Need Help , Quick Question On Stirrup Leathers / Fenders

[SethJ]

Hey guys, I couldn't really find the answer in the Stohlman Encyclopedia when I looked for it,...

Where the Stirrup leathers cross the backside of the fenders,....should I glue that full length? Or glue and sew just the bottom portion where the fold occurs,.....It's rivetted at the top,..,..but between the top,..and the bottom of the fender,..should I leave the fender and stirrup leather unattached,...or cement them together? Book seem to be unclear on this???? This is only my third saddle,,...and I think I glued them on the other two,....but wonder if I was screwing up on that??

Edited February 4, 2014 by SethJ

[SethJ]

I am going to prestretch the stirrup leathers,...but I'm wondering how attaching these two pieces would affect stretch over time? Dunno? Stohlman on mentions glueing the bottom 6" of the fold,.....I planned to stitch all the way up the leg to the fender being the fender has a stitched edge,.....so why not glue too???

Edited February 4, 2014 by SethJ

[bruce johnson]

I have never even glued the bottom. I just tack and stitched the fender to the leathers. With the buckle rivets and stirrup hobble strap, they aren't going anywhere.

[SethJ]

I have never even glued the bottom. I just tack and stitched the fender to the leathers. With the buckle rivets and stirrup hobble strap, they aren't going anywhere.

Well, these are laced,...but I was just concerned about how the stirrup leathers might seperate,..or pull away from the fender......but I guess its really a moot point once everything is hanging down, and assembled,....maybe I'm overthinking it,...Thanks.

[oltoot]

I'm 70+ and have never done it or encountered it!!

[BOB BRENNER]

If I understand your question correctly from the picture, you are concerned about the stirrup leather and fender being flat against each other when assembled. There is a step or sequence that is required that I have never seen addressed in the various books or videos I have looked at. Once the stirrup leather is attached to the neck or tail of the fender, you must turn back both the neck of the fender and stirrup leather making sure that the neck of the fender and the stirrup leather are tight against each other as it would be to accept the stirrup before attaching the stirrup leather to the top of the fender. If you attach the fender and stirrup leather flat and without this bend you will get a bubble in the stirrup leather.

Also, if you are going to lace the stirrup leathers, the neck of the fender needs to be 16" to 18" long and the area for lacing holes needs to be around 8" to 10". You can glue and stitch this area, but I would not glue and stitch the entire neck of the fender.

Good luck,

Bob

[SethJ]

If I understand your question correctly from the picture, you are concerned about the stirrup leather and fender being flat against each other when assembled. There is a step or sequence that is required that I have never seen addressed in the various books or videos I have looked at. Once the stirrup leather is attached to the neck or tail of the fender, you must turn back both the neck of the fender and stirrup leather making sure that the neck of the fender and the stirrup leather are tight against each other as it would be to accept the stirrup before attaching the stirrup leather to the top of the fender. If you attach the fender and stirrup leather flat and without this bend you will get a bubble in the stirrup leather.

Also, if you are going to lace the stirrup leathers, the neck of the fender needs to be 16" to 18" long and the area for lacing holes needs to be around 8" to 10". You can glue and stitch this area, but I would not glue and stitch the entire neck of the fender.

Good luck,

Bob

I sorta saw this in a previous saddle,...not bad,..but bad enough to make me pop a copper rivet from the stirrup leather to the fender to calm it down. Whats wrong with putting a rivet in there? Or cementing? Or a lace or two( maybe with a bleed knot concho,....on this saddle it would be ok,.....but I coulod see problems when I wanted a clean/ clear fender,..plain,..etc

Yea my lengths are all good,.....thats not my concern,...its just the stirrup leather coming away from the fender that worries me,..and how to address that. When you say trun away,..you mean bend backwards? Should I maybe wet it,..or oil it for this?

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Basically, like Bruce and the others, I don't glue at all. Between stitching about 6" from the buckles or end of the stirrup leather creates a good tight strap. Besides you may want to replace the stirrup leathers some day, and; if glued like you suggest, you will hear some new words spoken by the craftsman doing the work! Bob

[oltoot]

I hope this doesn't start a big belly bumping but after repairing considerable saddles that were being used and not abused and carefully examining my personal saddles I came to the conclusion that if you do things 'correctly' 1/2 stirrup leathers are just as good as full and save a little weight so that has led to this: 2 1/2 inch half stirrup leathers are standard equipment on all my saddles. Full SLs are extra. 3 inch 1/2 leathers are standard if they are to be twisted and wrapped. All these variants feature a liner piece 11 to 13 " long on the lower end and both machine stitching and #9 copper rivits at the top of the fender attaching fender to stirrup leathers. I have never to date had one come back. The whole stirrup leather/fender assembly is more flexible and requires less breakin time to get set to the rider's anatomy.

[SethJ]

Ok well,..after setting the stirrups,..everything laid up nice and in place,....I didnt attach in any way,..but they stay up against the fender anyhow. Thanks