Oak Leaf Pattern

[oltoot]

Here's my 2 cents worth, or maybe 1 1/2. I like the larger than normal cutout above the rigging plate. I'm sure that you can critique the tooling as well as anyone and that you have your own list of goals to achieve. Now to some observations that come from ~50 years of building, repairing and using saddles. I am very much opposed to doming copper rivits any place that they will be subject to strap wear as eventually, the top will wear through. I prefer to set the rivits where the entire face will be below the surface of the leather. I achieve that by running a small french edger around the edge of the hole resulting in a slightly cone shaped depression to set the rivit in. I freely admit that the result is not as attractive but it has been my experience that homely girls get more work done than prom queens (though I followed a different line of reasoning when I was picking a wife and allocating some of my meager earnings to silver bits, spurs etc). Next, I put breast collar dees on rigging plates or skirt corners for years but probably about 30 years ago I looked at how horse anatomy, breast collar function stirrup leather travel work together and moved my breast collar dees up to between the front concho and the rigging plate or tree surface, depending on the construction being employed ( the attachment looks like a minature flank rig on a full double dee ring rigged saddle and is secured to the tree by the saddle strings and #8 screws.) I use either a 1" 1 1/4" dee ring and leather for the Attachment. I experimented with metal but abandonded it for leather for the simple reason that metal would make an annoying squeaking sound some time when just riding along without weight on the collar. Among the desirable (IMHO) results is that there is no contact with stirrup leathers and the supporting pull when a dee ring type breast collar ( with a snug tie down from BC dee ring to cinch dee ring between the front legs) is employed is more nearly straight from point of attachment on the saddle to the main pressure bearing region of the BC. now, in closing, let me say that you are doing great on your journey as a budding and then blooming saddlemaker.       

[Rolandranch]

Looking great! The stitching looks superb! What weight/kind of thread did you use? I can't wait to see the complete saddle! Keep us posted. Thanks for sharing,   -Ryan

[rktaylor]

Thanks for the comments and encouragement. I'll post pictures in the gallery when it's complete.

Oltoot, Can you share a picture of your breast collar dee? I know you don't like domed rivets, but I feel like trading some durability for appearance is acceptable. Maybe if I was fixing them, I would change my mind.

Randy

[oltoot]

[rktaylor]

Thanks. 

Randy