Saddlemaking- Opinions on Instruction

[Ron]

I have been surfing the net for information on saddle making schools and instructional books on making saddles. I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject for someone who has no prior experience. Thanks , Ron

[bruce johnson]

Ron,

Good question. Prior to cyber meltdown last week, we had a pretty thorough section of lively discussion on books, videos, and other resources. It will be back. In my short list in no particular order. The Stohlman series of books are good and thorough. You need them all, if for no other reason than a wide knowledge base to build on. Those books are not the end all, and Al Stohlman was A saddlemaker, not THE saddlemaker. Saddle Makers Shop Manual is my go-to printed resource. Lot of variations, but assumes a working knowledge. Videos - Jeremiah Watt series is necessary to me. About as complete as it gets. Bill Gomer has one a little more abbreviated, but good points and a few tricks. Dale Harwood has a good one too. You couldn't build one from Dale's, but once you have built a few, your next one will be a lot better after watching this one.

As far as schools ????? I think you could learn how to build a saddle just like the guy you learn from teaches. The more background you have going in, the more you will learn what you don't know.

Philosophy now. I think a saddlemaker has to have a definite and personal experience with the type of purpose you are building a saddle for. You have to know the "whys" first before you can do the "hows". Seat shape is critical for optimum performance, which is not always the same as rider comfort. Stirrup swing, rigging types and advantages of different styles all play into the mechanics of the top side. Fit, rigging style and position play into the bottom side.

The good news, there are probably more instructional opportunities now than ever before building saddles. Everything from books, videos, schools of different lengths, classes at several leather trade shows now, and saddlemakers talking. You are in a good place right here.

[Ron]

Ron,

Good question. Prior to cyber meltdown last week, we had a pretty thorough section of lively discussion on books, videos, and other resources. It will be back. In my short list in no particular order. The Stohlman series of books are good and thorough. You need them all, if for no other reason than a wide knowledge base to build on. Those books are not the end all, and Al Stohlman was A saddlemaker, not THE saddlemaker. Saddle Makers Shop Manual is my go-to printed resource. Lot of variations, but assumes a working knowledge. Videos - Jeremiah Watt series is necessary to me. About as complete as it gets. Bill Gomer has one a little more abbreviated, but good points and a few tricks. Dale Harwood has a good one too. You couldn't build one from Dale's, but once you have built a few, your next one will be a lot better after watching this one.

As far as schools ????? I think you could learn how to build a saddle just like the guy you learn from teaches. The more background you have going in, the more you will learn what you don't know.

Philosophy now. I think a saddlemaker has to have a definite and personal experience with the type of purpose you are building a saddle for. You have to know the "whys" first before you can do the "hows". Seat shape is critical for optimum performance, which is not always the same as rider comfort. Stirrup swing, rigging types and advantages of different styles all play into the mechanics of the top side. Fit, rigging style and position play into the bottom side.

The good news, there are probably more instructional opportunities now than ever before building saddles. Everything from books, videos, schools of different lengths, classes at several leather trade shows now, and saddlemakers talking. You are in a good place right here.

Thanks for the reply Bruce . I think I'll pick up the Al Stohlmans series . Sounds like a good place to start. By the way would you know a good source for these books? Ron

[gtwister09]

Ron,

Not Bruce but Tandy Leather Factory is about as good as it gets unless you can spot a set on eBay a little cheaper. Harry's daughter is selling his manual now for somewhere around $80-90. I would really agree with Bruce on Jeremiah's videos. I have all of the ones that Bruce has mentioned as well as some by Cheaney, Gomer and Adal/Conway and agree with his comments wholeheartedly about the videos he mentioned.

Regards,

Ben

[YRsaddles]

I would also agree with Bruce..Al Stolmans books give you a good deal of knowledge. and if you have a fair amount of experience with the tools then making a decent well fitting first saddle is well within anyones grasp. Just know that the AL does things in the book aren't always the easiest way to do it. Jerimah's videos are good too..and I actually like his tooling layout video too. Though I don't want to be KNOWN for hand tooling..I'm always trying to improve. But learned most of what I know by apprenticing in a saddle shop.

Edited January 12, 2008 by YRsaddles

[gtwister09]

Though I don't want to be KNOWN for hand tooling..I'm always trying to improve. But learned most of what I know by apprenticing in a saddle shop.

Interesting comment given the story about the knife case that Jim L. made (in another thread) especially in light of the functionality and stitching.

Regards,

Ben

[David Genadek]

Ron,

It depends on what your goals are. If you just want to do a saddle to say you did one then Dusty Johnson's work would be geared toward you. If you want to become a master saddle maker then that is a different journey all together. I spent ten years roaming around the country working for and with differant people. If your looking at really finding your own way then I think working with many people is essential. Gomer's school is a great place to start because Bill has a pretty broad perspective meaning he knows many methods of saddle construction from both the custom and production side of things. Which set of tapes and books I say get them all as you can. There is no: Here is how you make a saddle. Where do you want to go with it?

