The Harness Makers' Illustrated Manual

This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design. This practical manual opens with a hardheaded lesson in harness leather: quality cannot be guessed, only learned through close handling, sharp observation, and experience. It teaches makers how to judge hides by grain, thickness, color, tanning, and hidden defects, then shows how to match the right weight and grade to each part of the job. Oak-tanned leather is praised as the finest choice, while hemlock and union leathers are treated as weaker alternatives. From there, the book becomes a workshop guide to harness making in all its forms, covering single, double, team, coach, express, and farm harness, along with reins, saddles, pads, bridles, halters, horse boots, mountings, buckles, and bits. Step-by-step instructions explain cutting, measuring, skiving, stitching, shaping, stuffing, quilting, and finishing for strength, fit, and appearance. The closing chapters turn to repair, preservation, blackings, stains, varnishes, and polishes, making this a thorough, experience-based reference for harness makers and horse owners alike.