Is This Mold?

[flashy09]

Is this mold in the tooling of the saddle? Is it restorable? Thank you!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272089133188?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Edited December 29, 2015 by flashy09

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

What you are seeing is old finish that remains in the tooling cuts. The rest has likely been cleaned off. I've seen it many times, it looks like a mixture of dirt and mold, but it's really bits of old finish. It's nasty to get it all out of the cuts, and I've tried everything I've heard of. I basically end up digging the little bits out of the cuts with the pointed end of a modeling tool or something similar. Or I make my teenage son do it:-) It's hours of work, but the saddle may still be worth buying. Or I should say it is restorable to a certain point (it will never look like new again) whether the saddle is worth what they're asking is another question altogether.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Big Sioux Saddlery

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

In keeping with Big's comments, it is worth what you are willing to pay for it. When I look at a saddle to see if it is well made, and will last, this is what I look at: 1) Is the fleece real sheep skin or synthetic fleece ? 2) Is the tree rawhide wrapped hard pine or plastic? 3) Are the parts hand cut and fitted rather than just die cut in a big press? By hand fitted I mean if you look up under the seat jockey where the rear jockeys end, are the ends skived down so as not to produce an eventual lump under the leg. 4) Is there an anchor layer in between the upper and lower horn wrap that is tacked to the horn to effect a mechanical lock to the horn so the leather will not become loose over a couple of years? 5) I also look at the cantle binding to see how it is formed and stitched. Is the leather bunched up on the underside or are the bunches cut out rather than formed and worked out? 6) are the skirts actually formed around the tree bars or just tacked to the bars? and last but not least, I personally hate the use of staples, if it is put together with staples in stead of screws and tacks, it is a sign to me that the assembler was more concerned with doing it fast rather than fitting it correctly. Now this is my personal opinion and others may disagree with me, however that is how I make them and in my opinion, how they should be made. If the saddle you are looking at meets that criteria and has some silver on it, too, it most likely is one that cost in that $5 to $6 k range new. Like I said in the beginning, it is worth what you are will to pay for it.

Hope that helps?

Bob