Scanning and Cleaning the Leather

The 2019 organization plan is still in effect.  I've been staying focused on my photo scanning project.  As of today I have scanned 2,093 photos.  (This is barely a dent in the total number of photos in this house.)


I also went to the hobby store and purchased photo boxes since they were 50% off this week.  I have a box for all my loved ones (almost).  I need to go back and buy a few more for the extended family.   First I sort the photos by who the main subject is.  After they're scanned they're filed in the appropriate box.   It's a pretty monotonous job, but I can do it!


I've also been looking for things around the house that we don't need anymore.  We have a total of six saddles for our two horses including two English Saddles.  Jillian won a really nice English saddle at a horse judging contest--it was custom made for her.  We don't really need two English saddles so I'm going to sell the other one.


I don't think our saddles have been cleaned and oiled since Jillian quit showing so the first step was to go buy some new saddle soap and leather oil.  Then I got the elbow grease out and cleaned it.  I wish I had taken before and after photos because the difference is quite noticeable.


Jillian, Doc, and this saddle participated in a lot of shows together.


After the saddle I got a little side-tracked.  A few years ago my dad gave me his spurs and chaps.  This things are undoubtedly older than I am.  The leather was stiff as a rock so I decided to get to work on them also.  


More elbow grease and three coats of oil and the leather is soft and supple again.  I don't recall my dad ever cleaning his chaps so this might be the first time it has ever been done.  Again, I should have taken before and after shots.


I've said before that I'm not letting any material possession have an emotional hold on me, but these chaps might be a different story.  


My dad, my hero, did back country patrols on horseback while in the FS...


...and then there were the annual roundups at my uncle's ranch.  I'm hoping that one of my girls will take these chaps and spurs.  They don't make them like this anymore.


I had to chuckle today while I was working on them.  These chaps would have originally been fastened with leather ties around the back of the legs (the ties were in the pocket).  Somewhere along the way my dad attached these clips which of course would have made them much easier and quicker to put on and take off.  My dad, the fixer and builder of anything you could imagine.

Time of call it quits for the day.  What is your plan for 2019?


Comments

Yogi♪♪♪ said…
I remember (at least I think I do) when Dad made those chaps, or maybe its just when he modified them. I remember when he made a scabbard for one of his rifles. He had a leather punch (you might have it now) and it was tough work cutting holes in the scabbard for the lacing.
January 31, 2019 at 7:19 PM
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