Saddle Skirt Attachment Method Question

[GrampaJoel]

Hi all.

I have the three Stohlman saddle making books and the Watt saddle making dvds and the Dusty Johnson saddle making dvd. I have all this wonderful information on saddle making.

But they all seem to use a different method of attaching the saddle skirts. I took a look at the saddle I have that I bought from a shop and it has a different type of saddle skirt attachment.

Now, I'm totally confused as to the best way to attach saddle skirts now. So I'm seeking you help.

my question is.....

How do you builders here attach your saddle skirts?

Thanks

Grampa Joel

[jwwright]

Tug straps, 7/16" wide latigo. 2 in the front and 3 in the back, both sides. JW

[GrampaJoel]

Thanks for the reply JW .

So you use just tug straps.

May I take it that you personally don't drill through the bars for the tug straps? Your method is similar to the Watt method.

Anyone else care to share your method of Saddle skirt attachment??

[jwwright]

Joel........tug straps do not go through the bars..........the go through the skirts outside of the bar area. Strings can or can not go through the tree. Judging only from what I've seen on the Watt dvds several years ago, I use more tug straps than he did in the video. I would say that my method is much more like the Stohlman .The strings are a seperate issue from the tug straps. I have drilled the tree for the strings and I have not. I think both methods have good points. Basically, I find out if the customer has a preference. If no preference is given, then on ranch saddles that are going to be used as they should, then I drill. JW

Edited December 9, 2010 by jwwright

[GrampaJoel]

Thanks JW for clearing that up the difference between strings and tugs..

I have been trying to separate the good methods from the not so good.

I wondered when watching the Watt DVDs that he said something about building saddles for working cowboys, or something like that. But the connection he used of the skirts to the tree seemed pretty weak to me. He put what he called saddle strings on his saddle, but they were just through the jockeys in the back.

This wanting to build a saddle correctly has turned out to be a pretty expensive venture when I have spent 300 for the Stohlman books, 80 for the Johnson DVD and another 400 + for the Watt DVDs,,,,,

and I still have a lot of concerns about the correct way to build a saddle, and I still need to ask questions on the forums.

So it's OK for the strings to go through the tree then. I want a ranch working quality saddle.

I think my saddle will be really great, when I get this stuff figured out..

[JAM]

A saddlemaker friend gave me some really good reasons for NOT putting strings through the tree:

(1) The strings will break one day and need replacing, and strings that go through the tree are a lot more work to replace;

(2) If a string should ever get hooked on something, he wants the string to pull out of the leather rather than yank the tree and cause a wreck.

So, my question is, what are the reasons why a working ranch saddle needs the strings to go through the tree? I can't envision a situation in which the skirts are going to be pulled off the tree and need through-tree strings to hold them on... I'm not a ranch cowboy, so could use the knowledge.

Julia

[bruce johnson]

I am with JW, I use tugs whenever I can. On some of the repairs I have to deal with pocketed bars and just don't like them. Sometimes they don't pull up tight and it is a pain to resew them through the woolskin. I use one twist nail and one drywall screw for my lugs. I've done a few pocketed bars for guys riding in the pines who worry about needles working in under the bars though.

I drill for most strings, but only through the bars not the skirts. I gouge out the rawhide between my string holes and seal with a little varnish. The strings lay flat on the bottom of the bars. It makes them secure and easy to change when one breaks or is cut off for a repair. Unscrew the lugs, drop the skirt, restring, and screw the lug right back in the same hole. No fiddling around running one through the skirts and under the wool.

[JAM]

Okay - I certainly agree with the idea of not running strings through the skirts - but why through the tree at all? What advantage does that give?

[bruce johnson]

A saddlemaker friend gave me some really good reasons for NOT putting strings through the tree:

(1) The strings will break one day and need replacing, and strings that go through the tree are a lot more work to replace;

(2) If a string should ever get hooked on something, he wants the string to pull out of the leather rather than yank the tree and cause a wreck.

So, my question is, what are the reasons why a working ranch saddle needs the strings to go through the tree? I can't envision a situation in which the skirts are going to be pulled off the tree and need through-tree strings to hold them on... I'm not a ranch cowboy, so could use the knowledge.

Julia

Julia,

There are sure two ways and both work. There are regional and personal biases for either way and it is kind of one of those saddlemaker's debates that won't ever be solved. Personally,I use maybe heavier strings than some people do. Some of my customers tie doctoring bags and saddlebags on. A lot of kids pull themselves up with a string.

Lighter strings will break before they tear out leather, a stronger string pulls leather. The problem when they pull leather is they tear off the front jockey or seat jocket at the cantle ear. These are pretty expensive repairs.

[JAM]

Okay - thanks. Good answer.

Julia