Chaps, Chinks or Armitas - and why?

I was thinking, no matter what type you get, be sure the front tie between legs is a thin string or very thin strap.
There have been times that in a pinch, some cowboy got hung on the horn by that string and that it broke was a -very-good-idea-.:yes:

We live in our chinks, chaps, and armitas everyday. I don’t know what the poster is talking about as far as the armitas being an incorrect length. Huh? Actually how can you tell from that link? My husband and I have had 3 pair made by Carlos at Lost Buckaroo and he is currently making me another pair. His shotguns are really nice too. He does incredible work and is the go to guy for many working cowboys and clinicians. Another great chapmaker is Hannah Ballantyne. Her work is beautiful and very creative. Check out Ballantyne Leather on FB. Reata Brannaman was sporting a pair made by her at Legacy of Legends that were the most beautiful pastel pinkish color! Hannah was there with a booth. Can you tell I’m a bit of a chap junkie? :o

[QUOTE=Retropony;6939328]
Another great chapmaker is Hannah Ballantyne. Her work is beautiful and very creative. Check out Ballantyne Leather on FB. Reata Brannaman was sporting a pair made by her at Legacy of Legends that were the most beautiful pastel pinkish color! Hannah was there with a booth. Can you tell I’m a bit of a chap junkie? :o[/QUOTE]

Wow! I just went to her FB page and pretty much loved every one of her chinks and armitas! Her chinks are amazing. I love the colors and creative styling. The fringe on her chinks is longer than I’ve seen on most. It’s really gorgeous.

I typically wear full chaps, or half chaps depending on what I’m doing. Can anyone tell me if chinks and/or armitas would look weird on a short person? The only reason I ask is because I’ve had three people tell me that they thought chinks and/or armitas did not look good on them because they were short and for whatever reason it looked “weird” or “just not right” - their words not mine.

Thanks Retropony for the link!!!

Long fringe seems to be the fashion right now. Folks I know who have (using) chinks that were made 30+ years ago, have much shorter fringe on their chinks- like 3 inches or so. Now people seem to want the long fringe. In the Ballntyne photos, there were some pretty armitas, but really the fringe looks like it would get in the way, it is dragging the ground.

[QUOTE=Teddyi;6940263]
Can anyone tell me if chinks and/or armitas would look weird on a short person?[/QUOTE]I am short. I wear chinks. I think they look fine on me. And no one has ever said I look weird wearing my chinks … :cool:

[QUOTE=Fillabeana;6940657]
Long fringe seems to be the fashion right now. Folks I know who have (using) chinks that were made 30+ years ago, have much shorter fringe on their chinks- like 3 inches or so. Now people seem to want the long fringe. In the Ballntyne photos, there were some pretty armitas, but really the fringe looks like it would get in the way, it is dragging the ground.[/QUOTE]

That is what I was thinking, kind of hard to get much of a move on the ground with some of those drapey, heavy, way too fringey chaps, pretty as they are just sitting there on a horse.

Just get the right size chaps for you and then you won’t look “funny” in them.:yes:

I have generally made my own chaps and chinks, the fanciest chaps decades ago out of darker red leather with off white accents and brand and initials in it.
The local saddler put the two way, heavy duty zippers in for me, I don’t have a leather sewing machine, but did the rest by hand.

I expect you can have anything you want.
As long as you like it, who cares what someone else thinks?:wink:

[QUOTE=Bluey;6941344]
Just get the right size chaps for you and then you won’t look “funny” in them.:yes: * * * As long as you like it, who cares what someone else thinks?;)[/QUOTE]True and true! :D:yes:

Even if someone said I looked weird, makes no nevermind to me! :winkgrin:

How much does a pretty pair of chinks cost? Ballpark it.

Found a set on CL in a Speak-of-the-devil moment and I was wondering whether they were a screamin’ deal or not.

I’ve always worn shotgun chaps. In fact I’m still wearing the pair I acquired in 1969 (buckstitched and fringe and my long since obsolete maiden initials but what the heck!). Gave the ‘plain’ pair acquired new in '67 for $35 to a kid at the barn.

I rarely zip them all the way down- usually just to the knee to allow for ease of mounting/dismounting yet still providing protection in the brush and briars.

Chinks are definitely more popular in these parts- have never tried them myself. And hardly ever see batwings either.

[QUOTE=mvp;6942169]
How much does a pretty pair of chinks cost? Ballpark it.[/QUOTE]Anywhere from $100 - ??? I bought mine off of ebay for $150 - they are similar to these (same seller). The ones I want from Lost Buckaroo (which would be custom made) are over $400. I’ve seen some for 2x that amount. So all depends on what you want, what you find and where you buy from! :slight_smile:

Bluey ~ I was wondering how hard it would be to make a pair of leggings. Did you have any kind of training or previous experience before you made your first pair of chaps?

As for looking “weird”, I was asking because I’ll be ordering long distance and won’t have an opportunity to see the finished product before they’re shipped to me. I wasn’t worried about what other people would think if I like them, I was more looking for input on things to do or not to do with custom chinks/armitas for the vertically challenged. :slight_smile:

Yes, as part of the instructor training I spent many hours in the saddler’s shop, making halters, repairing bridles and re-flocking saddles with wads of cotton stuffing.
We didn’t use chaps or chinks, but once here, I tried leather tooling in the basement leather working area and got brave and made my chaps, that I still have, but don’t use.

They were very, very easy to make, cut the leather out of a hide with a pattern, I made slits to run the 1/2" light tan strap for the side, hand sew with double needles and wax thread, in the saddler’s pony, the brand and initials, the belt and that is it.

I made the legs rough out, the inside slick, but for real cattle work, you want the slick part outside, doesn’t get so dirty.
The belt part I made slick out, from the same leather the accents were, so it matched.

I bet you could find some chaps that fit, make you a pattern on some paper and get after it and have exactly what you want.

Or, easier, get a good saddler to make it and it will be beautiful.

If you use thicker leather for the belt, so it will hold some tooling, you really need to know how to use an edger and rub the edge and all that, so it is finished well.

Thanks so much Bluey for the information! :slight_smile: I was thinking that simple chaps or chinks shouldn’t be too hard since there’s not a lot going on. But I’m not very experienced in the sewing department, and as such my assessment is strictly being pulled out of my …hat. THANK YOU for the encouragement. I’ll give it a go and see what happens.

I have both chinks and shotguns - chinks for working ground crew, roping, or riding through heavy brush, and shotguns for when the weather is cold. The chinks were bought new from a local saddlery.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/942304_10151909515202004_675460374_n.jpg

The shotguns I bought used off of ebay - not sure who the maker is. I don’t have a pic of those.

What are shotguns??

Batwings http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbarbwholesale.com/images/Chaps-Batwing-on-person.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbarbwholesale.com/batwing-chaps-custom-c-19_21.html&h=400&w=135&sz=6&tbnid=jNFEodreYUZy6M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=30&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbatwing%2Bchaps%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=batwing+chaps&usg=__GDnE1NQJC_TM_JrRNCAlGQaH6Xs=&docid=o4ado0MOJT9ZFM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WkiaUb_kD42I9ATyiIGQCg&sqi=2&ved=0CF8Q9QEwAA&dur=0

Shotguns fit down to your ankles and are the ones most people wear for shows.

Got it, thanks! I got my chaps when I was in h/j land and never heard of any differences! Guess they are shotguns - I have one pair with fringe and one without. :smiley: