Hello Agrivillers.

[sumdumguy]

I have an original Eaton's catalogue full of Eaton's houses one could order. Delightful.

There is one right where #210 comes to #10, belongs to Jim and Connie. They have tried to keep "the look" and mixed it with the new. They even brought light fixtures from Italy to enhance.

Parsley, that catalogue must be a national treasure. I would love to see it. How much houses cost back then?

[Braveheart]

Pars, the saddle soap should both clean and condition. We use it on a lot of leathers.

I found an old Indian sheath and knife at a flea market and cleaned it up with saddle soap. It conditioned it without it looking "restored". Turns out, it's a beautiful sheath from the Absarokee Nation in Montana and genuine trade knife circa 1870's.

As for my Father and a roping saddle, he couldn't throw a rope well at all. The only thing he threw well was a fit. Sorta left me wanton alright. Wanton to be somewhere else when he threw that fit.

[WiltonRanch]

Should I try and scrub off some of the grime that has gathered over the years? Soap and water and scrub-brush? Or use a leather cleaner?

Not too much water if non at all. Soft brush and a rag. Unless you have chunks of mud on it a damp clean rag dabbed in saddle soap and lots of elbow grease. Then a good number of coats of neatsfoot with liberal applications of elbow grease in between. Some of those old saddles will take up a couple or more litres of neatsfoot. But please don't use any water if you can help it. That goes against the softening process.

[Horse]

Don't know whether you want to try those but my brother does a lot of restoration on saddles and he throws them into a tub of water for about 3 days then uses saddle soap as it drys out some then neatsfoot,I am sure there is something on Google.

[WiltonRanch]

Don't know whether you want to try those but my brother does a lot of restoration on saddles and he throws them into a tub of water for about 3 days then uses saddle soap as it drys out some then neatsfoot,I am sure there is something on Google.

Well that makes a liar out of me about water and leather. Lol. Always hated getting leather wet and the resulting dry out.

[parsley]

Scrub-a dub-dub or
Rub-a-dub-dub!

Make up your minds!!

I've never polished a saddle before. And cowboys should know "how to"...

Any more advice from riders?

pars

[parsley]

There is one right where #210 comes to #10, belongs to Jim and Connie. They have tried to keep "the look" and mixed it with the new. They even brought light fixtures from Italy to enhance.

Parsley, that catalogue must be a national treasure. I would love to see it. How much houses cost back then?

I'll have to dig out the book, sumdum. Pars

[Braveheart]

No water. Just saddle soap. Take it from a buckaroo. Leather doesn't like water.

[blackpowder]

Not much experience with old leather. Define old. Could a little value. Not sure about the water if too old. Wood trees and dry rot leather. No bath tubs I think.

About the barn. Moved on the place in 75. Lumber all commercially sold fir back in 26. No extra dimension or hand planed/grooved. Gambrel roof.
Remember an adjuster saying after small twister took shingles once. "Dont know how these things stand at all". New cedar shingles then. Dont paint those things.
Sorry no original pics. Slings still hanging off rail on peak today tho. Funny the sisal/hemp? rope hasnt broke yet.

[parsley]

No water. Just saddle soap. Take it from a buckaroo. Leather doesn't like water.

I shall do as you say.