[ezduzit]

Had a nice little ride this morning. Got out my show saddle which has been ridden in maybe 6 times. It's squeaks A LOT. Is there anything I can do for that?

Oil? Or just use it? Or both?

[ezduzit]

I never think to google first. :duh: Found my answer.

[Tee]

Was your answer baby powder?

[ezduzit]

Most said baby powder but I'm not real comfortable with that. I found one site that said oil so I'm going to try that first.

I have a bunch of little paint set paint brushes so I can get it up 'in there' without prying the leather layers apart too much.

I figure if it doesn't work, I can always do the baby powder thing.

[jvanrens]

I've always heard baby powder as being the ideal solution to squeaky western saddle issues, this coming from name saddle makers over the years.

[Donkaloosa]

Yep, you flip the saddle upside down and liberally sprinkle with babypowder, getting into every place where two layers of leather meet.

[ezduzit]

I oiled up in the leathers and will ride in it tomorrow morning to see it if helped.

If not, going to do the baby powder thing. I've showed in it a couple of times and I feel like such a newbie: Hey look at me and my new saddle.

[Beverley]

Really. Baby powder. Has not failed me since first used in, oh, 1965.

[Tee]

Don't feel too bad - I have had my saddle for over 5 years, ridden in almost every day and tons and tons of trail miles. And occasionally it still squeaks. I've done the baby powder thing, but near as I can figure it's in a spot the baby powder can't reach.

[ezduzit]

I used the baby powder LIBERALLY...the barn smelled so nice!

There's still a squeak somewhere in the fenders/stirrup leathers. I rotated the leathers on the billet really good, added more powder, rotated some more but can't get rid of it.

Sitting in the saddle on the saddle rack, I get the squeak when I swing my feet back and forth. Now I'll know if my legs/feet are still!

[Beverley]

Make sure that you move that saddle to all different angles to allow the baby powder to get where it needs to go. For example, tip it up onto the horn to allow the powder to shift forward and get in where the stirrup bars are corrected.

[SuckerForHorses]

In all the years, I have never heard of baby powder!

Do you just puff it up in any nook and craney you cna get it into? Then what, just dust off the top of the saddle?

[ezduzit]

Yep, that's about it. I did it and it went all the way thru and got all over the seat...black suede. It cleans up easily.

I rotated the stirrup leathers to work it in. Still have some squeak but riding in it more should help that. It's my show saddle so I'll just have to get out the bling more often.

And maybe baby powder it again. I'm thinking it might be a process. Here's a link:
http://www.cowboyway.com/HowTo/SaddleSqueak.htm

[eeyore4176]

We use baby powder on all our saddles. I haven't used oil in a long time. We clean then use a leather conditioner then baby powder after they are dry.

My husband got a new impact gel saddle pad for his birthday and the saddle fenders on the wear leathers was making all sorts of noise, so we powdered down the saddle pad too. Worked at getting rid of the squeak

[RRD]

Really. Baby powder. Has not failed me since first used in, oh, 1965.

Hmmmm maybe I'll try that, mine is super squeaky, it's light oil so all I use is Bic 4, doesn't really soften the leather...