Is it similar to what is called "wyoming twist"? If different = what's the difference? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer Report post Posted September 27, 2011 nice tip! and may i ask what you call "Nevada twist"? Is it similar to what is called "wyoming twist"? If different = what's the difference? It is similar to " Montana twist " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted September 27, 2011 It is similar to " Montana twist " thanks! Another "thought": i guess a twist is a twist and can have different names for the same thing.... or are there different ways for "twists"? and if so : what are the "pros and cons" if there are some? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe59 Report post Posted September 27, 2011 If you have the opportunity to look at some old saddle catalogs you will see the easiest way to put a twist on your stirrup leathers. Before the stirrup leathers are laced or buckled, the leather below is turned. The left one is twisted counter clockwise and the right is twisted clockwise. I've used this method on numerous saddles, both restorations and brand new. I soak the entire fender, put them on the tree, twist the stirrup leathers below the fender and use my draw down to set the twist. Hope this helps. JOE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mauifarrier Report post Posted October 12, 2011 I have a saddle in in which I will be doing just that. The owner isn't concerned about resale. I will remove the two rivets holding the fender to the stirrup leather at the top, then remove about two inches of fender and reshape the top of the fender making it narrower again near the top and reattach. The fender was up against the tree and still too long. The bottom edge of the fender was at the top of the stirrups so the hobbles weren't able to function as they should. I agree with Saddlebag in the necessity of doing this. I usually remove 3" of fender, and have done it to three different saddles belonging to short legged riders. I'm a huge fan of the "twist", but sometimes it bumps the fender up higher above the stirrup and necessitates trimming all the more. Dusty Johnson's lovely $20 book on saddlemaking instructs you how to to the twist by building a cuff of leather and lacing it up tight. If you don't already own his book, it's very handy and informative for the money. A useful reference even for making repairs or replacing parts on a saddle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saddlebag Report post Posted October 12, 2011 I was working with a saddle with leathers that would not budge even with dribbling neatsfoot and hot water in there. Then an AHA moment. Two empty clean tall yogurt containers were on the counter right in front of me. I cut the top rims and bottoms off and also down one side. I now had two roughly 4"x7" flat plastic strips. (I also rounded the corners) I worked them up into the tree, one on either side of the leather. This enabled me to bring the free end up in to the gullet area to clean and lubricate and get the leather sliding back and forth. I then repositioned the "slides and fed the leather back thro the bar, slick as you please. The slides have been a valuable part of my tool collection since. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mauifarrier Report post Posted October 13, 2011 Great idea, Saddlebag! Thanks for sharing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