"Philosophy now. I think a saddlemaker has to have a definite and personal experience with the type of purpose you are building a saddle for. You have to know the "whys" first before you can do the "hows". Bruce Johnson AMEN

David Genadek

[gtwister09]

Ron,

Philosphy comments are dead on. It is a lot different from the working end of the saddle or any other career. I presently work as an Independent Executive Consultant in Information Technology. I have seen so many people who are certified in databases, operating systems and networks yet they can't put that learning to work to correct problems and design. Not all of them mind you but enough to know that the certifications are no guarantee for fitness. They understand the hows just not the whys. If you understand both the how and why then you can also evaluate new techniques as well.

With that being said, I am a firm believer in a library. I read once that, "A person is only as good as his library." There is considerable truth to that statement assuming that the books and videos are used, read and watched. This is especially true for saddle makers because there was limited ones available. However there have been more and more books and videos available over the years. The same holds true in the engraving, machining and woodworking worlds as well.

You must study in order to improve. Some do it like Dave did by moving around and working under some of the greats. Others have to glean through other methods like books, videos and other methods including discussions like these.

Start a library and add to it constantly. Unfortunately many of the books and videos associated with saddlemaking are expensive. Good work is rare and it takes a lot of time, effort, photographs and such (don't forget $$$$) to publish either books or video. However remember that not all books or videos represent high quality or good work. One such saddlemaking one that comes to mind is Lee Rice's information on "How to Make a Western Saddle". You will learn to discriminate between what is good and what is not, Try to incorporate some of what you see into your own work. This is the best way to grow. On another note concerning a good library... it can supply you with an endless source of inspiration as well as a means of researching style.

I have the luxury at this time of being able to purchase a library for some of my passions in woodworking, saddlemaking/leatherworking and engraving/bits and spurs. It is also a double-edged sword on the other side in that it limits my time in being able to constantly pursue these passions. I started gathering saddlemaking books almost 30 years ago and haven't stopped yet. (as far as saddlemaking I have almost all of the books out there except for Beck's and I have almost all the videos from well know people like Harwood, Gomer and Watt to less published ones like Harry King).

In fact the last few years have created a lot more information with videos and books as well as the internet. Once you identify an area of interest then utilize the power of the internet to gather information on that subject with search engines like google, wikia and others. I capture pages and photos from people's web sites using Adobe Acrobat but any PDF creator can do that. Don't overlook the power of forums like this one either. There are ones for bits and spurs, knives, metalworking, computer controlled machining, welding, shoe making and list can go on and on. Utilize them because you can glean a lot of valuable information that is close to being priceless. Save the information and store it away in order that you can utilize it later.

This is not to say that the wealth of knowledge that you can gain from actual work with a saddlemaker wouldn't be GREAT. It would have been wonderful to work alongside some of them. I know from talking and developing friendships with some of them that they were a wealth of knowledge just in talking through a project and listening to them. It is just that many of us are unable to do that.

Regards,

Ben

[JRedding]

Ron, I have to agree and disagree about all the books and videos, any study material is good for something, you'll learn from something from each one,but I've seen guys who buy them all and try to apply everything to the point it's just confusing. The only caution I'd give about books and videos is once you've done the research and studied all the methods you can to get from point A to point B on a saddle box those things up, take what you've learned and learn to build your saddle. Using them for reference is fine but leaving them lay open on your bench everytime you work is like showing up on the job carrying your eigth grade math book just in case there's something in there you might need. My point is usually we go to school, study, and at some point the books have done you all the good they're going to and it's time to go to work and learn the rest. I've seen so many guys eager to learn the last ten years turn those things into a crutch ten years later they've learned alright and they're building a saddle that is such a carbon copy if Jeramiah saw it he'd likely offer a job. If a man's going to all this work to learn to build a saddle you might as well be building your saddle when you're done as a clone of someone elses who sold you a book or a video.

[gtwister09]

That's right in line with my comment....

(I have seen so many people who are certified in databases, operating systems and networks yet they can't put that learning to work to correct problems and design. Not all of them mind you but enough to know that the certifications are no guarantee for fitness.)

Just because they were trained and certified these weren't any guarantee that they could put the information to use or practice it.

You have to apply and develop your own style. These are just the foundational steps. My first saddle I took pieces of information from Hooper, Jones and Yates to build the first one. I mainly used Hooper but I used Jones because he was the one who had a leather ground seat and that was what I wanted to use at the time. Just a case in point for developing your own style and methods.

In business process reengineering they call this methodology a couple of things (1) information reuse or (2) benchmarking - another term for stealing shamelessly.

Regards,

Ben