California Style Saddle

[Goldshot Ron]

I've commented on other folks work, so I thought I'd better put my money where my mouth is. It's been about a year and a half to complete this saddle. The first three months was planning and design, starting with the saddle bags. The tree is a Butch Casidy style built by Timberline, and the leather was W&C.

[sheathmaker]

Beautifully designed and executed. Attention to detail and overall artistic work is some of the best I've seen.

Paul

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Nice work

[rktaylor]

Ron,

That's really cool. You give us newbies something to shoot for. The only question I have is: Why a year and a half? Thanks for sharing.

Randy

[Goldshot Ron]

Thanks guys for the kind words. Randy, to answer your question, I didn't want to mess this project up. Other than the fenders, I practiced tooling each pattern before actually stamping the saddle pieces. Then, each piece had to be oiled, blocked dyed, resist applied and antiqued. As I've mentioned in other posts, some pieces had to be redone because I didn't like the results, or they just didn't fit after completing them. Heck, the stirrups alone took me over three weeks. I used Bob Klenda's tap pattern, and the results did work the first time (a first for any paper pattern that I've ever used).

Oh yeah, this saddle has an all leather ground seat, rawhide covered stirrups, and drop ring rigging set at about (+/_) 7/8ths. position. I hoped to capture the early California Vaquero Style but using modern measurements.

Thanks again, Ron

[CWR]

That is really a nice rig Ron. Might take me 2 years to get one carved like that. Then it probably still wouldn't look that good.

CW

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Nice job Ron! There is a lot about it that I like. Looks a lot like what I am planning to make for myself, if I ever get ahead of orders.

Bob

[GrampaJoel]

Geez Ron, you stamping depth is incredible! How heavy is your maul?

I tried to see the rear cantle stitches, but I'm betting they are the hidden kind. It looks really nice and clean.

I think you did a nice job at putting the modern, and vaquero styles together.

The saddle just has a nice overall californios look to it.

Nice job!

Joel

[Goldshot Ron]

Joel,

Thanks for your kind words. I find the hidden cantle stitch easier than the stitching showing on both sides. The depth of the tooling is enhanced by the antiquing. I have several mallets and mauls that I use. Which one I use is determined by the arthritis pane in my elbow at the time. I must pass on that there is a CD by Cary Schwarz that gives some tips on flower tooling and using petal lifters and shaders.

Ron

[Josh Ashman]

Great work Ron, thank you for sharing it!