Most of the saddles that we build in the shop are what we call “hard seats.” This means that there is not a padded seat in a saddle where the rider sits in the saddle.
Padded seats are common in rope saddles, trail saddles, and barrel saddles. But the clients that we build for, even our ropers, prefer a Hard Seat saddle. These saddles’ main advantage is that there is no padding to break down over time changing the way the saddle sets. A hard seat saddle will ride the same for its lifetime.
With that being said, this does not mean that our clients don’t appreciate fancy additions to their saddles. One of our most popular additions that can be made to one of our custom saddles is an Inlaid Seat.
Our inlaid seats do not contain any padding so the client still gets the benefit of the hard seat while adding some chrome to their saddle. We can do padded seats with many colors of chap leather, exotic leathers, as well as tooling them for a unique personalized look.
This video shows the process we go through installing an inlaid seat on a custom saddle we are building. This particular seat will be tooled with the client’s brand and floral tooling.
There are four main types of leather that we use in leathercraft and saddle shops. These are Veg Tanned Leather, Chap Leather, Harness Leather, and Latigo Leather. 
Hand stitching Leather with an awl and two needles is a “must-have” skill set for any aspiring leather craftsman. This method allows for maximum efficiency when it comes to having to hand stitch any project.
Selecting a Cobra Sewing Machine or any leather sewing machine can be challenging whether you are a first time buyer or have years of experience. Doing the proper research to insure that you get the best possible machine to do the job you need it to do takes time and patience.
I have had a ton of requests to do a video on how I put on a one piece saddle swell cover. This video is a quick rundown on how I put mine on. I am working on another video that will show the amount of prep work that goes into getting one of these put on successfully. I wanted to break it into two separate videos and this one is just putting it on and hopefully it will help to show how these are put on.
One of the most common questions that I get asked from younger craftsmen is, “When should I turn my hobby into a full time business and quit my job?”
In this video, I show you how to cut parts from a leather hide for many types of different projects.
When it comes to getting the best possible edges in your work, sanding tools are one of the most important areas to focus on. Without a well sanded edge on your leather project, you won’t be able to get the smooth finish you are looking for. Even the best possible cut piece of leather still needs sanding on the edge to prepare the leather to be burnished.