Regarding saddle restoration:
Chuck, do you have any photos of a saddle you have done this with? I'd like to see it. What size holes, how far apart, how thick the stitching? I am guessing you use leather? Would this chafe or wear holes in the shorts?
Calvert, same question, would the grommets wear or chafe?
Thanks. Jay Sexton Sebastopol, CA
Steve Maas wrote:
>
>I have a Wright's leather saddle. It is in basically good condition,
>except that the sides along the nose, which should be vertical, are
>splayed out at an angle. I would like to make them vertical again.
>
>The standard "fix" is to wet the leather, clamp it in shape, and let it
>dry completely. This trick has worked for me with other leather saddles.
>However, I made a fundamental mistake with this one: when I got the
>saddle, it was very dry, so I oiled it heavily before trying to
>straighten the leather. Now, it's nice and supple, but I can't get it to
>soak up any water. So, when I try this trick, it just springs back to
>the splayed shape in a couple of days.
>
>Anyone have any suggestions?
>
>
Chuck Wrote:
Do like everyone did "back in the day": Punch a row of holes in the edge of the flaps and lace them together. You can do as few as two in each side or a whole bunch of them. Lace from side to side not around the lower edge. If you go around the lower edge it will bend and eventually crack the leather along the holes.
I've laced a few myself and it is a great look!
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, CA
Calvert Wrote:
Leave ample margin between the edge and the punched hole. A saddle that has once dried out is still somewhat fragile even after treatment with Lexol. Grommets can help keep the hole from stretching and breaking.
Calvert Guthrie
Kansas City