Rough Out Tuscon

[jwwright]

I don't believe anyone has posted photos of a Tuscon front saddle here before. I just finished this one for a customer, and thought I would. This one has 14" wide swells with quite a bit of undercut and backsweep. The customer requested the rawhide braided swells, which are popular with OK, TX, NM cowpunchers.........but it did make covering these swells a bit more challenging. Many Thanks, JW.

[Billy H]

Hi JW,

That swell does not look easy to fit. Your braided welts always look nice and neat. ( great job )

Thanks for posting! I always look forward to your next. Billy

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hi Jw,

That's a good looking saddle, I don't see too many forks like that up my way. Nice work on the braid. Love the saddle but my shins ache just looking at those stirrups.

Darcy

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Nice work JW! As always, good clean blending lines. I love to look at your work.

Bob

[jwwright]

Billy, Darcy, Bob...........Thank You for your generous comments. Darcy, I guess it's all a matter of personal preference, but those 2" visallia stirrups have always been my personal favorite for an all around saddle, and they are very popular with my customers. Thanks, JW

[TroyWest]

Nice saddle JW. I love a roughout.

Darcy, you know those aluminum stirrups won't hurt anymore than 4" monels banging your shins.

[D.A. Kabatoff]

JW, Troy,

you guys are probably right about the stirrups... A good number of years back I did a favor for a fellow when I lived in Japan. Turns out he was selling Syd Hill Australian saddles and tack which are a decently made factory type Aussie saddle. Oneday the UPS guy shows up at my door in Canada with a saddle that this guy decided to send to me as a thankyou and although I had no real interest in Aussie saddles I decided to give it a few rides. It had a pair of aluminium stirrups on it which is the only thing I really remember about the saddle because everytime I went to saddle up my shins took a thrashing while carrying this thing. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as I remember and proabably no worse than any other stirrup I've used but for some reason when ever I see aluminium stirrups i have a knee-jerkin reaction to them... might be the transition into my 40's, bones start aching and the mind starts fading!

Darcy

[CWR]

Another nice one JW. What is the difference in a Tucson and a low moose?

Thanks for posting.

CW

[Tyrel]

I don't believe anyone has posted photos of a Tuscon front saddle here before. I just finished this one for a customer, and thought I would. This one has 14" wide swells with quite a bit of undercut and backsweep. The customer requested the rawhide braided swells, which are popular with OK, TX, NM cowpunchers.........but it did make covering these swells a bit more challenging. Many Thanks, JW.

Nice saddle JW, I made a Tuscon once on a factory tree that looked very different than yours. I like yours much better. Who made your tree? Great workmanship!

-Ty-

[jwwright]

CW & Tyrel..........Thank You for your comments.

CW, as you know all tree makers do things differently, and they all have their own versions of any given name of swell shape. Generally speaking, the main differences between this version of a Tuscon vs. a Low Moose is the sweep back in the swells, and the stock thickness. The swells of this Tuscon sweep back quite a bit, almost bear trap style, and the fork stock thickness is 4 1/2". I will be building a saddle over the winter on a Black Hawk tree, which I will post a photo of when done. A Black Hawk is basically the same as this Tuscon, but the swells are straight up, no lean or sweep back.

Tyrel, I have been using handmade trees from Jon Watsabaugh for about 2 1/2 years, along with having used some production trees. For me, I found that Bowden was the best choice of production trees, considering bar pattern fit for the types of horses I generally build for, and also considering swell shape having the appropriate look. That said, I made the decision earlier this year to use handmade trees exclusively, as opposed to offering them as an added cost option in my base price. At this time, all saddles I build are being built on trees by Jon W., and I am starting to use Rod Nikkel trees as well. ......this Tuscon was built on the last Bowden tree in my shop, and I must say they did a good job on it. It was a special order, and they do alot of handwork on these undercut, swept back swell styles. I had them glass the tree prior to rawhiding as well............... with all the up charges it cost close to what some handmades cost. Their swell shapes on these type of trees have the look that most cowpuncher customers are looking for. I look forward to working with Jon and Rod in getting this same look in the swells for future Tuscon orders.

All the best, JW.