Jeremiah Watt

New Look for stirrups,

Strait from the fashion runways in Paris or Milan is probably your first thought, and I can understand. But really it is strait from a fashion runaway in Alpine Texas……….best term to use for a gathering of cowboys showing there very best collectable wears at an Art show. Where most attendees have faded jeans and a button collar shirt………and the obviously over-dressed man has a starched shirt.

There was a recent fantastic Art Show Gathering held in Alpine Texas, and while there were many folks involved in pulling this Show off………I don’t know them all and so would like to say here a special thanks to renowned braider Leland Hensley for his Curatorial duties of the Show, and of course all the folks who helped. Even more, we should say thanks to the excellent participation by the artists in attendance since it is their work that makes the Show come to life, and it was a Show full of life let me tell you. For all of you reading this, you should consider taking in this fine Show.

I myself, took a saddle that was ……….well, shall I say somewhat different from the ususal. We have been talking for the last few posts about the 3D scroll forms and the silver work done around that form of raising silver. This is yet one more chapter of the work done on the same saddle. In this blog we will deal with how we can impart a very unique look to our stirrups in a very simple manner. I like different………..it matches my personality. MY kids tell me I should call my blog “ life on the Odd Side”

Most of us have done the Tapadero thing, in both short and long versions, problem is that not very many customers want Tapaderos at any one time. Most of us have also done the nice Monel Stirrup with a carved Quarter Cover on the top, then to get even fancier we add maybe some Stirrup Bolts………………and get really crazy and carve the inside liner on the stirrups. I was sitting in the shop one night a little too late and after a little to much coffee, and just thinking how could I take a standard stirrup that almost ALL folks want, and make it a little different, and here is what I came up with.

I put together the entire stirrup in the manner described above, the carved quarter cover, the stirrup bolts, the carved interior of the stirrup. Then I masked off all but the Monel portion of my stirrup using mostly masking tape of the 3” painters variety, but also a few plastic bags covering the top edged and rubbed quarter covers. Once these are in place, I used a piece of .07mm Mylar and took a tracing of the outside metal portion of the balance of the stirrup. Onto this pattern I drew a floral pattern and began cutting with a fresh sharp HSBT bench Knife, I also used a scalpel in a few occasions till I had cut the back ground completely away from the pattern.

This FLORAL PATTERN was then laid and traced by .03mm pencil onto the masking taped sections of my stirrups. Now I used the scalpel the most to cut the masking tape according to the floral pattern until all was cut and each section of what is BACKGROUND is cut away leaving the floral outline in tape. Did I mention it helps to have a mug of the very finest coffee from Trader Joes called Bay Blend Dark Beans fresh ground and hot………………sure does try it some time.
Next, I headed to the shop next door to mine, which is my humble little Bit & Spur shop. I have a bead blasting unit in their which came from my friend Gordon Hayes by the way. I place 1 stirrup at a time in the cabinet, and using 85 pounds air pressure and #50 Glass beads I blast the pattern on each stirrup until I get and even uniform frost pattern from the glass beads. It is really quite clean, and quick to do. The clean up is almost as simple, there is just a little retouching of the once rubbed leather edges and wipe of the Monel sections with a solvent like Acetone being careful around the leather and you are ready.

Now since that Show I have done 3 more pair at customers request, I charge for this of course since it does take some time. But in it all, I think that I like the result when the background is left on the stirrup pattern and the floral section of the pattern is pulled up and away. I think the pattern is crisper and more readily discerned by a viewer. I may be wrong but it is my impression at this time.

One last thing that I should mention is the manner of attachment for the stirrup bolts in this case. Most folks solder the Concho to the end of the bolt that runs thru the stirrup. Since this concho was a screw down version with an exposed screw head, I decided to drill and tap the end of each stirrup bolt and screw the 3D Scroll conchos down to that by way of a fine thread machine screw so every thing matched in application and appearance.

Try it, you may find you like a stirrup with a different look. If you do that’s great, I may have a little company over on the “Odd Side” for a change. I hope you enjoyed it my leather workin silver bangin friends, I am not sure how much longer this Blog thing will last, but until next time take care and live Blessed.

Good Night America, and God Bless