Shelly Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Well...had to re-register after the hack! I suppose that means I get to repost my pix as well! These pix are of one of the most recent saddles I finished up - the gal that owns it flew over for 3 weeks, from Finland, and stayed here with us while I built it. She also rode horses with my husband, helping in the barn with the horses, and then spending time in the shop when not out there...I put her to work after she decided she wanted antique, dyed edges, and dyed background....I did the background dying, and I taught her the steps for the antiquing, and let her do a lot of the edges, as long as it wasn't 'critical' that I did that...This would have cost her over $700.00 US for ship/ins, by way of FedEx - she would have needed to pay duty once it arrived also. She was told she could just about fly over and get it herself, and when she told me that, I invited her to come on - she could help out in the barn in exchange for her room/board...because she has a board/training facility over there, she was pretty keen on that - now I have a new friend half a world away! When she got home, she had no luggage - no saddle, either! The airline delivered it all to her a few days later, brought everything to the farm for her...best part - she didn't have to declare anything! Never had any of it looked at by customs....no duty, etc...how lucky was that?! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorts Report post Posted July 22, 2008 What an excellent experience and gorgeous saddle! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grunt Report post Posted July 22, 2008 That is a mighty fine saddle! The best part is the experience of building it and making a new friend at the same time. I'm sure that both of you will remember it always. Regards, Nick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Shelly, Third time to reply will hopefully be the charm. The cyberspace dog has eaten my reply twice. First off thanks for rejoining us and posting the pictures. I favor that border stamp also. Looks like the edging lesons worked, and the the entire saddle looks good. I like the color, and the antiquing sets it off nicely. Cool story to go with it too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Shelly,Third time to reply will hopefully be the charm. The cyberspace dog has eaten my reply twice. First off thanks for rejoining us and posting the pictures. I favor that border stamp also. Looks like the edging lesons worked, and the the entire saddle looks good. I like the color, and the antiquing sets it off nicely. Cool story to go with it too. Thanks to all for the nice comments - I don't profess to be at the level of the TCA - but it's good to have those people out there to give me something to aspire to - I've had some 'over the top' comments about my braiding abilities over the years,(and now the saddles), but never really believed in them...especially when I've got an Argentinian knife and sheath to remind me of some really 'over the top' work! I do get good feedback from my customers, and that is generally what keeps me in it - just really like the good feeling I get from them when they give such positive reports - but, I'm pretty grounded, I know I'm not going to please everyone all the time, so I just do the best I can, and keep trying to get better on the next one...I did have a friend that does high end saddle work comment once about the buckstitching (when I did that for the first time) - some food for thought for all - 'Be careful what you put on your work - be sure it's something you don't mind doing, and make sure you charge accordingly for it, just in case you start wishing you'd never done it' Reason for this comment is because later on, this has become a 'signature' add-on - I get requests for this on lots of my cowhorse/reining saddles, and it does take lots more time to do - because of that, I went up enough on the price to be sure I was compensated for the time/effort required to do the application...anyway, just glad I can actually make a living at doing what I like to do! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anne newkold Report post Posted July 23, 2008 beautiful saddle! what did you use on the border ? what tools? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArtS Report post Posted July 23, 2008 Wow, wow, wow! beautiful saddle and neat story to go with it. That makes it even more special. ArtS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickybobby Report post Posted July 23, 2008 Shelly, Awsome saddle, Nice detail work, I have to ask about the boarder tool, it is not one I have seem before. Do Tell!! Do Tell !! It is making us nuts!! , o.k. we work with leather, we are all ready nuts!! Really, Good Work and thanks for sharing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Report post Posted July 23, 2008 (edited) Shelly, Awsome saddle, Nice detail work, I have to ask about the boarder tool, it is not one I have seem before. Do Tell!! Do Tell !! It is making us nuts!! , o.k. we work with leather, we are all ready nuts!! Really, Good Work and thanks for sharing! Ok - ya'll want to know about this Border Treatment - got this from another friend, so it's not an 'original' idea, but I loved it as much when I saw it the first time...comes from Pedro Pedrini - saw it first on a saddle he made for submission to the TCA last year, and, he did gain membership in that elite group by way of the workmanship, etc, of that saddle. He just called me yesterday, and was telling me that he will have to come to DFW a few days before the TCA show opens this fall in OKC, as he has been awarded the 'Saddlemaker