Gates Leather Shop

AKA Wild Horse Outpost We do saddle and Tack repairs as well as make recommendations for repairs. We do saddle strings, Dee ring installation, resew western horn caps, re fleece skirts and replace worn stirrup leathers.
530-333-1183 j_jgates@hughes.net for contacting us.

We also made custom waist belts, gun belts, chaps, add cartridge loops to gun belts.

Picture of a Bag Pipe box restored to original condition. This box was nearly 100 years old and in a "Tattered" condition when we started working with it.

Gates Leather Shop

Today we spent the morning at Echo Valley Ranch, which is a feed store in Auburn CA. We had spoken to Penny a month ago about offering our services to her customers of a free saddle and tack inspection of any saddles and or tack the customers brought to us. This was a twofold thrust, one to promote echo valley customers public relations and two to generate some leather business for the leather shop and get our name out to potential customers. The morning went quite well we were seated on the front deck of the store and greeted the customer as they came in offering business cards and a bit of conversation when they were in the mood for talking. Penny was happy with the program and we were able to pass out more than 50 business cards along with several inquiries about what and where our shop is.
We are also known as "Wild Horse Outpost" I thought it was a clever name since we are located on a road named Wild Horse, but it did not explain what our business was about and Gates Leather Shop seemed all encompasssing so we actually have two names for our endeavors.

MODEL "T"

1923 Dodge trunk

1924 Model T Ford

Many years ago when I was visiting the Gates Farm in Hillsboro Oregon, it is a century farm started by my grandfather and grandmother, My cousin Wes Gates had a model T Ford and he and uncle Johnny had worked on it and got it running. Wes told me it had been stored in a sheep pen and so the body was very rusty from the ammonia fumes. It has a front seat and then nothing behind the front seat in the way of a body. We had thought when we get it running again maybe we would fashion pickup bed from wood for it. But it has a hood and radiator and 4 fenders. The back wheels are of wooden spokes and the tires are 30 by 3 1/2 inch. The car has two in the back but the front wheels belong to neighbor, so when Joyce bought the Model "T" from Wes the front wheels and tires did not go along with the car. We take our vacations in Oregon and work on the car during our vacation so for a couple of years for short periods of time working with Wes and my Brother Mike and got some help from my brother-in-law Nick. But we have not ever got it in shape to run or stand up on four wheels and tires that belong to the car, I guess that is my car now. We have checked out most of the running essentials but last year when we were ready to start it up we water in the radiator and the water ran right out the bottom of the radiator tank. Mikes wife Mary was there she is a pretty good mechanic and started whooping "It's running out!" That was the end of that trip Joyce and I had to go home. Now it is "next year" and I have more plans I have sold some stuff for enough money to buy two tires, tubes and bands, required by model T wheels. the best news of all is I repaired some motorcycle saddle bags for a fellow and he  owed me a bit of money, when it was pay up time he wanted to trade, well I wasn't sure, but I had watched a looked at the rear part of an old car beside the road just before entering Georgetown for as long as I had lived in this area. That is nearly 40 years that car 1/2 body had been there and this fellow had bought that house.  I looked over there and casually mentioned I might trade for that old rusty car trunk, actually it was the back half of a 1923 Dodge either coupe or roadster, I was sure he would not trade such a Jewell for $50.00 that is all he owed me. But Bill said OK I'll load it up and bring it to you house. I was ecstatic, Joyce was not so happy about the deal. Now I have it and it is rusty. I have worked with fiberglass before some and I believe that is the solution. So I now have half a car in Oregon and half a car in California. When and If we get it together it will be a 1923 1/2 FORDGE

FREE SADDLE INSPECTION

Summer is here and it is time for all you horse riders to check your gear, preparing for a summer enjoying your horses. The Tevis Cup Race has been delayed this year due to the heavy snow in the mountains. This gives us all time to look over our tack. I will be having a free saddle inspection along with recommendations and quotes on any repairs that need to be done. This is at the Echo Valley Ranch in Auburn July 16 all afternoon. Bring your gear and come over to see us. Jack and Joyce  Gates Leather shop.