Featured Tippmann Customer

Name: Franklin D. Hollar

Company: Pitchfork Saddlery

Address: 529 Winchester Drive, West Plains,Missouri 65775

What is your specialty?

Pitchfork Saddlery is a custom saddle shop. We also focus on other items such as chaps, gunbelts, holsters and buckskins.

What were you looking for in a sewing machine?

When we started looking at leather crafting machines, we had several things we were concerned about. The most important factor was the simplicity. I wanted a machine that was easy to use, but yet had enough strength to do what I needed it to do. I wanted a manually operated machine, so that I could control every stitch and have the ability to sew at a desired speed. I needed a machine that offered the ability to sew through various weights of material, ranging from clothing weight leather all the way up to saddle skirting.

What type of machine were you using before your Tippmann Boss?

I had been using an Adler Flat Bed Model 104.

Comments on the Tippmann Boss:

I have been using "The Boss" for 15 years and it has sewn all leather weights and it does and excellent job of placing the bobbin thread at the center of all leathers. Due to the "Boss's" manual operation, it is very easy to control, and offers very simple stitch length adjustment. The "Boss" is very versatile, and allows you to sew very thin leathers with light thread, all the way up to heavy weight saddle leather and thread. The "Boss" has the extra attachments needed to turn out a professional looking project. As far as customer service and support are concerned, Tippmann is top drawer.

I have included several images along with this interview. One piece that deserves special attention is the piece which my parade saddle which I created for Howard Maxwell. This saddle is valued at over $55,000. It took over 7 years to complete, and all of the required machine work was done with a Tippmann "Boss" Hand Stitcher.

The Silver Dollar Saddle is a carved saddle, mounted with 1921 Morgan Silver Dollar Theme. This saddle is valued at $9,500 The carving on this saddle was completed by Howard Maxwell, Ocala, Florida and silversmith D.L. Moss, West Plains, Missouri.