Building A Single Rigged Saddle

[AdamTill]

Hi folks,

I'm getting started with my first big saddlemaking project, and was going to use this thread to keep track of things and hopefully get some feedback as things go along.

The tree is an exposed black walnut one that the Nikkels did for me almost a couple of years ago now, with the project delayed by getting married, building a house etc. As such, the horse it was made for seems to have changed shape as he's matured and muscled up, and I've added some shimming wood to make up the difference. Shouldn't affect the strength at all, and I've done similar things before with leather with no issues. It's really gorgeous, and my thanks to them for all the hard work. Link here: http://www.rodnikkel...to-that-part-2/

I've always liked the old vaquero single rigs, so that's my choice here. I borrowed what I think was a 3/4 rigged saddle from Richard Caldwell for a clinic, and combined with an older style wide cinch it worked pretty well. I have some similar cinch buckles on order from Bork's and will make a couple up when they come.

As much as I'd like a lighter saddle, I've always really liked this one:

http://www.willghorm...1890saddle.html

So, something similar is in the plan, though with a nice set of taps too. Question - has anyone who's lived with an 8 string seat regretted the extra concho or saddle string? Seems like it might get under the leg and be a little in the way.

Will probably go with a plate rig, something in the order of this:

I know that the standard is to have the cinch vertically under the rigging point and that it's the tree fit that determines where the saddle ends up, but on any saddle I put on him it always seems to end up at the angle above. It makes sense, given that it's perpendicular to the curve of his belly there. Here's my normal rig, for example, and the cinch is really happiest at this angle:

Anyway, that's the plan right now. I'm going with the HSBT navaho diamond stamp as a stamping pattern, and as that's on it's way soon hopefully I'm busy working on strainer plates and such. Will post photos when there's something to show.

Cheers,

Adam

[Tosch]

For years I had to fondly smile when I saw pics of your Icelandic horse with this type of saddle!

What happend to you saddle tree template you showed some time back at "Dr. Deb's" site?

Your Nikkel tree looks great!

I wish you the best of luck with your project and will definitively follow it on here.

Have a great new year! Tosch

Edited January 4, 2014 by Tosch

[oltoot]

8 button construction fell out of favor as tanning practices changed and produced more moldable leather. The kinds of hides used have changed, too. Very few grass fat cattle are slaughtered and the average age of slaughter cattle has gone way down resulting in thicker, less dense hides being commonly used for skirting and harness. The 8 button (and loop seat) had evolved as makers began experimenting with new shapes, one piece at a time. First came seat jockeys nailed on in separate pieces, then somebody said I can make that all one piece, then the front jockeys followed the same development. Whenever I am forced to make an 8 button, I just put the string through the seat jockey and screw the whole affair down. with the string way up on the swells, there is usually no interference but it can be a little bit of a factor. My response to the single rig question is always "why?" Just leave the flank billets and cinch hanging in the barn until something happens that you wish you had them. Remember that if you do your job right, this saddle will last you till they wash your neck and throw dirt in your face and no horse is gonna live that long. Your tastes could change. It has happened. Another thing to remember, all this info and advice is well worth what it cost you, and old guys are not always right they are, however, always old.

Edited January 4, 2014 by oltoot

[AdamTill]

For years I had to fondly smile when I saw pics of your Icelandic horse with this type of saddle!

They're not the easiest to fit with a western tree, that's for sure. Here's a little graphic I made up for another Icelandic owner (I think) that wanted to order a tree from the Nikkels, using their photo and mine to show what's required compared to a more "normal" tree:

What happend to you saddle tree template you showed some time back at "Dr. Deb's" site?

Your Nikkel tree looks great!

It was a great learning experience lol I'd like to try my hand at tree making again sometime, but for now I'm going to leave it to the experts!

I wish you the best of luck with your project and will definitively follow it on here.

Have a great new year! Tosch

Thanks much, same to you!

Edited January 6, 2014 by AdamTill

[AdamTill]

8 button construction fell out of favor as tanning practices changed and produced more moldable leather. The kinds of hides used have changed, too. Very few grass fat cattle are slaughtered and the average age of slaughter cattle has gone way down resulting in thicker, less dense hides being commonly used for skirting and harness. The 8 button (and loop seat) had evolved as makers began experimenting with new shapes, one piece at a time. First came seat jockeys nailed on in separate pieces, then somebody said I can make that all one piece, then the front jockeys followed the same development. Whenever I am forced to make an 8 button, I just put the string through the seat jockey and screw the whole affair down. with the string way up on the swells, there is usually no interference but it can be a little bit of a factor.

Thanks much for the history and construction tips, that will come in handy. Much obliged!

My response to the single rig question is always "why?" Just leave the flank billets and cinch hanging in the barn until something happens that you wish you had them. Remember that if you do your job right, this saddle will last you till they wash your neck and throw dirt in your face and no horse is gonna live that long. Your tastes could change. It has happened. Another thing to remember, all this info and advice is well worth what it cost you, and old guys are not always right they are, however, always old.

Too true on all, though getting sick of one saddle is just an excuse to make another! I may have just read too many stories, but given that I'm not a good enough roper to use an unrawhided tree as a work saddle anyway, I don't think it'll be a problem. Not getting rid of the other Wade any time soon.

Mainly just an itch that has to be scratched, that's all.

[Billy H]

Hey Adam,

That is a beautiful Tree! Work of art that would look great hanging on my wall .

[AdamTill]

Bit of progress. Got the ground seat in, which required an extra layer of leather compared to what I was expecting. I think it's because my horse is so wide, but yet I still wanted to use the seat shaping templates that Cary Schwarz shows in his video. Seems to have been worth it, since sitting in the seat is pretty comfortable. Just have final work with the spokeshave and it should be ready for a seat later on.

The cantle is just rough cut to 1" wide, since I'm waiting to see what the final thickness with the seat will be before cutting to width. I added a filler later behind the cantle filler and above the rim of the cantle, since I'm not doing a leather cantle back. The plan was to use a cantle binding with a scalloped edge and attach it with stainless eustachian pins, so the wood back is shown as much as possible.

I rough cut all the other parts, and then got a shipment of cinch buckles in from Bork & Sons. I started stringing up a cinch, and it's looking like it will work pretty well.

Edited January 29, 2014 by AdamTill

[quartercircleoveruleather]

I think that the eighth string should be ok if you are using the same size seat as your current saddle and your leg doesn't touch the screw that's on the side of the fork. I've never ridden in one but know several people who have and say they don't get in the way.

Hope that helps.

Chance

[quartercircleoveruleather]

Hello there

Got looking at your blog and saw that you are making your own cinch. Are you using a video or a book that shows you how to make one? Please tell me as I am to cheap to buy a custom made but would like to learn. Thanks

[AdamTill]

Don't do it to save money, even the materials are more than a finished production cinch of average quality. I did it to get a custom width, custom length cinch I made myself, not to save anything on the dollar side. I took a class in person from Pop Wagner, backed up with an ArtCords DVD.