OLd Timer Saddle Maker's & Why!!!!

[Ace Lungger]

Good Morning Pards, 
One thing that seems to come up a lot is" I was talking to this old saddle maker" and he was telling me this! That's what this forum  what it is!. All our knowledge that we use has been handed down from the old timers and there old Timers and so on! Know I am not saying that our group and other leather maker's forums and the people on them havn't and still will devolope new and improve methods of getting things done! But i still think that most of it goes back to the old timers!!
  That is what makes this forum so great!!!! Everyone on hear (except us newbies) have something to give to his group)!!
A lot of times you hear, the saying new isn't allways better that the Old, and that is true when it comes to leatherworking!! I read a comment made by WG about somewhere they found Egyptian leather sandles that were still plyable and would have to date at least 3000 years old, and if you have study any on Egypt, they used a lot of oils in about everything they did!
So back to the Old Time saddle makers, about all our foundation that we use today came from them, and there's before them and so on!
And since i would have to drive 50-100 miles to find one if I could find one, I use you guys!!! You are my data base of old time saddle maker's and I take off my hat and boow to you!
Now why did I start this, because I it wasn't for you pards helping me,  and just doing it you learn everyday! Just like casing leather, you have to learn that  on your own, no one can tell you the exact way when it is ready, you get good suggestion, but you just got to learn that on your own! But then when it comes to stitching or carveing, ect. there are answers to that and other questions that you guy's will jump in and help out a person, just like having a Old Time Saddle Maker living next door!!

I want to thank you all for the kindess and the help you have gave me! and I hate to tell you all this, I will be asking more!!


ACE

[cowboywc]

Howdy Ace
You are very right, but don't discount new Ideas, theories & products......
Sometimes old isn't better...... The new just wasn't thought of yet.
WC

[Ace Lungger]

Finaly some one replied!! You are very correct WC. new isn't bad, if we didn't have these computers we could not be doing this! talk!! I wouldn't of found a lot of great friends that i have made here!!
I just like to use as much as I can make, and i only make my supplies from things I have read about and it has worked for a long period of time. There is no don't that it would lot's easier to just order pre made chemicals that are on the market that designed just for what we are doing, but If I could do that I might and i might not! but I know I wouldn't be buying scrap leather to make my stuff out of either. It's called you do what you can do with what you got!

WC, I am not trying to start any problems with you, i am stating the way I am! 20 years ago, when I was shooting on the Skeet cuircut, whe were shooting 800 rds. of practice a week and 400 Targets at the shoots, i would go out and pick up every used wad that didn't have a wing shot off, did pattering hardly if any diff., and it saved me a lot of money. It wasn't that i couldn't afford to buy new, it was just thought of the money i saved i used some where else!

You posted a very good reply, and I thank you for it! I was just explining why i do what i do!

Thanks for the pics. of your store, i love it.
Have a good one
ACE

[cowboywc]

Howdy Ace
No problem with me....
I have lots of old tools that can't be beat, I also have lots of new custom tools that old timers would have
given their left, you know what to have had back when.
Old ways of making dyes is cool but I don't have time to mess with things like that.
And yes the computer is the best tool that has come along for us leather workers.
WC

[Ace Lungger]

 :)WC,
It makes me feel good that you are doing what you want in life, and I hope you are making a living at it! You are 100% right on the old timers, and what they would of give up to  have the tools we have! I can only hope that your work will allways be a passion instead of just a job!!
I have only done 1 thing in my life right, and that was teaching my son, that if you want to make money and big money you use your head instead of your hands and back, but I also told him that in life you need to be happy with what you are doing! For 6 years of my life my brother and I ran a body shop toghter, and those were the happest times of my life, because of his wife we split the buiness up, I ran a small shop Happy as a lark, and my brother took a job! after a year of hearing my wife gripe about no this and no that I went and got a job, that ruined my life forever!! And for the longest time I was lost untill i found you guys, and you have helped me keep my mind of my problems and on something I realy enjoy doing, And I thank all of you!!
What lyes around the next corner I do not know?
I am afraid if I had your talent, it would become a job, instead of a passion!!. My hat is off to you sir
Later ACE

[cowboywc]

Howdy Ace
It is definitely still a passion, but there are days that it feels like a job. Especially since I got the store.
I've made my self a rule, I do one customer job then I do something I want to do. I don't get burnt out
that way.
WC

[Ace Lungger]

WC,
I am so glad to hear you say that! i realy love your work and i can see great passion in it, and I hope that you never loose it!
I have, 2 belts that I bought before I started leather working, both Buscadero and I am trying to get holsters made for them, so I can get them sold ! I need to buy some leather,and i won't ever use them since I make my own. Then when I get those done I want to start on a new project! I want to try and make something period correct that I can try and sell!! i don't ever want to sell more than 1 a month or so, just because like yesterday I spent the day in bed with my back! But it would be nice to sell enough to pay for your hobby. I have realy injoyed our little chat!
Thanks for taking the time to shot the brezze!
ACE
P.S. Did anyone hear from TW yesterday? We talk everyday, maybe he had that Doc appointment?
Dam, I HATE GETTING OLD