First saddle finally done

[bunkhouseleather]

Howdy,

Been wandering around here for awhile now trying to learn everything I can from the talented folks on here. Finally got my first saddle done and need some opinions on it. It is built on a timberline wade tree, balanced ride stirrup leathers, wickett&craig leather and montana silver. Any and all critiques would be apprciated. Thanks.

Jake

[SmokinP]

Nice work. 3verything blends well together and looks to be a sturdy. Time to start #2

[jjcchawks]

Good job Jake, I can certainly see Dale's influence on that saddle. My best advice is don't wait as long as I did to build your second one!

[jwwright]

Nice work Jake, congrats. Sure is a lot smoother than my first saddle. JW

[Alan Bell]

Hey Jake, that's a real good lookin' first! I hate to be the bearer of bad news especially if you already have a makers mark but there is an established business here in Texas with that name that has already sold saddles and tack nationally and internationally under 'Bunkhouse Leather'. I'm actually looking at buying the business so when I saw you posting here I thought it was Lew the current owner! I'd hate for you to get to far down the road with the name and realize either that his gear is getting mistaken for yours or vice versa. You might want to run a DBA (doing business as) check or just Google a name and see what comes up or simply market stuff under your name. My gear goes out under Bell's Custom Tack but if I buy the business I will buy the name too and will use both Bunkhouse Leather and Bell's Custom Tack. The first name I came up with I ran into the same thing and there were a couple of guys making virtually all the gear I made including braided gear under the name I had picked but they got there first so I changed and decided to put my name on each piece of gear I make. Not telling you what to do just letting you know the situation.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

[mulefool]

Well, it doesn't look like a first saddle. Turned out really nice. I wouldn't have thought to combine the barb wire with the basket stamp, but I think it turned out nice and a little different. Good luck with your second. Chris

[Go2Tex]

All right, come on now...... that can't be your first saddle! That horn, the cantle binding, .... you didn't just pick that up "wandering" around here or readin' some books.

Like JW said, it's better than my first saddle..... hell, it's as good as my LAST saddle! You good, boy. ... too dang good.

So, how'd you do that full cap horn wrap?

[fjjensen]

Jake

Nice lookin usin rig.

Wish my 1st was as pretty.Sturdy I got,

pretty not so good. If I started a shop

I could call it " Leather Butcher's Saddlery"

I bet that name ain't taken yet !

FJ

[ArtS]

WOW Jake! Great job - super!

Art

[bunkhouseleather]

Thanks for the replies. I'm setting out to work on number two soon as the tree comes in. Going to try one with a little more swell to it this time, a flat creek packer tree from Timberline.

I will look into the name issue Allan. Don't want to step on toes or cause any confusion. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

The horn cap is three pieces, a bottom, a donut and then the top cap. The horn wrap is modified from a horn cap pattern that had wings, I just cut off the cap and used the wing pattern to cover the neck. From what I have been reading sometimes it sounds like underneath the mule hide wrap on this style horn it isn't covered. Not sure if I'm right or not on that though. I guess it would be faster that way. I think it looks more finished if the neck is covered, just my two cents I guess. Thanks for lookin'.

Jake

[TrooperChuck]

Great looking saddle, Jake. Like others have already said, my first didn't look that good!

[Denise]

I've split off the posts about how the horn cap and wrap were done into the Horn Cap and Wrap topic here: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ic=6769&hl= This will just make it easier for people in the future to find the good information you guys are sharing with each other.

Good looking saddle, bunkhouse. Your next one will be even better, but you set a pretty high standard for yourself with this one.

[SITTINGUPHIGH1]

Nice looking saddle. How long did it take you to make it?

Mort

[mudman]

Very Nice clean work.