of the Year' award - I think this is the Cowboy Artists of America org... Anyway, the main stamp is from Horseshoe Brand Tools, and a Craftool F120 - this tool is cheap, and we buffed off the lines. I will start by deciding how far from the edge I need to run my double line, running that with a ceramic blade - then I will make a light impression with the HBT next to that line, so I know how far apart to set the dividers to mark the second double line. Run the HBT after both double lines are done - a little scrap piece helps before the real deal - then use the modified F120, and a little tap with the wider end at the base of each of the HBT impressions. Once done with that, I bevel the inside edges, then the outside edges. I've also done this border with shell tools, etc, just to change the look - IMO, not as pretty as just the double line, keeping the outside edges clean, and not distracting. Attached is a closeup of that border treatment on the cantle, etc of that saddle.... Pretty simple - three stamp tools and a double line swivel knife... Enjoy - SL Edited July 23, 2008 by Shelly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manapi Report post Posted July 25, 2008 Hello Shelly, hello everyone This is a definitely beautiful saddle and a absolutely great story going with it. I should have discovered this great forum six months ago...!!! I finished my very first saddle three weeks ago here in Switzerland in the workshop of Pablo Ulli. It took me about a year to make my first experiences with leatherwork to start with the saddlework. It took me 5 weeks (mostly 7 day weeks) to build it. My main concern was to make a working saddle, A-fork, high cantle, round skirts, fitting most QH and Paints. I'll try to post a picture or two and maybe open a new thread with way more pictures, as I have zillions of questions... By the way, I am a not to bad handyman... I shall do a second saddle pretty soon; hmm I know how to do electricity (220V - 110V), maconnerie, woodwork, so may be we should talk... Again, beautiful saddle, very inspiring, thanks for sharing. Manapi (newby) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shirleyz Report post Posted July 25, 2008 That is beautiful! Wish I had a horse, just so I could make a saddle. or try to at least. ShirleyZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kseidel Report post Posted July 25, 2008 Hi Shelly, Nice to see your work. I have always been a fan of your braiding. Question: your third pic showing a close-up of the horn shows the wrap in a left handed configuration. Did you edit this pic and post the reverse image, or did you wrap it left handed? Keith Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Report post Posted July 25, 2008 Hi Shelly,Nice to see your work. I have always been a fan of your braiding. Question: your third pic showing a close-up of the horn shows the wrap in a left handed configuration. Did you edit this pic and post the reverse image, or did you wrap it left handed? Keith Hi Keith! Well, hadn't even given it a thought when I did it - I had taken the pic, didn't like the angle of it and kept flipping it around until I got what I was after - it is a reverse, as I always wrap left over right! I guess you must be the first to notice it...! I suppose it would be understandable - I'm left-handed - but I do lots of things like a right handed person will...including braiding...I taught myself from the Bruce Grant books, and always assumed it was somewhat harder for me at first, because my assumption was the diagrams and instructions were most likely for right-handed people...the man that got me interested in the first place was also right-handed - but the plaiting he showed me how to do doesn't really matter as far as which side you are dominant on - it didn't get interesting until I started braiding buttons - and cutting/beveling my own rawhide and kangaroo was especially interesting trying to use Hansen's cutter the first time - was really a trial for about a week, called him and told him I wasn't having much success with the thing, and he thought to ask if I were left-handed - then he sent one that was set up for that, and I sent the RH one back - never had any trouble afterward! Now have had a couple other cutter/bevelers, but both are 'user-friendly', and can work for either, which is handy when your help is right-handed and I'm left! I have to stop and think sometimes when I'm teaching him something new, as I have to switch it around in my head to adjust for him, or anyone else that's right-handed... How's things in Cody?? The store in Scottsdale still doing well?? You've always given me something to aspire to and look up to - first class work, first class stores, etc...sometime I'll be able to get out to Sheridan again, and will make time to visit Cody longer than just half a day - maybe I can talk Bruce into a 'vacation' and spend a week...! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kseidel Report post Posted July 26, 2008 Hi Shelly, Actually I am not the first to notice the horn wrap. Another forum member asked me via PM if that was correct. He had been taught that it was wrong to wrap to the left. I figured it might be a reverse pic. We have a pretty observant bunch of leatherworkers here. All is well in Cody. Business is sure slower this summer! We sold our interest in the AZ store last fall. I was in Cody most of the winter while the rest of the family was in Scottsdale. We didn't like being separated and I didn't like being in Cody alone all winter! Sure miss AZ in the winter. Missed you in Sheridan this spring. Hope you can come next year. Keith Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
