Cheyenne Roll

[rktaylor]

Well, Jeremiah Watt says, "If you've done it right, it will just roll over." I guess I didn't do it right. This is the second one I have glued on and the third one I have cut out. I have part of it like I want, but not all of it. The glue is breaking loose but maybe it's not as bad as I think. It is also not as flush with the cantle as I would like. Maybe I should hammer it more. I have more leather and am not opposed to cutting another one.

Sorry about the rotated photo. Thanks for any advice.

Randy

Edited August 29, 2014 by rktaylor

[kseidel]

Can you post a picture of your pattern? It looks like the pattern may not have the proper curve to make it roll over naturally. This can result in your having to fight it.

[oltoot]

That said, what you have looks OK. Use a large creaser aka tickler to literally push the leather into absolute, uniform line. In the future you can help yourself out if you will put it up 'rough' and mark the top of the cantle with a scratch awl and then before gluing back take a large French edger and skive parallel to your mark about 1 1/2" either side and at this point, check the whole piece, especially the 1 1/2 or so that will be inside the CB when you get it all put together and skive wherever it is a little thick. This will make the process of arriving at a smooth, balanced look much easier. And the grooving along the C top will establish a good, even, minimal line for the fit at the top and for your sewing path when you get done. And remember, you will not want it to fit up snug around the top as you are going to coach 2 more pieces into alignment there resulting in a definite groove which you will eventually have 5 layers to sew through. It looks to me like what you have is useable and pursuing it further will just take more time and leather. I earlier said order 3 sides and relax but you should stop there as 4 would only be necessary for some very exotic approaches.

[rktaylor]

Here's a photo of the pattern. I cut it fairly square across the bottom and then fit it like the Jeremiah Watt video. It's bigger than necessary, but the first one I cut was too small. I think I will make this one work. It looks better this morning, than I originally thought. Buying three sides was good advice, but I don't think I will have enough left for a scabbard.

I still have another one to do (on the wife's saddle), so this advice is helpful.

Randy

[kseidel]

Randy, Oltoot is correct that you could easilly salvage this cantle and make it work well. I don't skive my back cantles like he suggested, but at the stage where you are. I use a french edger and skive a groove at the fold about half the thickness of the leather. This allows it to fold tightly and I can push it up tight against the cantle of the tree and against the filler. If you want it to have more downward slope, you can put your filler on and then cut a couple of notches out of the back cantle leather and fit it under the filler. Then add a few stitches to stiffen it and keep it in place.

As far as your pattern, yours is cut with a curve that follows the curve where the cantle meets the bar. This will make it loose across the top. Cut it a bit flatter and it will pull tight across the top of the cantle and when you fold it, it will readilly fold down. To adjust your pattern, lay it across the back of your cantle, then mark it up from the bars at the ends of the cantle about ½". Then re-mark the curve from the center to the new marks. When you stretch this in place, it will pull tight across the top. This will add tension to your cheyenne roll and help it to be stiff.

Keith

[rdl123]

Randy,

What Keith has explained is what I did on my rig - I cut the pattern almost flat across the bottom and then stretched (with awls) the cantle back into place - This put huge tension on the top edge and it literally 'snapped' into place. Dale Harwood talks about it taking a bit to get your pattern for this piece to work just how you want... I definitely had that experience - Thankfully I'd cut my piece big and this gave me room to keep making my bottom cut flatter and flatter until I got enough tension on the top edge.

Looking forward to seeing this completed rig!

Ron L

[rktaylor]

I salvaged this (at least as far as I know). I skived a little next to the cantle where it wasn't laying as level with the cantle as I wanted. I installed the cantle filler and glued it the back. After I trimmed it (my Rose round knife that I got from Bruce Johnson is pure gold) to the desired width, it looks pretty good by my standards. It's flared out at the sides some, but the top is pretty level without notching it. When I get done, what it's shaped like is what I wanted. Ha.

Keith,

I don't quite follow what you mean on the pattern, but was planning to cut the next one pretty straight across the bottom like Ron says. It was definitely too loose across the top, so I hope to get the next one a little tighter.

Thanks again for the help. I am doing more working and less head scratching on these saddles.

Randy

Edited September 2, 2014 by rktaylor

[kseidel]

Randy, Here is a picture of my cantle back pattern. It is large enough for the largest cheyenne rolls, and highest and widest cantles that you will ever want to cover. I have used it succesfully for over 30 years. Feel free to copy it for your own use.

[rktaylor]

Thanks Keith. Now I have some work for the evening.

[Billy H]

Thanks for the questions rktaylor!

And a big thanks to Oltoot.

Keith hope it's ok I'm making your pattern in short order. Regards Billy