Either I just have zero search ability, or I am looking in all the wrong places. I have a saddle I bought last month, but just hate the latigo that came with it. Saddle is dark oil (not black) and I’d like to find a matching latigo. Good quality and supple leather.
I hit four tack stores in the area and nothing. A couple that were decent quality but the wrong color. The rest were just crap. Felt like they were super cheap cardboard.
Any tips on where to look?
If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, you could consider dyeing it the color you want and/or darkening it with Neatsfoot oil.
I’m a nylon latigo kinda gal, personally.
Maybe not neatsfoot, which can get sticky/slimy but any decent saddle oil gradually applied in multiple LIGHT coats over many weeks/ months will be a whole lot cheaper then a new latigo strap. Those things darken up with use and regular LIGHT conditioning too. A good part of it doesn’t even show. I wouldn’t waste money on a new one.
The one that came with the saddle is dark, but it’s stiff and just doesn’t feel good. I think it’d been oiled, so I cleaned it really well, but it doesn’t seem to have helped (honestly, it almost feels like it’s been sitting untouched for years in a barn, but it’s not brittle or anything). I’m wondering if just tossing in the washer would help?
No washer. Just stick it in a bucket of warm water for 20 minutes then apply light coats of any light oil to it, including olive oil. It’s stiff because it hasn’t been flexed forever, knead it with your hands while still wet when you oil it and use it, it’ll loosen up and soften.
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