Saddle Bags

[Josh Ashman]

Just finished these up. They go with the saddle I recently finished and were built out of the same brown Chahin leather. The gussets were some scrap 4/5 chap leather I had and the buckles are JWP.

Thanks for looking. All the best!

Josh

[Goldshot Ron]

Josh,

Your work looks very good.  The design of the bags looks well planned and functional.  Your dee attached to the buckle strap is something that I haven't seen before. The binding along the top of the opening looks good and adds a touch of class.  My only question would be: are the bags deep enough to hold a couple of beers?

Ron

[midwestislander]

Very nice design and working.

[bikermutt07]

Great job.

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks everybody! I've always liked adding a strap across the top of the gussets as it seems like a week point in bags. Carrying across the front of the pouch just looks nice. I'd like to say I thought of it myself, but I picked the idea up from Gail Mitchell. Not sure if he thought of it or saw it somewhere else himself. The D on the bottom strap gives an easy tie down point to keep them from flapping around too much. I'll see if I can get a few pictures of them mounted on the saddle the next time my neighbor that bought them rides by.

Ron, yes sir they are indeed deep enough for a few beers and I wouldn't be surprised if they were put to that purpose this very weekend!

All the best, Josh

[Squilchuck]

Very nice! Is that the Stohlman design with your added touches (binding, etc.)? The satin finish looks great - how did you treat the raw leather? 

[Squilchuck]

One more question. How did you like the Chahin leather? Can you compare it with Herman Oak? 

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks John!

I don't have the Stohlman pattern, but it's probably similar! I do have Will Ghormley's shooters bags pattern and it's kinda of like that, but with several main differences. The yoke on mine is 2 pieces, I think Will's is one piece.and I used an oil tan gusset with a rolled front as opposed to a veg tan "accordion" type gusset like Will has. I also added the gusset/front reinforcement strap. So, maybe they aren't a lot like Will's after all. I made the patterns for these to match the saddle before it delivered. Where we are in Missouri all day rides on the mountain aren't really a thing, most rides are fairly close and you're generally not too far from home. these basically just need to hold a small roll of wire, some pliers maybe a few drinks and a snack. Since they didn't need to be very big I made them to not go past the bottom of the skirts and I tried to get the corners curved to match the skirts. I had to deliver the saddle before I built these so I'll have to see how well that all worked out. 

For the finish, these got 2 heavy coats of neatsfoot oil and 2 or 3 good wipe downs with glycerin saddle soap. Really not much. 

As for the Chahin, it's OK. It's not great and I don't think it compares to Hermann Oak, but it's not bad. I got the sides from Weaver and they weren't very big and they had a bunch of butcher cuts. They were nice and thick and fairly firm. The flesh sides were good, not super ratty or anything like that and they seemed to me to be well tanned. They molded fine and the San Carlos border I put on everything tooled OK. I bought 3 sides for the saddle and bags and have about 1/2 of a side left over. The savings probably amounted to around $150 plus I didn't have to dye the leather to get the brown color my customer wanted. If I had to do it again I'm not sure I wouldn't go with HO and talk him into having it natural and letting it darken to brown with age. 

All the best, Josh

[Billy H]

Josh, 

Your work just keeps getting better!

Really nice bags--- Billy

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Billy! 

[rdl123]

Very tidy workmanship Josh!  Well done!

Ron L

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Ron!