Aurelie Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Team Greg and Aurelie => 1 versus Fork Cover = 0 It's on! and pretty nice I have no idea how "frog lip" should look but it looks good to me Some rubbing, some gun tacks and here it is : under drying process it 's 11 PM and i am watching over it while it's drying (to make sure it stays good) ...and Charlotte did not even woke up with gun tacks ...except the dog scared to death So far ...so good! i do not know yet if i will dare carving the Fork cover..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted January 16, 2012 Hi guys! I hope that you're doing good! Here we are ! Fork cover done and i am pretty happy about the way it turned out Horn finished => square style because i like it that way this is a "gambling" because i know that US guys do not like it that way Fenders on (i like also the look of it) So far, what i would have done differently (try to do it better) : the center hole on fork cover could have come up a wee bit higher tooling is not PERFECT , good but NOT PERFECT and something i could not do a lot for : quality of leather i am totally NOT happy with this batch of leather , some could even say "mad" because for a "top quality" and the price it cost me...did not worth it at all big differences of thickness along the hide ...and i am short on the leather (3 hides) and can't afford neither to waste leather , neither to do a mistake Because of that i had to re -do 1 skirt totally because leather was too thin on the front and kinda wrinkled and lucky me i double fender+ stirrups straps because fenders are not quite level regarding thinkness and THAT bother me a lot So as i said : Fork cover is ok, so the only "big thing" i can wreck is the seat (crossing fingers it won't happen.... i can only hope ) Skirts are on their way, so are the covered stirrups Hum...i am not "too" late for now... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted February 13, 2012 Hello, Hello! I ve been quite busy lately with Charlotte, saddles and some stuff... but here i am for a little update on "How is going that saddle" It's.........how could i put that on? ....it's ...not easy, never going the "easy" way.....and always thinking of a better way to do what i want.... It's time consuming....but it's working rather good.... slowly, but surely ... not perfect but ok 1st of all : 1st of both skirt finished to be tooled and stitched i am pretty happy with the tooling there it seems to be enough deep i had some troubles around the rigging dee because the leather (the feeling) is just "weird" when tooling... At 1st , i wanted to interlock the design around the rivets, but that "weird" feeling just made me back up ...and i guess it was a wise decision Regarding the stitching.i am way not yet out of the wood!!! the waxed thread i used (the one too waxed) is SO NOT WORKING I tried to rub it with canvas, paper, leather and even sand paper....NOTHING works good to remove enough of that extra wax......too much wax or not enough and it weaken the thread It makes "dreadlocks" in the sheepskin = PERFECTLY AWFUL A TOTAL HELL so , i finally decided to stitch with sewing machine thread (with a bit of wax on it) FYI, sewing machine thread IS NOT intended to be used to stitch by hand => as sharp as a wire , even with Bike's gloves héhéhéhé i won't put a pic of my hand.... BUT The important thing is to find a solution that works and which is clean That makes the trick ! clean, efficient and nice looking! I just have to do the second one....... I jumped the bridge regarding the Fork cover carving.... Anyway...if i wanted to try ...i had to start and do it at some point! So here i am.... not too tricky, a small thing to start I just have to have a smaller stand the next time i am a bit too short to be comfy working on it What can i tell about it? hum ...not that bad...but next time it will be better i guess i did not dare cut too deep because the leather here is quite stretched and thin I do not know how deep i can cut without risking a total wreck so the design is not too deep i guess it could be a bit deeper....but it looks not that bad what do you think? some advices? Ah! and the stirrups are finished!! :D but this is a surprise for the end !!! TIME CONSUMING but AWESOME! Oh! and you remember the trouble i had with the stained yellow latigo??? If fact, it's not a storage trouble.....it just changes color with time...... I do not understand .... i have cut the strings they are properly stored no humidity, no light , no contact...and they just darken..... and better keep away from Olive Oil because it darkens it even more!!! when the Kangaroo is bright yellow and do not darken that bothers me a lot because at 1st, latigo and Roo were the same color and now with the time going , the latigo changes color..... Any idea??? Next steps : finish stitching the 2d skirt, lacing them, put on the skirts then THE BIG JOB = Inlaid seat and when that 's over and ok.....It will be a nice lil stroll in the grass (except the binding for straight cantle) héhéhéhé Keep tuned! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted February 17, 2012 Okay....Skirts are on.... It's been quite a pain in the butt to put on and align everything... I SO hate to build inskirts!!! Who said it was easy peasy thing compared to flate plates???? but it's on! i still have to put on the plugs straight and aligned at the back and rigging dees aligned at the " millimètre près" ! the front ones and the back ones so technically everything is alright althought skirts might have been "blocked" a bit more....i ve got to improve on the next saddle since it will be a Barrel racing one! but esthetic is another history.... 