Turning Western Stirrups

That is true, some leathers come "backwards" and the Blevins need to be rerivited - but that is not very common. The way to know is if the tail of the leather comes rolled under the stirrup originally. If it did, then you can follow the directions as presented, if not, then they have to be unrivited and redone in the other direction.

I have found that to be rather uncommon but it does happen.

Thanks Freedom, I did get my saddle yesterday, and being vintage, the blevins are like you said, riveted facing the wrong direction to do this. I could rerivet them like you said but I seem to have a bigger problem....a fender that's been riveted 1/2 way down to hold it on because the part at the top has basically turned to dust. If I hadn't be taking it all apart to clean it and noticed it, the first time I put my weight in it, it would have come off, and who knows what would have happened. So now I need to get a blank fender, and tool it to match the other one, and try and match the dyes, which are somewhere between dark oil and a cherry color, or buy two new matching fenders. Which although I've started doing leather work and have the tools as far as I can see from the decorations on it; I don't have the slightest idea where to even start to look for a blank fender unless I just get some vegetable tanned leather and cut it myself. Which of course I can't afford any of the above options right now I guess the good news is, the stirrups had already started turning on their own from use.

Awesome thread! I use Stirrup Straights :)

Then you leave the twist in from now on correct? (except of course when oiling etc.) but for riding?

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, once you twist the stirrups, they stay facing forward from then on - it is a rather permanent addition.

I twist every one of my saddles. When I had my present saddle custom made, I had the maker do it before I got it.

If I understood Squadro right and have had the same question myself, do you leave the blevins backwards from then on? Or do the stirrups stay forward anyway if you put the saddle back together the way it was originally. I haven't done mine yet, I did get a different saddle about a week ago but haven't had the time to get it completely cleaned up and re-oiled and get the stirrups turned.

They stay backwards for the rest of the time. It is the twist that you give the leathers which makes the stirrups face forward so if you went back to the original way, the stirrups will return to the way you started.

I was really confused about that. Cheryl

You are very welcome. ~Bill

Sometimes I get caught up here and waste my time and others over things that don't mean anything. But it takes me a while to realize it. But these sticky threads have helped me so much. So thanks for all you do Bill. Like this thread, I didn't know there was such a thing as turning your stirrups. Now I'm going to do mine and help the BO do hers. And I recommended this thread to a person that befriended me here because her knee hurts if she rides very long. I have a shoulder injury I'm doctoring. Some of us aren't young kids anymore and need all the help we can get