Leather saddle modifications

DIY saddle modifications: Templates + instructions

2021-10-29: Guide in HTML + PDF with templates for DIY modifications: I am working on a guide with scans of the templates I made + instructions for the modifications that I did as shown on my saddle review pages. Use the form below if you are interested in this which supports me for the work on this site.

The instructions include the different ways to make holes for lacing, on making chamfering, or rounding off edges, on how to make bends, how to deal with deviations from the standard (as sometimes Brooks saddles are different in frame length and in cut of the leather, for which it is needed to deal with aligning the templates related to dealing with differences in saddles and in how Brooks saddles are cut, or how the leather is mounted on the frame, which is not always symmetrical... I will include pictures of the type of tools that you can use too for cutting, finishing etc.

If you are interested, only bank transfer is possible for now (I removed paypal due to these idiots wasting my time, I won't use paypal again). I will make sure the instructions for that type are included if they are not yet finished I will make them along with the scan of the template (with ruler to check that the printout is at the right size). You can then print out the scan, cut it out, and then do the modification yourself.

Later modifications will be added in due course and can be downloaded then at no extra cost.

Possibilities:

• Imperial cutout + lacing holes
• Oval cutout/lacing holes
• Lacing a Swift
• B17 Swallowising
• Team pro Swallowising
• Team pro Imperial cutout + Swallowising
• Team pro Oval cutout + Swallowising

Requirements: Sharp hobby cutting knife, laces for mods with lacing, tie-wraps for swallowising. Descriptions of best types of laces are in the instructions.

Notes

I recommend against doing cutouts (imperial/oval) or swallowising on aged or pre-softened saddles, these will deform too much. See my experiences with an aged Flyer.

I also recommend against a cutout on the Swift due to usually too thin leather and the narrow frontal section.

I ditched paypal because of multiple times wasting my time by blocking my account. Are there other good/widely used options to receive payments besides bank transfer?

Saddle modifications to a saddle you already have

This may not be viable unless you live in the EU, postage and customs (when sending saddles across the EU border) are otherwise issues... DIY may be another option.

• Imperial cutout + lacing applied to a B17-titanium, B17 standard, B17 special, B17 select, B17 narrow: $35,- / €35,-
  This can be done as follows:
    1. The cutout precisely as the Imperials from Brooks
    2. Making the cutout slightly wider on the front (a few millimetres). The latter I would suggest is preferable, as in long term use (several thousand km) the slot on a B17 Imperial gets a bit narrower, and so much so that it just makes the saddle just a little bit less good than it could be.
  
  Here's a B17 special honey, modified with just cutout (I only recommend this for lightweight riders, although you can always drill holes for the lacing if necessary afterwards of course):
  
  
  Here's a B17 standard honey (much darker than the honeys I've got my hands on, I have no idea how that came to be; This saddle was brought to me to be modified):
  
  And here is a larger version of the first image.
  
  Here's a B17 titanium with Imperial modification:
  
  
  
• Imperial modification for a Team professional: $40,- / €40,-
  
  
  
• Lacing a Swift: $15,- / € 15,-
  
  See lacing a Swift.
  
  
• B17 swallowised + imperialised: $50,- / € 50,-
  
  See for experiences Modification: B17 special imperial swallow.
  
  
• Swallow modification for a Team professional: $35,- / €35,-
  See mod_team_pro_swallow
  
  
  
• Swallow-imperial modification for a Team professional: $50,- / €50,-
  See mod_team_pro_swallow_imperial
  
  
  
• Cutout only modification for a Team professional: $25,- / €25,-
  See mod_team_pro_cutout
  
  
  

Last modified: 2023-3-21