2 things "bother" me.... 1st : i see the right skirt slightly lower than the left one at the front Okay, it's just esthetic but i am becoming psychotic with this ...and i know that it will be the 1 st thing that Dale will notice!! And I notice THAT above everything NOW! Totally Psycho! but i am "cajoling" myself telling me : the most important is the technical aspect over the esthetic one = better have rigging dees set straight and at same level and not perfect esthetism at the front rather than the other way around (for the horse sake) PERFECTION would be both....i tried to get the skirt higher but it won't do as i wish... 2d thing : i am not used to big opening of the gullet i ve never done an Old Mexico before and i am surprised by the look of it...i have to admit : i am not at all fond of the look of it... it just looks TOO WIDE opened.... i really do prefer the Flat Creek Packet or even the Sid Special style.... Do all the Old mexico saddles look like that at the front? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted April 11, 2012 Hi guys! i ve been quite busy lately..... i have finally finished my fittings, my sewing my carving and after 3 in laid seat done, i guess that this one is quite good far from being perfect but good (i am not sure of the way it should look and feel....) tonight , i am going to pull on the seat for good!! here are some pictures : and i had forgotten to put the pictures of the stirrups : Now, after the seat is on....i guess the BIG scary thing is to make and sew the binding on the straight cantle (never done that) By the way : If anyone feel like sharing his techniques for straight binding it would be cool....so that i can "pick up" the ideas that suits me and have an idea which way i am going to "jump" in the pool full of sharks :D Once the binding is ok.....it will be a "roll in the hay" ! Almost finished!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted April 13, 2012 Okay! Seat is on ...for good It's nice....but...i am a bit "mad" because there is a "wee" wrinkle on the inlaid cover leather ... It was NOT here on the fitting but appeared on the pulling on..... Maybe i am too picky....but it bothers me because i would like to understand WHY so that i can fix it the next time There , do you see the wrinkle at the back? While i am still debating on "HOW TO DO MY CANTLE BINDING" and since Charlotte is quite nice today and lets me working..... I am working..... I 've set the stirrups and the billets.... I have got right my back jockey patterns and the design...so now got to cut them, carve them and finish that D****D saddle! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tnawrot2 Report post Posted April 13, 2012 Okay....Skirts are on.... It's been quite a pain in the butt to put on and align everything... I SO hate to build inskirts!!! Who said it was easy peasy thing compared to flate plates???? but it's on! i still have to put on the plugs straight and aligned at the back and rigging dees aligned at the " millimètre près" ! the front ones and the back ones so technically everything is alright althought skirts might have been "blocked" a bit more....i ve got to improve on the next saddle since it will be a Barrel racing one! but esthetic is another history.... 2 things "bother" me.... 1st : i see the right skirt slightly lower than the left one at the front Okay, it's just esthetic but i am becoming psychotic with this ...and i know that it will be the 1 st thing that Dale will notice!! And I notice THAT above everything NOW! Totally Psycho! but i am "cajoling" myself telling me : the most important is the technical aspect over the esthetic one = better have rigging dees set straight and at same level and not perfect esthetism at the front rather than the other way around (for the horse sake) PERFECTION would be both....i tried to get the skirt higher but it won't do as i wish... 2d thing : i am not used to big opening of the gullet i ve never done an Old Mexico before and i am surprised by the look of it...i have to admit : i am not at all fond of the look of it... it just looks TOO WIDE opened.... i really do prefer the Flat Creek Packet or even the Sid Special style.... Do all the Old mexico saddles look like that at the front? I never seen front rigging that far forward on the skirts, it looks like if you get the saddle on the horse in the proper position the girth would be too far forward and interfere with the horse's leg movement (pinching the horse). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted April 14, 2012 I never seen front rigging that far forward on the skirts, it looks like if you get the saddle on the horse in the proper position the girth would be too far forward and interfere with the horse's leg movement (pinching the horse). The rigging dee is set at "full" position it's just that on the picture, the saddle is set far "up" on the stand and looks like it's very forward Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted April 20, 2012 Hello guys 'n' girls! this is the last picture that i will post before the saddle is really finished. No pictures before it is settled at the Sheridan Leather Show! surprise, surprise! i will post pictures of the finished saddle when i will come back from the States! So? See you in Sheridan! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted May 28, 2012 Hello guys and girls! I am back from my trip to Sheridan with my Hornet aka Bumblebee. It was a terrific trip! long, troublesome but terrific! I have met great peoples, suppliers, saddlemakers and even more! even met some of you! i ve seen terrific things too and i am coming back with even more questions that what i had before going there goal scored! i had fun , i learnt lot of things , had even more crazy ideas got things to modify, to improve got new things to try...... I have learnt "patience" I ve been working leather for only 2 years.....and i guess i have time to improve myself here are some pictures from Sheridan for you : My link Have fun and keep faith! Aurelie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Aureli, it looks you had a great time at the show !! Thank you for sharing your pictures i enjoyed looking at them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Hi Dirtclod! Yes ! that's for sure! I had fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
