Re doing my first saddle

[j20]

New here, been repairing saddles and doing small stuff for a while but never any major stuff, just traded a perfectly fine 10 year old team roping saddle for an old ranch roper that someone did a poor job of restoring.  Reason I did was because I liked the tree and really just wanted to strip one down and re do it to broaden my knowledge.  Someone re skirted it with some really light flimsy leather and replaced the rear jockey with the same.  Thats gotta go.  My question is what weight leather should I use for the skirts and jockey and where does one buy it?  The seat is good thick fairly nice looking leather so I'm leaving it for now.  This will be my day working saddle so looks arent extremly important just want it neat, tough, and usable.  Mainly just skirts rear jockey leathers and fenders and shearling is what I plan to replace.  Any advice on where to get those items would be greatly appreciated also curious on what nails to use.  Thanks in advance.

[Squilchuck]

Use high quality skirting leather - Herman Oak and Wicket and Craig are the best.  Weaver also sells Chahin which seems to get some good reviews.  Weight (thickness) might depend on the rest of the saddle: 11/13 or13/15 Oz.  Use bark tanned shearing  I buy from Montana Leather, Hide House, and Weaver.    Get a copy of Stohlman's saddle-making book from Tandy or Harry Adams book to show you how to do saddle work. I use self-tapping cabinet screws, lathe nails, or sometimes blue tacks  --John

[Josh Ashman]

I agree with what John has noted above and will only add that drywall screws are also a good choice. I use galv box nails and blue tacks to some degree, but the drywall screws are handy and easy to get back out when needed. Ol toot also mentioned them a while back and he has much more experience than I do. 

Good luck!

[j20]

How is skirting leather purchased? Do you have to buy a whole side when going through the sources you named?  Could the fenders and jockeys be made out of the same leather? I dont see why not just want to get it right. 

[Josh Ashman]

Skirting is generally sold by the side, which is what you'd want. Yes, the fenders and jockeys would be cut out of the same leather and you should be able to get them from one side. Where the pieces are cut from the hide is critically important. Pick up the books John mentioned above and they will give you a bunch of insight on where to cut what and things to look for and think about when cutting saddle parts. 

[oltoot]

Leather is not plywood and if you are not building an entire saddle, you may find yourself wishing you had 2 sides instead of just one. That said, one side should have more than enough square footage for your needs though perhaps not yield the ideal places for some of the pieces, get some of the mentioned books/dvds that give you suggested cutting layouts and study those against the "typical" side of leather in terms of things like firmness, weight, stretchiness, flexibility, and then make your decision. NOTE: The Chahin from Weaver is a good buy but picking a source where the minimums fit your budget may lead you to try other things.  

[j20]

I'm not necessarily looking for a "good buy" and I'm fine with buying a whole side I'm just completely new to this and didn't know how leather in that quantity was purchased. I'm going for quality that will hold up I dont mind spending a little to get it.  Just from the sources mentioned above I'm already leaning towards the wicket and craig selection. 

[j20]

Well slight change of plans, now I'm going with a zach white 13-15 skirting side.  Plan on laying out my skirts, rear jockeys, leathers, and fenders similar to the layout in stohlmans book and tracing and cutting. Is there any problems with doing it this way?  Also is the leather I selected the best choice for stirrup leathers and fenders or are there better options for that leather?

[cowboycolonel]

Gonna be awfully heavy fenders

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

I agree with Cowboy Colonel, at 13-15 oz, the fenders may be too heavy.  For stirrup leathers, I prefer that weight, but you wouldn't need that heavy of leather for the fenders, or the skirts, depending on the method of construction.  It will just add unnecessary weight and your fenders will not have much flexibility.  Heavy does not necessarily equal good.  Sometimes it just means heavy.  I would be apprehensive about ordering just one side and making the parts you want to make.  It is nice having a variety to choose from when cutting saddle parts, and I would not want to be limited to one side.  Or maybe you could buy your stirrup leathers pre-cut, and cut the rest of the parts from a side of 11-13.  Or, if funds are not an issue, buy a side of 13/15 for your stirrup leathers (and have plenty for future repairs of other saddles)and one side of 11/13, most of which you will use for the rest of your parts.