Custom saddle

you going to get a naked lady slaying a dragon?

actually, was that your tattoo???

cheeky! no it wasn't... are you saying that would be a good representation of me? haha

id like to be able to make copper plates, much like the brooks logo on the back of the saddle for my own. id also like to match a headbadge on shiny steel.

ive been looking into various methods, i already have the logo but no material.

i could stencil/paint by hand it, but i dont know about the quality of the paint. theres also photo etching, but i know very little about this. im going to town to look for materials tommorow.

Re: saddle-butchery.
Is it possible to 're-mold' an old Brooks to something like its original shape? I'm thinking, soak in water, pack out to achieve desired shape, leave to dry.. Anyone tried this? Skully?

Yep, that's exactly what I've been up to on a couple of beat up old saddles, with some good results. It's hard to stuff them though as you only really have the rails to brace against. It's known as 'blocking out'. I use a toe-strap around the nose as it dries out, to keep it nicely rounded.

But I'd have to say its a damn sight easier to fork out for a new saddle.

You need to do an evening of Googlizing.

I think the search terms might be "custom brass copper embossed plates tags labels"

http://www.brassname.com/Decorative-plates-brass-custom-3.html

Rivet guns you can get from anywhere, quite cheap.

Maybe think about adapting something more readily available, like custom made dog tags or metal / enamel badges, there are loads of companies who are set up to make custom die cast metal badges:

Maybe get a dies struck lapel pin (no colour) in a soft metal like a brass or copper ?

http://www.hortonengraving.co.uk/enamel_badges.htm

Good stuff - 'Googlizing' much better verb than to 'google' it. I think I'm going to keep it simple, I'm going to get that letter set so I can do any word people might want. Except 'antidisestablishmentarianism', obviously. Too fiddly.

Good stuff - 'Googlizing' much better verb than to 'google' it. I think I'm going to keep it simple, I'm going to get that letter set so I can do any word people might want. Except 'antidisestablishmentarianism', obviously. Too fiddly.

Charge per letter.

cheeky! no it wasn't... are you saying that would be a good representation of me? haha
yep, similar to the side of your kingswood panelvan!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiny
Re: saddle-butchery.
Is it possible to 're-mold' an old Brooks to something like its original shape? I'm thinking, soak in water, pack out to achieve desired shape, leave to dry.. Anyone tried this? Skully?

Yep, that's exactly what I've been up to on a couple of beat up old saddles, with some good results. It's hard to stuff them though as you only really have the rails to brace against. It's known as 'blocking out'. I use a toe-strap around the nose as it dries out, to keep it nicely rounded.

But I'd have to say its a damn sight easier to fork out for a new saddle.

Hey! Thanks Skully. Glad to hear that it will be worth a try. What materials do you use to stuff the saddle? I have some springy expanded plastic foam (from a swimming-float thingy) that I was thinking of using.

Spiny

I use newspaper torn a bit to help me stuff it in bit by bit. I found its hard to apply upward pressure to the sit-bone areas, that is where the saddle is usually most indented. So concentrate on that area, the rest will follow. Your hard foam idea is very good! It might prevent the saddle from drying a bit so maybe use paper in between?

I use warm water and soak it for about 10 minutes before stuffing, makes it really soft. Should take a day or two to dry out thoroughly. I would avoid drying it our quickly like on a radiator. Then add loads of cream/proofide/neatsfoot after its dried.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot Skully. You've covered all the other questions I had brewing. Yes! It is the sit-bone-area problem I have with an old Brooks 'Colt' and a 'Flyer' (I seem to wear a deeper furrow on one side! Me and my mis-shaped a**e :) )

Nothing to lose and hopefully will get some more life out of these saddles!

Best wishes

Spiny

OOH OOH OOH just remembered, I can get this paint that almost etches into leather and stains it in the desired colour. In paint form, apparently its water-proof and it doesnt crack.
Tutorial to paint leather shoes: YouTube - How-To Customize Shoes/Cpt. Jack Sparrow Dunks pretty much the same concept.
I would do it for you guys if you wanted, but I dont live in London.:(

You can get debossing/embossing dies made up for multiple markings if thats what you want. I have had one made (for paper) from these guys http://www.bolsons.co.uk/ for a client at a cost of about 100quid (I guess for a business). Also laser etching is a possibility for multiple runs but setup can be expensive.

Bellezza, I successfully re-covered a trashed old turbo in thinner leather which would be embossable I reckon. PM me a reminder and I'll up some pics.

yep, similar to the side of your kingswood panelvan!!

OMG you cheeky bugger!

You can get debossing/embossing dies made up for multiple markings if thats what you want. I have had one made (for paper) from these guys http://www.bolsons.co.uk/ for a client at a cost of about 100quid (I guess for a business). Also laser etching is a possibility for multiple runs but setup can be expensive.

Bellezza, I successfully re-covered a trashed old turbo in thinner leather which would be embossable I reckon. PM me a reminder and I'll up some pics.

ohh will do . thanks!

wow! some serious detail in that saddle!

OOH OOH OOH just remembered, I can get this paint that almost etches into leather and stains it in the desired colour. In paint form, apparently its water-proof and it doesnt crack.
Tutorial to paint leather shoes: http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=nK0EbSlzqcs&feature=related pretty much the same concept.
I would do it for you guys if you wanted, but I dont live in London.:(

WOW~ I would love to get my kicks customized, do you know of anyone in London or Europe who can do this?

OMG you cheeky bugger!
what? thats a nice van!!

could try this meathod
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbJuLk8ogs"]YouTube
- Fashion V Sport at the V&A - Trainer Confidentials: Chum 101 / I-Saw[/ame]

love what he says at the end.......!

what happens with the above method if you make a mistake?...what he's doing is pretty freestyle, so he can just change the pattern as he goes, if you're trying to exactly recreate letters in a specific font, you'd have to be pretty well practised....

Winston, sort of how tattoo artists are? It's not impossible.

Fuck, I-Saw! that's Barney, I know him. He's gone to Berlin now. I once asked him how he did that, he was being a bit cagey about it... I started thinking about him when Bellezza started this thread. I kind of guessed it was an engraver's pen thingy.

BTW all (not really what Bellezza was after, but...) I've just hold of my Embossing letters, so if anyone wants to peronalise or security mark their brooks, gimme a shout. The letters are a plain sans-serif font, about 1/4" high, so not really a decorative thing.

Cheers

I meant if it was a DIY attempt, after buying your own rotary thingy....I wouldn't trust myself...

Fuck, I-Saw! that's Barney, I know him. He's gone to Berlin now. I once asked him how he did that, he was being a bit cagey about it... I started thinking about him when Bellezza started this thread. I kind of guessed it was an engraver's pen thingy.

BTW all (not really what Bellezza was after, but...) I've just hold of my Embossing letters, so if anyone wants to peronalise or security mark their brooks, gimme a shout. The letters are a plain sans-serif font, about 1/4" high, so not really a decorative thing.

Cheers

i saw it at the V&A sports and fashion thing was very impressed, had seen the stuff in magazines and that but wasn't sure if it was hand done or done with lazer and computer like the nike own etched ones, really good stuff, would love to have a go but as winston says not sure i be doing it on a pair £80 trainers.

WOW~ I would love to get my kicks customized, do you know of anyone in London or Europe who can do this?

Sherpherd's Bush market perhaps. OK this story is 4 years old, but they might still be there

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/12_december/22/trainer_art.shtml

Oh yeah @skully, try putting the saddle into a deep cat-litter box full of builder's sand to support it when you're embossing. Wet the sand maybe.

Well I could customise your kicks, I have done custom caps for a shop in london(when they were in Dublin) and custom painted shoes too. Ok I used the wrong paints but it looked cool.
I have done and still do loads of canvasses too.
Here is a link to my photobucket: http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/stein-irl/