Stamping Saddle Questions

[presleyleather]

I've built one rough out saddle. I'm beginning my second, and am going to do a little stamping on it, except I'm not quite sure what the exact process is. I've been searching the forum for an answer to my questions but so far I'm just a bit more confused than I was before  I understand that swells must be stamped after installed. But for everything else, what is the process? Do you first wet, fit, allow to dry overnight tacked in place on the saddle, then remove and then rewet for stamping? Do you allow the piece to dry completely after stamping before gluing, or glue while still damp? 

Or do you wet, fit, then begin stamping immediately (or after properly cased that is?) after the fitting? And then again, do you allow the stamped piece to dry completely or glue/install the damp stamped piece.

I hope I explained my confused thoughts well enough. I have a wade saddle tree. I have Jeremiah Watt DVDs and Stohlman books and this website for references. Just doing some wild rose (hamley daisy) stamping with rough out seat and rough out fenders, everything else will be stamped. 

Would really appreciate some wisdom

Thanks,

Presley

ps Here's my lazy napping sidekick sporting the rough out saddle I built

Edited March 16, 2018 by presleyleather

[Josh Ashman]

Hello Presley, 

I've built 4 saddles so I'm not any great source of information and I don't want to come off like I am. That said, I've followed the Stohlman books fairly close as far as basic process and been happy. If it were me I'd likely try to do something like this;

Swells - stamp once they're in place. Bonus points if you can get them done while they are still cased from fitting.

Skirts - stamp after blocking and before plugging. bonus points if you can stamp them while still cased from blocking.

Rigging plates (if flat plate that drops to visible and you want to stamp) - stamp the front piece prior to assembling the plates.

Rear jockies - I follow the process Stohlman lines out in book #2. It involves fitting temporary laces to get them fit up and multiple fit ups. they get tooled somewhere in the middle of that process. 

Cantle back - stamp it right before you glue it on. It works OK for me to tool it while it's still cased from fitting it but you may need to re-wet it a few times along the way. At least I've had to. 

Good luck! Someone who knows more than me will hopefully chime in and get you some good advice. 

All the best, Josh

[oltoot]

Just might add that things like rigging plates, etc that are multilayered, stamping after assembly `can eliminate some aassembly problems that can come from stretching. And if you stamp skirts after plugging, plugs will be more firmly anchored, but try to cut skirts from parts where plugs wont be necessary as I for one dont think plugs are a good thing

 

[blue62]

Why aren't the plugs a good thing?

[presleyleather]

@Josh Ashman Thank you so much, just the information I was searching for, that's super helpful! So it's alright to glue when the leather is cased? I just use Barge cement glue

 

@oltoot Thank you I will definitely take that into consideration, I didn't think about the possibility for stretching. something for me to think about and decide on to stamp before or after assembling multiple pieces. 

 

[Josh Ashman]

I've glued cased leather without issue. Specific times I can think of are the cantle back and seat and I also use Barge, sometimes Masters if it's cheaper. 

All the best!

Josh

[oltoot]

Opinion based on 2 levels of observation:

1: Repair- Sometimes, with age, they can curl up between lining and skirt and just age poorly

2: Layout- Sometimes skirts that will be plugged to get edges right are not cut from as good  a place as if they will stand on their own. (when trying to minimize waste vs maximizing piece suitability)

NOTE# by some thinking, plugging every  edge as a matter of course actually makes the skirts lay better on the horse's back but that doesn't jibe with my observations

[blue62]

Thank you for clarifying that, I've been taught that a row of stiches around the skirts before the woolskins go to help keep the plugs from doing strange things.

  I would also think that a high end saddle would still have the skirts cut from the most appropriate part of the hide if they are plugged or not,but I also understand trying to get the most profit out of each job.