tour of the leathershop (photos)

[Faster horses]

Jinglebob, I very much enjoyed this whole thread; especially seeing the saddle and your carving work, the ribbing you've had to take AND your explanation of the foam tree.

Thanks for starting this thread!

 

[theHiredMansWife]

Wished you hadn't asked?

I'm glad he did! I'm going to show your post to the lesser half who has a strong aversion to "fake" trees, too. But he doesn't have any problems hoisting a 50 lb saddle five feet in the air.

 

[Jinglebob]

Your carving/tooling is looking good JB. Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Al Twomey? He had a shop in Musselshell for along time, he died a couple of years ago. Anyway, his carving was amazing, very deep, all original, he did not use any boughten patterns, he just started carving, that way everything he made was original. What was really amazing, he lost part of a thumb, part of two fingers and all of one finger in WWII. He was a packer for the Ist Mountain Division in Italy, bringing stuff over the high mountains on mules cause there weren't roads. He would not say much about that or how he lost the digits, but he did refuse to make a knife scabbert for a friend of mine cause the knife had made in Japan on it. He said "You know we had a war with those %$&^#^#, you want a case go buy one from them." BTW, your shop is cleaner than some I been in :wink:

Nope, never met him, but sounds like a feller I would have like to know!

I have been learning to draw out my own patterns and not use others. I look at other and check what they did and how they did it. The pattern on here is one I came up with. I suppose I've seen it somewhere else, but sure don't remember it, but of course I don't seem to remember very much anyway. The reason I did it the way I did, was so there were more points and places to "pick" the leather up so it shows more.

And thanks for the comment about the shop. My wife says I'm a packrat and I inherieted it from my mom. :wink:

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Jinglebob did you check to see if you name is on the bottom side of that rock?
If it is better check the dates.
:wink:

 

[Jinglebob]

Jinglebob did you check to see if you name is on the bottom side of that rock?
If it is better check the dates.
:wink:

Matter of fact, I told the family to use it just for that, at the appropriate time, tho'! :shock:

 

[Tap]

Jinglebob was good enough to show me one of his cable rigged saddles one time. Being a traditionalist myself (I'm not sure why though :wink: ), I didn't know what to make of it. If it is easier on the horse, it probably can't be a bad thing. It looks like you are doing nice work over there in the rainy country. lol

Probably rains so much you would rather be inside where it is nice and warm and dry.

 

[Jinglebob]

Jinglebob was good enough to show me one of his cable rigged saddles one time. Being a traditionalist myself (I'm not sure why though :wink: ), I didn't know what to make of it. If it is easier on the horse, it probably can't be a bad thing. It looks like you are doing nice work over there in the rainy country. lol

Probably rains so much you would rather be inside where it is nice and warm and dry.

Yup, thats the reason! Man, it sure is wet around these parts, ain't it? :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Had a young man call tonight that I'm building the saddle for and he asked if I was to win the lottery and then bought the Newcombe ranch, what would happen to his saddle? I told him it would still get done, but I might quit takin' orders for any more new ones to be built. :lol: :lol:

 

[Tap]

Had a young man call tonight that I'm building the saddle for and he asked if I was to win the lottery and then bought the Newcombe ranch, what would happen to his saddle? I told him it would still get done, but I might quit takin' orders for any more new ones to be built.

Oh Jeez JB! I heard the ranch brought 590$/ac. today. Must be some kind of record for western SD for a larger property. You just needed to buy it, and you can always figure out how to pay for it LATER. :wink: :roll:

Let me know where the buyer hailed from, maybe it was you. lol.

 

[OldDog/NewTricks]

Nice shop - what kind of Tree is that - Fiberglass? - Is it renforced - Don't think i've ever seen a Blue one - it is blue isn't it. :???:

Wished you hadn't asked? :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

No :!: glad I asked :!:
That was a good Sales Pitch and well worth the Post but it sounds like you thought I was trying to corner ya. I was not - - only had a true interest. It's been years since in make my last saddle. Thanks I did learn something New

Do they make it in a Decker Tree?

 

[Jinglebob]

Do they make it in a Decker Tree?

I don't think so, yet. I was told it cost them about $50, 000, to make a new mold and get all the kinks out. :shock:

Probably wouldn't be too hard to get a slickfork or one that had an imperfection and make one, tho' it might be easier to make it into a crossbuck. Let me know if you really need to know and I'll pm you their number and you can ask. Seem to be nice fellers.

 

[OldDog/NewTricks]

Trees (???)

http://www.structuralfoammolding.com/history2.html

 

[Jinglebob]

Trees (???)

http://www.structuralfoammolding.com/history2.html

Looks like the same stuff, but I didn't see no saddle trees. Dang it, yur gonna make me get out of my chair and find you an address or somethin' ain't you? :x :lol:

La Port Saddletree Co. 970 227 8011 Ask for Shawn. Sometimes you get his answering machine, but if you leave him a message, he'll get bacxk to you.

Also check out Hitching Post Supply as they sell them as a skeloton rigged saddle. 'Course they get about as much for one of them as I do a full stamped one! I have got to raise my prices :x :lol: