Leather work

[len dowe]

Did a search and seen a lot of different views of people doing leather work(researching seat post springs). I was curious on who you would have to do your leather work? God bless Howard.

[bselph]

Michael Paquette at Worsham Castle is outstanding!

[T. Cotten]

Good question, Len!

I won't list my disappointments.

Can we make a distinction between "restorations", and serious "conservations"?

...Cotten

[sirhrmechanic]

I have had work done by Worsham Castle and it is just superb. I believe they do both full re-coverings and can also do conservation. I have had them do two re-coverings and love the work. So can't speak about their conservation work.

I was told this past weekend that Heathers Leathers is really first rate for Indian seats... but have no first hand experience. I am going to give them a try for my '38 Chief seat.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[len dowe]

Go for it Tom. Nothing wrong with a good debate as long as everybody is civil about it. You gotta have thick skin messing with this Vintage iron.

Good question, Len!

I won't list my disappointments.

Can we make a distinction between "restorations", and serious "conservations"?

...Cotten

[rbc]

God bless Howard.[/QUOTE]

I want to second that thought.

[T. Cotten]

Folks,...

At risk of being more annoying than usual...

I recently received a "conservation" back that I anxiously awaited.

Thank goodness it wasn't for a customer, but for myself.

Sixty seconds upon opening the box, I could only toss it back on the wall without looking further for faults beyond the obvious.

I still cannot walk by it without a pit in my stomach.
(And no, no way in blazes will I send it back.)

At this point, I wish I had specialized in seats and saddlebags so many years ago instead of carburetors and manifolds, as someday I shall have to finish this one.

....Cotten

[harleytoprock]

Cotten, Can we see a picture of this disappointment?

[T. Cotten]

Harleytoprock!

Just imagine daylight between the skirt and seat in two places, rosettes poked badly off-center, and un-touched paint specks that I thought a pro could handle better than I.

It wasn't cheap, but it isn't going back either.

I should have sent it to The Saddleshop.

....Cotten

[vph-d]

Cotten,
Who did this shabby work?
VPH-D

[49 pan]

Michael at Worsham did my 49-HD bags I sent him my orig hardware and they look NOS -------Wonderful work and a nice man

Dick in Eustis

[T. Cotten]

I don't believe he is here to defend himself, VPH-D,..

So I will only note also that the skirt sticks straight out at the back, instead of curving downward like an original. It looks like a 1990s Tedd Cycle seat.

Every rivet upon the binding strip has a tooling scar.

I sure miss Mark Arnould.

....Cotten
PS: I should probably make it clear that this is a Royalite seat, and not leather.
Many in the industry won't touch them.

[Rodger Brandstatter]

A few weeks ago, I had my '46 Chief Chum-me seat recovered by Wayne at Heather's Leathers. I told him I wanted it to be as close to original as possible. I sent him my powdercoated seat pan and handrails and had it back in 8 days. The workmanship was great, and the cost was very reasonable. Wayne was very good to deal with, and I would highly recommend him.

[Rubone]

I sure miss Mark Arnould.

So do all the people he owes seats and money to.....

[T. Cotten]

It took a little patience, Folks,..

But Mr. Arnould made good on my account.
And the quality was always signature.
My folks seek out pieces of his work as serious collectibles.

But those were restorations.
Wayne Hagler's restorations for me were pro quality as well.
As was Chuck Leipham's.
But right now my folks want conservations.
They don't want half to be original, and the other half to look space-age, with nickel spots that look like chrome.

I found three hundred pounds of horse tack in an alley a couple of years ago; Glad I saved all the reins and saddlebag-strap sized scraps before I gave the good stuff away.
One of my locals recently had a set of bags reconditioned by the same fellow as my seat, and he was as disappointed that his request to keep it authentic was ignored.

....Cotten