Cow Camp Saddlery

I had an awesome week with Mark Barcus , Cow Camp Saddlery, if you even "think" you know anything about chap/chink making, think again! Mark starts from the ground up with how leathers are processed and why you choose the leather you do for different projects, proper tool handling(I had a love /hate relationship with the head knife) and layout/measuring which is very important. He even put up with my thousands of questions and insistence on adding a bit of bling! If you want a great pair of chaps that are built with quality and perfection in mind, then take Mark's instruction or have him build you a pair. If not, then I suggest you ride a fast horse! Meg Torgerson Student

I had the opportunity to take a chap class and create a pair of chaps with Mark Barcus and Cow Camp Saddlery. Mark is a wonderful teacher. Mark went above and beyond with the construction and laying out of patterns for chaps and yokes. The types of chap leather, how they work with saddles, how to choose and so so much more. His willingness and patience to explain things until I understood them was very much appreciated. So much knowledge, I hope I can remember half of all we went over. If your thinking of making a pair of chaps I highly recommend his class 100%. Fiona Student

Holly and I could not have produced the quality in our chinks without the teaching and mentoring of Mark Barcus. Mark took the time to assist and tutor each step toward the completion of our chinks. Mark not only shows you how to do each step, but explains his reasons and methods for completing each step. Each step is sequentially planned to keep you moving toward a finished product in an efficient and direct method. You don't ever need to back-track, with the thought of "I wish I had done that step earlier." Mark is opinionated, with valid reasons for his opinions. However, he does not insist that you do everything his way. He explains his way, his methods, and tells you why he does things his way. If you have questions or may want to do something a little differently, he will patiently listen to your reasoning, and then work with you to progress forward. Bob Ellis Student

Highly recommend Mark and his class on building chaps. Mark class is hands on and he gives you the chance to build every peace from belt to fringe. Not only does he teach you how to correctly build but explains the incorrect ways and what to look for to avoid creating easy mistakes. Mark shop/classroom is very well set up and organized, and user friendly. Doesn't matter if your someone just starting out or someone with experience building chaps there is something to learn and better your skills. Chris Lamborn Student

Finally watched the chink video. Great job explaining the why with your technique. So much more informative than other videos I have watched. If you are planning on making a set of chinks or chaps for the first time, dont waste your money on any other video. Marks is the real deal and he does a great job explaining the how and the whys so even a first timer with limited leather experience can make a functional set. Thanks again for the instruction and the patterns. Joe Jones Chink Video

I was blessed to get to spend the week with Jim Smith learning the art of building shotgun chaps under the instruction of Mark Barcus. Mark doesn't just teach the how but also the why of every step in the process. He helps you learn from your mistakes and shows you how to improve every part of your leather working process. In the end you will be able to create a truly custom fit chap for your clients. Michele La Michele Lawson Student

Well first off, great DVD! it far surpassed my expectations. Theres something about learning from somebody who has spent 20 plus years working on chink patterns that makes it all worth while. You go into great detail on how, and why you do the things you do. Your experience has made an otherwise daunting and overwhelming task achievable for someone like myself, who has never made a set of chinks before. My advice for people who are on the fence about purchasing the DVD, would you rather waste a couple hundred dollars in leather just to experiment and aimlessly cut and sew? or learn from someone with experience and create a pair of chinks with confidence? The decision was easy for me and i can not thank Mark enough for being kind enough to share his knowledge so this art can live and be passed on to young leathercrafters such as myself. Thanks Again! Rick Customer

Hi Mark... Thank you (and your wife) for all of your advice on what I needed to go with the chink pattern for my son and getting it to him before Christmas. He has got a lot of info from the DVD and really pleased with it. Have a great New Year. Sally Sally Reynolds "Satisified Mom"

Mark, thank you so much. You did a fantastic job and they were here on time. We will be placing more orders soon. Hope that you and your family had a Merry Christmas. Judy Conaway Customer

Dear Mark, I wanted to take a few minutes to thank you for the workmanship on the armitas you built for me. I really am pleased with them. Your assitance in getting the right measurments was perfect as they fit PERFECT! I am so happy with them. The details and quality of the hide is just beautiful. Most importantly they do the job. I have had quite a few compliments on them. And also- I know I mentioned this before, but the slobbers and spur straps you built are really doing a fine job. They are exactly what I asked for. I especially appreciate the time you took to design a carving that was very special for me. Thanks very much Mark. It's been a pleasure to work with you and get to know you. You are a very gifted craftsman and I am so glad that I can count on you to build me what I need. I've attached a pic of the boy and I. You can see how happy I am with the armitas. Sincerly, Wendy Jo Goldstone Lizella, GA. Wendy Goldstone Customer