Saddle Strings

[BOB BRENNER]

I agree with Keith’s thoughts. Saddle making in my observation is a time warp in respects to the old or traditional ways. If any industry is to be viable is must innovate. It has been my experience, that saddle makers by in large resist innovation. For example, should a tree that is ten times stronger, 90% lighter, with the same qualitites and at a similar price of a wood tree covered with rawhide be rejected because it is not traditional? Think carbon fiber in ten or fifteen years.

As to the question at hand. I have heard and have been told many times that when building a saddle you must be very careful to not cut into the rawhide as that will weaken the rawhide and lead to failure of the tree, which I understand. But, then we drill 1/4" to 3/8” holes in some of the weakest points in the saddle tree. A cut is bad but several holes are OK? Think about it. This is something I have never understood and never received a reasonable answer other than it is traditional.

If tradition is the way to go then cowboys need to do away with the internet, smart phones, GPS, etc. Just an old saddle maker’s opinion.

[oltoot]

The old guy weighs in. Steve has just about said it all. Tradition and, and, I forgot what else says drilled through. And there is even the possibility of a combined approach. Drill the back ones through and screw the others. On some, one can even leave off the middle string. And then there's barrel saddles and so on. If one were to decide to give screws a chance, there are better and worse ways to do that. And what kind of screws to use? I have changed my views on that in the many years that I have been whacking and pounding. I now use what started out as drywall screws and have morphed into a huge selection of sizes and finishes. And while I hated phillips head screws when I was younger, I have used them exclusively for a long time. I still have straight bits for my screwdrivers but I usually have to hunt to find them on the rare occasions now that I need one. And i have three color TVs in my house instead of one B&W. Keep on trying and one day you too will be old and ugly.

[oltoot]

OOOOOPs!!!, I meant that KEITH, not Steve, had about said it all.