The harness makers' illustrated manual

HARNESS LEATHER. PAGE The peculiar Characteristics of Leather—Test by which the Quality may be determined—Effect of strong Acids in Coloring—Impure Oils—Kinds of Harness Leather...

Selecting Rein Leather—Stains—Comparative Value of good and poor Stock—Hand Part Leather—Graining in the Workshop—Buff Leather—Loop Leather—The Necessity of a Mellow Grain; unif...

Glazed Leather—The Uses to which it is put—Quality of Hides—Splits, how designated—The Effect of Splitting upon the Grain—Varnishing, Drying, and Finishing—Enamel Leather—Textur...

How to cut to avoid Waste—Value of Scraps—The Responsibility of the Cutter—Illustration of a Side of Weight Stock—Directions for Cutting—Dividing the Side to the best Advantage—...

Wetting the Stock—Drying—How long to soak—Testing Strap—Trimming the Flesh Side—Applying Tallow—Straps not to be disturbed until the Water has dried out—Cleaning and Slicking—Th...

No. 1. Single-Strap Track Harness—No. 2. Single Road Harness—No. 3. Single Harness (Breast Collar)—No. 4. Single Harness (Hame Collar)—No. 5. Heavy Coupé Harness —No. 6. Double...

Result of Neglect in learning the Trade—Want of System— Importance of the Fitter and Stitcher working in Unison— Wetting the Stock—Skiving and slicking the Straps—Fitting up the...

Its Origin—Skill required in making up—How to attain the best Results—Steer Hides the best—Weight of Side required —Sectional Drawings—Safety Strap—Half Kemble Jackson check 122

Mistaken Ideas regarding Team Harness—Selecting Stock— Weights to be used—General Directions for cutting and fitting—Pads—Filling Folds—Bridles, the Importance of proper Proport...

Cleaning and treeing up the Tree—Preparing the Seat Leather—Preparing the Frame—Making Jockeys—Flopping off—Making Loops—Cutting and fitting Points—Back Bands—Quality of Leather...

Improvements—Patent Pads—Directions for making Coach Pads—Socket Piece, how to cut—Fitting up—Cutting Felt for the Pad—Stitching, etc—Hair-stuffed Pads— Directions for making—So...

Kinds of Loops in use—Patent Loops, how made—Advantages of hand made Loops—Selecting Stock—Wetting the Leather —Fullness necessary—Creasing—Back Clamp Iron—Working up Sides befo...

The End to be attained—Thread, Size and Number of Strands —White Thread the strongest—Making up the Thread—Waxing before twisting—The Kind of Wax for specific Purposes— Importan...

Good Stock a Necessity—Directions for Cutting—Dampening the Leather—Making the Stop—Marking off for the Billet— Filling up and rounding—Board Iron, how made—Rounding and trimmin...

Classes and Styles—Plated, close and electro—Grades of Silver for Close Plate—How to determine the Quality—Electro Plate less durable, but cheaper—Tarnishing not an Evidence of...

Brutal Devices—Popular Styles—Snaffle—Dexter—Hanoverian— Half Cheek Trotting Snaffle—Metals used—Steel not desirable —Unreliability of Malleable Iron—System of numbering—How des...

As important as making new Stock—False Directions—Cleaning the Leather an important Consideration—When to repair— Cleaning the Surface before oiling—How to soften old Leather —P...

Durability dependent upon Treatment—Consumers not acquainted with the Peculiarities of Stock—The great Destroyer—Care of Harness in Stock—White Mold—Importance of removing it im...

PAGE Double Road Harness 20 Coupé Harness 33 Phaeton Harness 53 Coach Harness 61 Breast Collar, Single Harness 113 Hame Collar, Single Harness 122 Team Harness 129 Heavy Draft H...

Before entering upon details respecting the practical work of the harness maker, I shall give some general directions regarding the various kinds of leather used, its adaptation...

In selecting rein leather, the same tests as to quality should be employed as with harness leather, as it is in every respect the same with the exception that, instead of being...

Glazed, or, as it is more frequently called, patent leather is now extensively used in the manufacture of harness, pads, gig saddles, and winkers, they being seldom made of othe...

The cutting of harness leather so as to avoid waste, and to secure that best suited to the requirements of each individual strap is a subject of the first importance to every ha...

In the manufacture of fine harness, where the straps are to be worked up full and to artistic patterns, the best quality of oak leather should be used, as, it being well curried...

A very large percentage of all the harness makers in this country look upon the idea of measuring a horse as unworthy their consideration, but the experience and observation of...

BRIDLE. Length, Width, inches. inches. Crown 23 1 Cheeks 27 ½ Throat latch 30 ½ Front 21 ⅝ Winker strap 12 1 Split 7 ⅜ Billet 5 ½ Half Kemble Jackson check 25 1 Split 12 ½ Gag r...

The man who performs his work well and quickly, possesses a capital which can always be invested to good advantage to himself and his employer; while the lack of the necessary s...

The single strap track harness owes its origin to the demand for a light, close-fitting, medium priced article for use on the trotting course. Originally the collar and traces o...

In making up team-harness there is as good an opportunity for a workman to display genius in designing and skill in execution as there is in making the most elaborate coach or f...

Formerly every harness maker made up his own gig saddles, and any general information on that line of manufacture was of great value, but of late years a large percentage made a...

The subdivision of labor and the improvements made during the past ten or fifteen years have, by making specialties of certain parts, such as pads, gig saddles, etc., taken some...

Harness makers have three kinds of leather loops to select from—the hand made, patent, and pressed. The first are undoubtedly the best, and are used in preference to all others...

In stitching harness two objects are to be attained—strength and ornamentation. The first is secured by the use of thread of the required size to suit the work to be done, makin...

The very general use of round reins and their effect upon the appearance of the harness render it necessary that the most approved manner of making up be thoroughly understood,...

In manufacturing bridles, the harness maker has an excellent opportunity to exercise taste in designing and embellishing, for in no part of the harness is there so much opportun...

Riding bridles, though forming a very important portion of the harness maker’s stock, are much less varied in character than most other leading articles, because display is not...

Halters constitute a very important part of the harness maker’s stock. The varieties are numerous; though apparently unnecessary, they are required to suit the preferences of di...

The artist who pictured a horse on the track with his legs encased in boots, etc., from the bottom of the hoof up to the body, was not so far from the truth as many persons woul...

In describing harness mountings, it is not the intention of the author to draw comparisons as to the respective merits of any class or style. The sole aim is to give a correct d...

The great variety of harness buckles in the market enables the harness manufacturer to procure those suited to every pattern of mounting. The illustrations in this chapter repre...

The ingenuity of bit makers of all countries has been taxed to the utmost to produce bits suited to all horses, and many are the harsh and brutal devices introduced; but with th...

To repair harness well is quite as much of an art as to make up new stock, and, owing to the gradual spread of the custom of sending the harness to the shop instead of leaving t...

The appearance and durability of harness to a great extent depends upon the treatment received after leaving the hands of the workman; yet a large percentage of manufacturers, a...

For giving color to the grain of leather there is no blacking that will at all compare with the well known vinegar black. This may be made in various ways. The simplest, and, wi...

Apply a plentiful coat of castor oil. If the harness is to be used, add tallow in the proportions of about one third of the latter to two thirds oil.