Creaky Saddle - Normal??

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Recently got a new (new to me - it's 2nd hand) leather saddle and it creaks so much when I ride in it! Is this ok? It fits like a glove so I hope it's not a problem

It's been checked by a saddler a year ago and then not used since. I've had creaky saddles in the past but this is a bit more than my previous one.

I know the person really well who's selling me it so I know she won't be trying to pass off something dodgy.

Does anyone else's saddle creak??

 

[TT55]

Yes mine did. Bought it second hand and was really worried that the tree was broken (creaking can be a sign of a broken tree), however saddler checked it and it was fine. I ended up attacking it with talc powder (put it in all the crevices) and it worked a treat! No more squeaking! Worth a try?

 

[Tnavas]

Some do that - tip it upside down and sprinkle a little talcum powder under the skirt into the gaps

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Oooo excellent tip! Thanks I shall try that. Suppose with traditional English leather saddles the trees are made from wood or something?

 

[Jnhuk]

Word of warning - my saddle developed a new creak so got it checked by saddler. Normal tests didn't show signs of broken tree but asked her to open it up and this is what we found.

 

[Frumpoon]

Could be a loose or broken rivet....not worth ignoring

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Word of warning - my saddle developed a new creak so got it checked by saddler. Normal tests didn't show signs of broken tree but asked her to open it up and this is what we found.

Oh gosh!!!
Right, I will take it to a saddler ASAP to have it fully checked. Thank you

 

[Tern]

Oh gosh!!!
Right, I will take it to a saddler ASAP to have it fully checked. Thank you

To check for stuff like this they will need to slice your saddle open.

 

[mandwhy]

Yes I've had squeaky ones before, talc is a good tip! Glad I have a flexible treed saddle now as that sort of thing made me paranoid!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

To check for stuff like this they will need to slice your saddle open.

Oh god, I doubt the lady will let me do that with her saddle. I still have it on trial and pay for it next week

 

[Tern]

Oh god, I doubt the lady will let me do that with her saddle. I still have it on trial and pay for it next week

Okay I think I scared you slightly (whoops!) Take it to a saddler - they can do some simple tests to check for a broken tree but many old leather saddles are a bit creaky. The person asked for her saddle to be sliced open though!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Okay I think I scared you slightly (whoops!) Take it to a saddler - they can do some simple tests to check for a broken tree but many old leather saddles are a bit creaky. The person asked for her saddle to be sliced open though!

Thank you, I shall take it next week. The saddle has had a full new seat put on it with the current owner so I'd hope that any broken bits would have been spotted then, however my paranoid mind will not rest until I've had my saddler check it over.

 

[boxcarhorse]

I'd strongly recommend you get it checked by a saddler before buying it. Mine started squeaking, took it to a saddler, it was a broken rivet. The saddle has had to go back to the manufacturer to be mended and if I'd have ridden in it for any length of time while it was squeaking it was have been irrepairably damaged... so don't risk it.

 

[cremedemonthe]

It's a simple case of dropping the front of the panel out , removing the leather covering the gullet plate and have a good look.
The panel would then need re lacing in, not a major job but one that a saddler would be doing all the time.
Trees squeak when broken or a rivet has gone, on older saddles the old style webbing can stretch allowing movement and a squeak or two.
Or it could be simply that the leather is dry and needs conditioning (feeding) and don't use oil!
Oz

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

It's a simple case of dropping the front of the panel out , removing the leather covering the gullet plate and have a good look.
The panel would then need re lacing in, not a major job but one that a saddler would be doing all the time.
Trees squeak when broken or a rivet has gone, on older saddles the old style webbing can stretch allowing movement and a squeak or two.
Or it could be simply that the leather is dry and needs conditioning (feeding) and don't use oil!
Oz

Ooo why not oil?? I'd have done that if I hadn't seenthis.
It is an older saddle, think it's about 10 years old, maybe a bit more but in good conditon (I think!)

 

[cremedemonthe]

Ooo why not oil?? I'd have done that if I hadn't seenthis.
It is an older saddle, think it's about 10 years old, maybe a bit more but in good conditon (I think!)

oil doesn't condition leather very well despite what people think, look at the hide under a microscope after oiling it and you'll see what I mean. A conditioner using fats,waxes and greases is far better and stuffs the fibres of the hide giving it a good substance and strengthening the fibres.
I make my own conditioner, most saddlers do as we use so much and have hides in my workshop around 27 years old that are as good as the day I bought them due to being conditioned on a regular basis.

 

[Jnhuk]

To check for stuff like this they will need to slice your saddle open.

Slice!!!?? There was no slicing or other such dramas involved. Just snipping some stitching then opening the saddle up almost like a book, it was very easy,quick and certainly very fascinating to see! New tree fitted - think cost me around £300 to £350 to get sorted. Well worth it for this saddle.

 

[Tern]

Slice!!!?? There was no slicing or other such dramas involved. Just snipping some stitching then opening the saddle up almost like a book, it was very easy,quick and certainly very fascinating to see! New tree fitted - think cost me around £300 to £350 to get sorted. Well worth it for this saddle.

Slice was probably the wrong word choice...

 

[9tails]

There's a difference between squeaking and creaking. My brand new Albion squeaked and talc sorted it. A secondhand ideal creaked and the tree was broken. £350 later, it now doesn't creak. I could hold the pommel and cantle while trying to push them together and the saddle creaked. It's not a surefire way of telling but it was pretty obvious in my case.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

There's a difference between squeaking and creaking. My brand new Albion squeaked and talc sorted it. A secondhand ideal creaked and the tree was broken. £350 later, it now doesn't creak. I could hold the pommel and cantle while trying to push them together and the saddle creaked. It's not a surefire way of telling but it was pretty obvious in my case.

This new saddle is only £200 so I wouldn't spend £350 to have it fixed - I'm going to take it to the saddler on Tues for her to have a look at it. If it's broken I'm just going to cut my losses and leave it

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Right, I tested the saddle myself this morning from the suggestions on here:

1) Flexed the cantled towards me when holding the front against me and it didn't creak, nor did it crease.


2) Squished it in my hands and it didn't creak

Maybe a good sign? will still take it to the saddler though just to put my mind to rest

 

[Jnhuk]

Right, I tested the saddle myself this morning from the suggestions on here:

1) Flexed the cantled towards me when holding the front against me and it didn't creak, nor did it crease.


2) Squished it in my hands and it didn't creak

Maybe a good sign? will still take it to the saddler though just to put my mind to rest

Please do so to be sure. As I said earlier, I and then my saddler put mine through these tests and seemed all okay but was a different story when we opened the saddle up as you saw from the photo. Even the saddler was staggered/surprised at what we found.