Chaps

[outrider]

David,

I'll buy a pattern

[rebsr52339]

Hi guys. I took "little Al's" suggestion and made a pattern out of canvas first. I used Tandy's pattern for the bat wing style to get a head start on the design and with my wife's help pinning etc. ended up with we got here. It took a bit of trimming and sewing the canvas, but it sure saved a lot of leather. I used 3 1/2-4oz leather from Tandy. I am going to trim "up" the area where it goes across the top instep of my boots. I have a 1939 Singer with a "gear" drive instead of the belt driven one, and with a leather needle it goes thru leather like melted butter. The "belt band" is a little fancy but I have seen some on originals almost as fancy. I am so satisfied I probably will make a set of shotgun style. These I may trim in small brass studs. I saw a "nice" pair in the book, "Western Memorabilia and Collectables". I like them and they fit me OK.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Reb

     Well pard, I have to say, you did a fantastic job on these chaps, and also Welcome to the forum pard, we're glad to have you with us, and will be looking forward to seeing more from you in the future, thanks for the look see.

      Regards

   tEN wOLVES 

[Skeeter Lewis]

Nice, reb.

As I started this thread, I'd better post the shotgun chaps I eventually made, though I've posted them already on 'Show us your Stuff'.
They're held together by leather lacing held in place top and bottom by copper rivets - the original way. They're hand-sewn. Boy, was that some work!
The leather is 4/5 ounce. I learned a lot.

[rebsr52339]

Wow    Those are nice. Good job. Know what you mean about "hand" sewing. Did a lot of it for Rendezvous stuff.

[Django]

I found this link to a DVD/Video on chap making by Dusty johnson.
I don't know anything about the author though.

Here is the link to his home page.
http://www.pvsaddleshop.com/index.html

Django

[Gun Butcher]

 Dusty has been around for years and is a very well respected leathercrafter. I have a saddlemaking video of his that is probably 15 years old or more. He gives some great lessons but most of his stuff will be more modern. Although,with shotgun style chaps not much has changed over the years except the methods of closing the legs. You could do alot worse than his videos.

[Ace Lungger]

Skeeter, AWESOME JOB!!! I someday plan on making me a pair of chaps, and I can only hope that mine will look half that good!!
Later
ACE

[GunClick Rick]

Dusty made and donated alot of award rigs for Les Vegas best Gunspinning awards.See Joey Dillon.

Hey Reb,what you need is a short chubby little oakie dude for a chaps model I need some short shaps

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, reb and Ace.

Ace, good to see you round the camp fire again.

[cowboywc]

Howdy All
Here is a pair of Batwings I made a few years ago.
WC

[cowboywc]

The Yoke.
WC

[Skeeter Lewis]

Very nice, Cowboy. What weight of leather is that?

[rebsr52339]

Cowboy, did you dye them or just drag them behind a horse for a few months?

[cowboywc]

Very nice, Cowboy. What weight of leather is that?

Howdy
They are about a 5oz. A little heavy.
WC

[cowboywc]

Cowboy, did you dye them or just drag them behind a horse for a few months?

Howdy
I did not the the chap leather. I bought it because everytime you touch it it leaves a mark. I knew they would age real fast.
My son wore them last on a ride at the Lone Pine Film Festival. They just keep getting better looking.
WC

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Great chaps WC, good color and I like the look.

    tEN

[Boothill Bob]

Good work on those chaps... I need to see the back of the chaps, will
make me a pair of batwings and I dont know how I´m gona attach the
straps And I´m not sure what thickness I will have on the leather....
Never have make chaps before...

[DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM]

I have a copy of the orignal F.A. Meanea chap pattern. I have been considering marketing that, just don't know where to start. If there is enough interest, I will.
David

Choyya's in the Arizona Desert. I had to wear them in the summer.    Put me down for a pattern David.

[rebsr52339]

Boothill Bob, as the folks have said on this thread, it depends on what you will use them for. When I made mine, a work still in progress, I was familiar with the weight of "real" cowboy working chaps. They were a 5 oz average in weight and were quite heavy. If you were just walking around all day, at a match, they could get to be tiring. I made mine out of 3 to 4 oz chap leather from Tandy. They are light and very soft. I probably can "stiffen" them up a bit but for now I like them. I am staining them and distressing them right now. I used leather straps that you can see in my photo "locked" thru the concha. The strap has a slot thru it and you can put these slots at 1/2 in intervals and have an adjustable connection at each concha. My "bat wing" portion is a little wide I think and I may cut it down. Good luck and don't forget to make a side out of canvas first. You can get it at WalMart.