Latest Australian Half Breed

[rufusjames]

Thank you Josh,I dyed it. I will use drum dyed next time.

The bindings I stitch face down, pull/stretch/cuss them over to the back ( at this point I am sure I cut it too narrow and it will show the stitches on the back, it won't, keep pulling/pushing it over), screw it tight and accurate on the backside concealed under the ears,pull the ears over and screw them down to shape the wet rawhide cleanly( I put a small piece of plastic here between the rawhide and ears to avoid water staining the ears), push it close to shape by hand on the seat side, put a fan on the back to start the shrinking on the back first, go do something else, come back and tuck the backside with my fingers, shape the seat side radius, adjust screws if needed to fit the rawhide in tight at the ears top and bottom (Important to do at this point),tuck the shrinking backside tight to the cantle back, put a fan on it, let the fan work, as it starts to shrink tight on the backside start hammering/ rubbing down the crease to get it flat as possible to the seat, massage it as needed while shrinking,the next morning I hammer the crease hard and get it as flat to the seat as possible. It is "hard" but still workable with the hammer at this point.

I usually start this first thing in the morning. That way I have all day to go back and forth working it. There is a lot of strategic fan time. There is more to it of coarse...

[rickybobby]

I have never been a fan of the "Aussie" saddle but you have given it a whole new direction! I like that you incorporated some of the "Western" style that we in the U.S. are so familiar with and that by adding it you made the saddle more function-able and did not just add the western flair for the sake of adding it as a design feature.

Super clean work!

You have raised the bar for a "plain" saddle that certainly has a lot of style!

Thanks for sharing

[rufusjames]

Rick, thanks for the great compliments! I really appreciate it.

[Josh Ashman]

so... is the binder sewn to the seat leather and not to the cantle back? The way you do them looks super clean and I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks again, Josh

[rufusjames]

I sew through rawhide,seat,filler,cantle back.not through rawhide on the back. Sew rawhide face down to seat and fold over stitching to conceal it.

[GrampaJoel]

Wow! I'm totally impressed.

I see western and some English styles here. But nothing like you are producing.

Polocross? I never heard of it.

I guess I don't get out much.

[Josh Ashman]

10-4, thanks! I'll have to give it a try on my next one.

Best regards, Josh

[rufusjames]

I have been asked to share my binding process with a photo tutorial. I will do just that as soon as I start the next saddle. In a week or so. Right now, I am going to take a little break and ride my horse.

[Josh Ashman]

Sounds like a great plan!

[vacacaballo]

Nice looking saddles, rufusjames. I'm looking forward to your binding tutorial.

Just fyi...Rod and Denise Nikkel just started making what they call a Western Stock Saddle tree. As with everything they do, it's rawhide covered wood.

http://www.rodnikkel...k-aussie-trees/

Edited August 28, 2013 by vacacaballo