Introduction and Saddlebags

[Legs]

Hello everyone..
I've been lurking for a while and learning a lot from you guys. I think you all are the best! I'm new to leatherworking, having started last summer. I thought I'd share these saddlebags that I just completed. I'm very happy with them, and I sure hope the lady that I made them for will be too!

Thanks to everyone on this forum.  You all helped me without even knowing it. Just about everything I learned here has gone into these bags. One bag is a cooler, with slots for those chill bags you put in the freezer. The bag is lined with a space blanket material and insulation. The other bag contains a concealed carry holster, molded to fit her Colt .38. It also has a cellphone holder.

I sure am anxious to hear everyone's opinions. Thanks again. 

[Johnny McCrae]

Welcome to the Forum Legs.

These Saddle Bags are beautiful! I know for a fact that the Lady will be very pleased. Lots of thought and care went into these bags. Many thanks for sharing them with us. We look forward to seeing your future Leather projects.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Welcome Legs 

      We're happy to have you join us pard, you did some very nice work on the saddle bags, and thanks for sharing with us, we'll look forward to seeing more of your in the future.

                    tEN wOLVES 

[bedbugbilly]

llegs - welcome to the forum! 

The saddle bags are great!  You did a beautiful job on them and I'm sure the lady will be tickled pink!  You can really be proud of of your work!   

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Lots of thought went into those bags. Very nice work, Legs. Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to more of your work.

[GunClick Rick]

Welcome friend I like the saddle bags,i can't critisize becuase i don't do leather,just like it and they do the best around here.
The only thing i see is the dye job seems a little lite in some areas,but could be the cameras shot.I'd like to see your tooling pop out a little more.Like i said i know nothing except what i have learned here,i just know what I like..Other than that,they make break in real fine after some good use,horse sweat,and such.Anyway better than anything i ever done I sure would'nt be shy about throwin "em over a horse!

Got some nice roses tooled on there,reckon ya better toss a diamond and gold ring in there.

I must say the roses look way awsome the way you aarranged them and the little hearts and such.Do i smell LUV in the air??

OH YEA,those extras you put in there is a great  idea,i am familiar with that lining,or something like it,out here i think they call it Eagle insulation,starting to use it in homes out here. Carry on soldier,I salute you!

[Cliff Fendley]

Nice work and welcome to the forum.

[Mogorilla]

Really nice.  Welcome aboard.

[Bugscuffle]

Wow! I am impressed and inspired. I'm not a pro. I just do a few things for my own use and have a little fun with it, but I can see that this was a LOT of meticulous, well done, detail work.

[Legs]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. The saddlebags were a big job, but I enjoyed making them. I've been working on them for so long, that it feels strange now that they are finished. Guess it's time to start on a new project.

My camera somehow made the dye job look uneven. It doesn't look like that in real life. I tell you, the thing that still kind of gets me, is that my other work hasn't been nearly as good. I didn't start these bags as a gift, just as a project. Once I decided what I was going to do with them, the idea for the carving and design just flowed and everything seemed to go perfectly.

She rides a lot and I'm interested to see how they hold up to good use.

Thanks guys. I'll be sure to post up anything else I come up with.

[Mountain_Man]

That is some great work. 

[GunClick Rick]

More i look at em more i like em

[KidTerico]

Those bags are just plain beautiful. KT

[Graveyard Jack]

Nice work!