Enhanced Saddler’S Clamps & Worktop Vise-Mounted Ponies

[Sherkhan1962]

Hi All,

I chose the «Leatherwork Conversation» section to introduce the saddler’s clamps, table and worktop vise-mounted stitching ponies and other stitching aids and accessories I am going to market soon. I let the LW management to decide to move it or not to a more approriate section considering this topic is somehow a market survey together with an advice request (thanks).

Saddler’s clamps are of the European styles (there are a few minor differences among them) of which the overall design is a bit modified because using a different making technique: Their limbs are not cut out of solid wood stock but made of wood slices bond with epoxy and shaped under pressure (moulded wood, nearly unbreakable), what provides a number of advantages. I attached here an overview (thumbnail) but being limited with the attachments maximum size I add the direct link (at the bottom of this page) to download a quality *PDF file directly from my website server. This brochure shows the two main models, their options, and it explains more extensively, although not completely, what are the enhancements compared to traditional clamps. One web page with more photos, illustrations and extensive explanations will be added to my site later on and I update this post once done.

Do not get confused: These clamps, which I have registered the design a while ago, have very little to do but for the operational principle with the stitching ponies one can see everywhere, made with three bits of plywood and one wing nut worth $15 to a maximum but sometimes sold less than that because they are produced in developing countries, where the hourly wage is well under one buck and raw material also much cheaper. They also suffer from the poor image they give to a tool that has been for centuries a real tool, in fact the most important one together with the awl and the needles - basically the only three things you need for hand sewing. Unfortunately traditional saddler’s clamps have nearly completely disappeared from the market and these ponies that now replace them tend to present a device holding the work piece to be sewn as an accessory and not anymore as a tool.

There is also one important issue to point out: What tool do you really need? I wish to take the time here to compare any sort of device clamping a work piece to be sewn with any sort of device that permits to drill a hole. If you have only one hole to drill, have a stroll in the forest, pick up one hazel branch and one ash branch, and once back home, with a bit of cord, build your own bow drill. This will cost you absolutely nothing but the drill bit to attach to the ash branch. - Coooool! If you have ten holes to drill, get for a few coins an old used bit brace in an antique or secondhand shop. - Peanuts! If you have 100 holes to drill, buy a low cost Asian electric drill at the local something-depot. - Cheap! But if you have 10000 holes to drill, forget the free bow drill, cheap bit brace and low cost electric drill: You will have seriously to think about the purchase of a decent milling-drilling machine with an X/Y table and an engineer vise. - Damned! This costs me one eye, one arm and one kidney! But you have no other option - but to spend a few years drilling with a bow drill if for you time does not matter - if you want to be efficient.

Same way of thinking concerning sewing devices: Your knees, unless they have been replaced with Titanium prosthetic ones, are free and they are sufficient for temporarily holding a work piece to be stitched over a few inches. If it’s more often but yet once in a blue moon, get any cheap pony. If more often, buy a well built pony for which you have usually to stick in the $100 to $150 range. But if you hand sew a few hours per day, sometimes every day, you will have to think about investing in something better.

At this time I do not have calculated yet the accurate final retail prices of the clamps I am going to produce and I have also minor issues yet to solve (finding hinges that have no play at all for instance: unless I decide to make them myself to be sure). Please already note that the classical clamps will all have curved profiled wedges added to their limbs for a better leg grip - bare limbs have the tendancy to slip a bit on the legs. They are not shown here but these wedges will be integral parts of the clamps. I have also to make one last prototype of a simple but enhanced table top pony using marine plywood for customers tight on budget. Their price range, depending on the models and the options chosen, should start from around $200, perhaps a bit less (I mean less than $199.99!), for the simple traditional one to much less for the most sophisticated model than the Swiss Oschner saddler’s clamps (available among others at http://www.leder-louis.ch - search for Sattler-Nähzange, because it is not translated from German, check the price in Swiss Francs and convert it into your own currency - I won’t say it directly here!)

If I can sell them for less I will do, just remember that besides the cost of the material and products I can hardly change (sliced wood and epoxy are not that cheap!), I am a Western European for whom the cost of life here implies to pay myself not less than what I usually earn when working as a Marine Joiner employee, therefore without the hassle - but also the benefits like coffee breaks whenever I wish - of being self employed; otherwise I’d rather go back aboard ships.

Any comment, suggestion and, also important, a sufficient interest that I could consider implicitly as a potential pre order will help me to determine if wether or not I keep on going into this project - thus you have time ahead to start saving. For these reasons feedback to this post would be much appreciated and I thank a lot everybody in anticipation.

http://www.crafts-de...rochure_web.pdf

Fred

[Ferg]

Looks good Fred. Beautiful work and craftsmanship.

ferg

[billymac814]

They do look good. Ill admit to not reading the whole post as its kinda long but mine usually are too so I can't hold it against you.

I'd rather drop a sewing machine on my toe than hand stitch too much these days but if I did more hand stitching I'd probably look into buying one of these. I think its an interesting design and the angle in which you can place it looks like it would really help push the awl through. I made my own pony when I hand stitched and still use it if I need to. Mine is not anywhere near as nice as yours are.

Good luck, I'm sure with craftsmanship like that you'll sell plenty here. Leatherworkers seem to appreciate nice quality tools.

[MakerUnknown]

Wow, looks like very well put together units. I'm impressed with the craftsmanship.

[King's X]

You have a very interesting product here.

I have only purchased one pony which was a Tandy product. After finding so many issues with that product, I have made my own since then. I have learned quite a few things from seeing other ponies and horses.

You might have more success in the UK just merely due to the high cost of shipping to the USA.

My last pony is sitting on my workbench right now in pieces getting ready for yet another retrofit. I see at least one thing that you have on your model displayed in your picture. I have decided to remove that center bolt with springs completely. It just didn't work for me. Some other changes will follow that I do not want to write because I haven't made a final decision.

I appreciate you sharing with us your product and wish you much success!

[Sherkhan1962]

Thanks to all for your comments. It' seems this section was perhaps not the more appropriate for this type of post, eventually not as visited as expected, but I will update it soon anyway and I also add a gallery (some further enhancements on the basic saddler's clamps are on the way at the time being.)