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Judith
Rancher
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 2429
Location: BC
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JF Ranch
Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Posts: 181
Location: North Fringe of the Nebraska Sandhills
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 Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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| My appologies for being blunt, but if you don't know what style you want, you don't have any business building one for yourself. My recommendation is to try out each type for a week or two, then you'll know what suits you. A short ride or even just a day or so might not be long enough. Beg & borrow from your friends!
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Judith
Rancher
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 2429
Location: BC
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Jinglebob
Rancher
Joined: 14 Feb 2005
Posts: 5728
Location: Western South Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Judith wrote: |
Hey, no apology necessary. Sounds like common sense. At least when building one yourself no one is disappointed if I make a complete disaster of the thing  If it turns out looking even remotely saddle shaped I will be surprised. Bob assures me that it will in fact turn out all right. He literally stands over your head so you dont have the opportunity to screw up too bad. I will swipe some saddles from the girls. Problem is that around here most people are reiners or cutters, so they would ride in that type. I need a saddle for daily riding use . |
JF gave good advice.
If built properly, there sholdn't be any difference in "feel" between a slickfork and a swell fork. All things being equal.
However, most think a slick fork is narrower feeling. Only if you use a longer seat than what you would use in a swell fork. If you want to be wedged up against the swell so as to not get bucked off or fall of, then a swell fork will feel wider, as you are right up against the swells which is over the top of the bars where they swell and turn out to fit the withers and shoulders of a horse.
I would say go with a slick fork and then you can put bucking rolls on to make you more secure, if you need them. If you are comfortable in English, you should really like a slick fork. But I would still borrow and try some others, tho' don't be overly concerned with how they feel. That is all in the ground seat and you will make that the way you want, when you build the saddle.
One thing, don't use any more leather than you have to as it will make the saddle heavier. Also don't use any heavier than you need. Same reason. Thickness doesn't necessarily equate to strength, tho' most think it does. Go look at the old saddles that cowboys rode for a lifetime. The leather wasn't that thick, it was just good and strong.
I just sent a barebones, spanish rigged saddle, to a friend. He called today to tell me how much he likes it, as it is so much lighter than the saddle we built for him.
Not much leather, just what you need and no more.
Thats why I like small, round skirts. Less weight for me and the horse to pack around. I don't ride in brush so don't need large skirts to protect my horse from thorns.
Oh and the bigger the horn, the more weight that will be spread over a big surface when one lands on you. But make sure to make a large enough cap so you can hang onto it when you want or need to. If horns was just for ropes, they would mount them on the back!
A large horn cap is nice to rest a hand on when you ride, if that is your style.
All of this is just my opinion and is freely given. Remember, you get what you pay for. 
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Judith
Rancher
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 2429
Location: BC
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Big Muddy rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 6374
Location: Big Muddy valley
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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You have gotten great advice so far. I am confident that JF and JB know what they are talking about.
JB could you post the site for the trees that you use. I lost the site when computer crashed. Maybe you could tell me do they make a tree other then a Wade? Are you building on trees other then a Wade?
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Jinglebob
Rancher
Joined: 14 Feb 2005
Posts: 5728
Location: Western South Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Judith wrote: |
Thanks soooo much JB. Heck, I trust ya, heard you might know a thing or two about saddlemaking  Rumor is your actually a damn fine craftsman Do I dare ask how your very first saddle end up
THE FIRST ONE I EVER WORKED ON WAS ONE I TRADED FOR. THEN I RE-DID IT THE WAY I WANTED IT. USED A HAMMER, HOOF KNIFE AND A JACK KNIFE. IT WAS PRETTY CRUDE, BUT IT SURE MADE MY BUTT SMILE WHEN I RODE IT. I STILL HAVE IT. THEN I MADE A YOUTH SADDLE FOR MY KIDS. I STILL HAVE IT ALSO. THEN I BUILT A SADDLE FROM THE GROUND UP. STILL HAVE IT. IT'S PRETTY EASY TO TELL THEY WERE MY FIRST ONES, BUT I WAS WORKING ON MY OWN WITH A BOOK. DIL LIKES THE FIRST ONE, I BUILT FROM SCRATCH.
You made more than one so I am guessing it turned out right pretty . I always wondered about the difference in the amount of leather used. Seems some saddles have a huge amount and others are cut up really high. Lighter is definately a better option. I will definately go with less skirt.
LOOK AT SOME OF THE BARREL RACING SADDLES. THEY ARE LIGHT AND CUT HIGH IN THE SKIRT, UNDER YOUR LEG SO YOU CAN "FEEL" YOUR HORSE BETTER.
I heard I am in for about 150 hours of work.
ONLY ONE I EVER TIMED MYSELF, TOOK ME 43 HOURS, WITH OUT COUNTING ANY TIME FOR LEATHER OR GLUE DRYING, THAT WAS JUST ACTUAL TIME I WAS WORKING. I'm doing it as a fun project but I have a real respect for saddlemakers now! Wow!
Jinglebob, do you have any photos of your work?
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE AT www.dennisranch.com
You must be very proud of it! It is a really neat craft, took me 40 hours to braid a rawhide reata and I thought that was tough........
I BUILT ONE OF THOSE ALSO. IT NOW HANGS ON THE WALL OF MY SADDLE MAKING SHOP. I USED IT SOME BUT WAS AFRAID OF BREAKING IT, SO HUNG IT UP AND BOUGHT A CHEAP, ONE FROM SOUTH AMERICA. LOTS OF WORK IN ONE OF THOSE AIN'T THERE? 
YOU SHOULD BEG RAWHIDER TO POST SOME PICTURES OF HIS WORK. IT'S JUST PLAIN AMAZING. HE BRAIDS SOME RAWHIDE STRING ABOUT THE SIZE OF HORSE HAIR. AND THAT AIN'T A TYPO, NEITHER.
IF YOU BEG HIM ENOUGH, I'LL BET HE'D POST SOME PIX. |
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Judith
Rancher
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 2429
Location: BC
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Jinglebob
Rancher
Joined: 14 Feb 2005
Posts: 5728
Location: Western South Dakota
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Curly
Member
Joined: 02 Feb 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Helena, Montana
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I teach a leather craft class once a year. I can tell you that building your first saddle is not an easy task. I think you are approaching it the right way, just take it slow and enjoy it.
Asks lots of questions and don't rush anything. Dusty Johnson, a saddle maker from Colorado, put out a video on how to build a saddle. I use that in my classes, its a step by step and it comes with some patterns that really help.
Let us know it it goes as you are building it.
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Jinglebob
Rancher
Joined: 14 Feb 2005
Posts: 5728
Location: Western South Dakota
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the_jersey_lilly_2000
Rancher
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 6872
Location: South East Texas
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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| We built Lil Lilly's first barrel saddle. I did the pattern, measuring...adjustin..etc to cut out all the pieces. Mr Lilly done the cuttin out part. I did all the tooling, then we put the thing together ourself. It was a job...but it was extremely fun and rewarding.
Last edited by the_jersey_lilly_2000 on Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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. I am mostly riding trails etc when I am working babies just putting in time and wetblankets. I was thinking of a super wide horn as I seem to spend a fair bit of time slammed into the darn thing. Any other suggestions?