Covering the horn- the traditional way

[Gary Winckler]

Could somebody posts some pics of these types of horns that are being covered?? I'm new to saddle making and apparently don't understand how to do a horn without wrapping the wings around it. Where is the seam on a sewn horn??

Tim

Tim...here is a pic of a post horn ( wrap and cap) after being sewn and before it has been trimmed up.

[steve mason]

Allow me to explain myself here, please. I did not mean to offend ANYBODY about the full stitch method for covering wood post horns. I got to thinking about this after reading an article by Dick Sherer where he stated something to the effect that he'd feel a little cheated if he removed the mullhide wraps from many 4K saddles today and saw some of the tree. THIS IS NOT THE POINT OF MY TOPIC ANYWAY. THE POINT IS TIPS FOR COVERING HORNS THE TRADITIONAL WAY. THANKS.

you keep yelling at me in capital bold letters, I take this as abrasive.

[Timbo]

Tim...here is a pic of a post horn ( wrap and cap) after being sewn and before it has been trimmed up.

Thanks Gary!! That is what I was wanting to see. I have never seen one at this stage before, only the finished product that is wrapped in mulehide.

How much of the 2 seems running to the swell gets trimmed off?? and is it possible to do this type of horn cover without the mulehide wrap or is it just the accepted practice that it gets mulehided??

..................and everybody turn the caps off and resume handing out useful knowledge. We can't tell what tone of voice is being used when typing so all we have to go on is caps.......regardless of the intention...........well hell, you can't tell the intention, which is the problem...........use caps wisely.

Thanks,

Tim

[Gary Winckler]

Thanks Gary!! That is what I was wanting to see. I have never seen one at this stage before, only the finished product that is wrapped in mulehide.

How much of the 2 seems running to the swell gets trimmed off?? and is it possible to do this type of horn cover without the mulehide wrap or is it just the accepted practice that it gets mulehided??

..................and everybody turn the caps off and resume handing out useful knowledge. We can't tell what tone of voice is being used when typing so all we have to go on is caps.......regardless of the intention...........well hell, you can't tell the intention, which is the problem...........use caps wisely.

Thanks,

Tim

Tim

Most of the seem leather ....as much as you can without getting the seems....is trimmed off, moistened, and flattened down to the neck of the horn. I have never seen a wrap job like this not covered by some kind of wrapping, mulehide, latigo, etc.

[tnestes]

you keep yelling at me in capital bold letters, I take this as abrasive.

Cool off. Nobody's yelling at anybody here. I just wish we'd all stay on topic, which is why I did what I did. The brunt of what I was getting at went off on a highly unintended tangent. Anyway, back to my intended subject. One of the prettiest "post horn" saddles I've ever seen was done by Paul Van Dyke, and he used the method I want to learn more about how to do- covering the horn with wings, not a wrap. Heck, the horn on this saddle was not even round, it was a guadalajara horn. This was different than the "norm," sure, but not wrong. Of course, you can use this method with wings, and still use a "temporary" mullhide wrap for roping/dallies, and wing protection, right? I've always admired the saddles from the 40s, 50s, and 60s when makers often used the big Mexican horns with hardly ever using a wrap. Over history, from what I've studied, saddles are like clothes- styles change, leave, come back in style, etc. Again, I appreciate your help very much.

Edited September 27, 2008 by tnestes