Quarter Flower Modified Association

[RWB]

Here is a Modified Association that I just finished.The customer wanted the fork pretty wide so I had the fork widened to 4 1/2 inch stock. A full inch wider from front to back than what Bill Bean normally makes them. The swells are only 4 inches of that there is a 1/2 inch lip on the front of it. It was pretty heavy and stout, but I kinda like the look of it. It has 14 inch swells. Tell me what you don't like about it. I always like the criticism. I tried to round that front jockey out a bit more. Tell me what you think, Troy and Darcy. I know both of you guys thought that on previous saddles that I didn't get it round enough. I guess I'm still working out what you mean by that. I'd like to ask for your critique as well, Keith. Anyway anything negative is welcome. For that matter anything positive is welcome to. I've got to find a better way to take photos.

Thanks,

Ross

Edited August 28, 2010 by RWB

[steveh]

Looks very nice. I like the shape of the fork. The extended lip looks great. Tooling looks great. Is the horn a wood post? What leather did you use? What type of finish did you use?

steve

[aermotor]

Ross, I think your big swells look cool. I would like to see a picture from behind to see the shape of them. Under the swells, the cut-out on the seat jockey looks a little narrow. From a cowboy's point of view, I like that, though. If it gets very wide there, it puts a bind against a rider's leg. Also, I like the background that you used in the photograph. It really shows your saddle well. Very nice saddle.

Aermotor

[jwwright]

Real nice job Ross. I agree with aermotor about the width of the seat jockey under the swell.................I think it's because your line there runs uphill a little bit in comparison to the rest of your lines. A very nice saddle overall though. Do you edge dye as a matter of course on every saddle, or only do so upon customer request? JW

[Billy H]

Hey Ross, Nice Rig!

I'm With you, Swell Forks always catch my eye.

I am glad that you are able to get some saddles out there, around this part of the country people are given horses away and puttin tack on EBAY. Tough economy now. Billy

[kseidel]

Ross,

Good looking saddle overall. Nice light oil color. Tooling looks good... can't see enough of it to comment on details. I am posting a picture with notes relating to parts on the saddle for more detailed critique. I will be happy to elaborate on the finer points if you wish. This is only meant to be helpful for you in the future and not to be discouraging in any way. I think the swell shape looks great. I have done several with 5" stock ans a lot of lip out the front. I think they look great. Had a couple of nice visits with your father this month... he seems like a fine craftsman also.

Keith

Edited August 28, 2010 by kseidel

[TroyWest]

Hello Ross,

I think we all agree the tree looks great. Really punchy. I think the critiques have been good. Everything Keith said was certainly good. The roundness of that front jockey is much improved over the other saddle. As Keith noted the overall appearrance and shape of the saddle is attractive. I say this a lot, but you could hang a set of rigs on a saddle with stirrup leathers and ride it. Everything else is for comfort or cosmetics. These are a very big deal which can make you or break you so it is an important study and a fun one to us saddle junkies. The glaring thing to me is the welt. You centered it on the swell but not in the middle of the widest point of the swell, again as Keith noted it should go right down to the screw. It could be further forward like a bronc saddle but it would need to be much further. Another thing that I would do is make the edge of the cantle more rounded. It is flat on top, then a corner, flat back, then a corner. I prefer that whole back edge to be a nice round like the barrel of a shotgun, if that makes sense. I have to end this as my wife needs her laptop so I'll go upstairs on the other computer and finish this critique.

Troy

[RWB]

Hi Everybody,

I appreciate all the kind words. It helps to have other eyes on stuff to help a guy out.

JW,

I'm glad you saw that line running uphill. It seems like I always struggle with that line. I don't know why I have so much trouble with it. As far as the dyed edges go I pretty much dye all my edges except when it is a contract saddle or the customer doesn't want it. I just like the look of it personally. I think it gives a nice finished look to a saddle. Chas Weldon told me here recently that he didn't like the "painted" look that it gave a saddle, but I guess it is just a difference of opinion. Tell me what you think.

Keith,

I appreciate the critique. It was just what I was looking for. I would like to ask you a few question about your comments, and please don't think that I am questioning your judgment. I would just like to understand what you are saying better. So for starters my first question is about the front of my skirts. Why would I want to have a straighter line at the front of my skirts? Don't I want to match the full round look that the back of my skirts have?

Question #2 What is to deep for the rigging to be? I as a standard I put the bottom of my rigging plate at 6 3/4 inches off the lowest part of my front bar pad. Should I be at 6 1/4"-6 1/2 inches?

Question #3 Why is my front seat jockey to narrow? I can see where I need to lower it to match my back jockeys. I obviously failed to get those lines to match. But why do I need to raise it higher on my swell?

Question #4 Why is my welt to high?

Looking at my questions I guess I sound like a child. Why? Why? Why? Again I appreciate all your help. I hope that I am not a nuisance, and if I am just tell me.

I'm glad that you had some good conversations with Dad. He is a pretty handy guy. Art, wood, sculpting, and pretty much anything else he puts his mind to he can do. And he does it well. Of course I am biased, but in spite of that I know he is good.

Thanks again,

Ross Brunk

[TroyWest]

Again these are only opinions as I saw a saddle today of a well known maker with a roll like yours, a bit squared off, so opinions are like noses. Everybody has one and there are usually a couple of holes in them.

While I also like the shape of the skirts and the housing being parallel, when you get to where the housing goes under the seat jockey it flares a bit upward. It is only slight but with the skirt sloping downward there it takes away a bit from the loveliness of the lines. I am being nit-picky here, but you want people to look at your saddle and say, man those are nice lines. You really want the front jockey and rear jockey to have lines that either go straight across in perfect line as on a semi square rig or a gentle downward curve that would perfectly intersect. When you fit those jockeys, get back off 10 ft. and look at it. You can see those discrepancies from a distance easier than when right on top of them.

I think you should sew your binder a bit further down rather than stopping 3/4" from the bottom.

You are doing a lot of things well Ross. Your housings look like they are down nice and tight. Your tooling is looking good, and you have a great attitude for learning.

Troy

[RWB]

Hi Troy,

Thanks, not only for the compliments but the critique as well. Like I told Keith I appreciate it when someone is willing to help. As far as your opinion goes, your right some peoples opinions aren't any good, but I asked for yours because I value it. You have always been helpful and you do good work.

As far as the cantle binding goes I think your right. I didn't like it when I got done with it either. How far off of my seat should I start my stitches? I did notice were my back jockeys come up a bit, but I had a hard time sucking them down tight without them. They had a lot of snap to them when I got done, but I think I need to compesate and cut them a little lower in the future. Again I appeciate it.

Ross