ABOUT THE AUTHORMy name is Larry Meese. I own a small business, American Rider Custom Tack™, and wrote this book. Over the last seven years, I have manufactured saddle accessories and horse-tack and created designer leather-covered stirrups, coasters, small purses, and rifle scabbards. I enjoy working with individual customers and producing custom work. I delight in working with a few retail stores and an individual with whom we have found a connection together, the Old West. His name is Wyatt Earp, the great-grand-nephew of his namesake.In the late 1990s, I decided to learn wood carving. My brother, Bob, is a genius at wood-turning, but I didn’t have the knack for wood-turning on a lathe. Bob suggested that I try my hand at woodcarving. I tried wood carving and fell in love with the process and results. I didn’t expect this new endeavor to go beyond being a hobby.I worked for seven years as an independent contract artist for ‘United Designs.’United Designs was one of the largest gift manufacturers in the United States. My contact person at United was Muriel Fehring, Vice-President of Product Line Development. Muriel was one of the original creators of the famous children's product line, ‘Strawberry Shortcakes.’While at United Designs, I designed and created a ‘Santa Claus’ line named “Santa Folk©.” I designed and created numerous Christian Crosses and a garden line named “Saint Mary’s Garden©.”United Designs’ finished products were sold in gift stores and high-end designer stores in the United States and worldwide. United Design sold over 1 million of my creations. In 2000, Gifts and Dec’s magazine named my Santa Folk© designs as a national ‘Trend Setter’ in their 2000 Christmas Gift Category—a high honor for a new artist.HOW IT ALL BEGANCustomers and leatherworkers ask me is, “How do you get your coasters so flat and construct them to be stable for years?” If you are wondering, “stable” means they stay flat and do not warp or dome. Simply speaking, this is what this book is about. I will show you my techniques to make the best leather coaster one can buy.Making a high-quality product of any kind takes time, lots of love, some skill, and some equipment. I will introduce you to many hand and power tools you will eventually need to make just about any high-quality leather product.This book is dedicated to assisting those with little experience working with leather, those relatively new to leather work, and old-timers. This book will introduce you to new techniques, give you an understanding of leather types and sizes, and show you how to work with leather using my techniques to produce a quality product.Whether you are a hobbyist looking for something new to make for friends and relatives, or a working shop that wants to add a new product line or improve your existing products, this book is for you. I have developed techniques and practices I can claim work.My CredentialsI am sure you are interested in my credentials. While self-taught, I come with many accomplishments I am very proud of. These are some that paved my way to becoming a successful self-taught artisan:As I mentioned, my success designing and woodcarving original designs for ‘United Designs,’ 1997 - 2004.Unique and specialized rifle scabbards for working cowboys.My current American Rider Custom Tack™ product line comprises coasters, tack, Christmas ornaments, small purses, rifle scabbards, and other leather products.Several private commissions for wood sculptures, including a statue of the Virgin Mary and a cocobolo carving of ‘Mary at the Cross ©.’For several years, I have supplied my product line for retail stores in Tombstone, AZ., and for a number of other retail customers.Wyatt Earp, the great grand-nephew of the famous OK Corral Shootout© Wyatt Earp, is a customer of mine. Wyatt gives presentations about his famous namesake all over the USA and several countries yearly. I make specialized leather coasters and photo frames featuring the most famous Earp's, Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, and also of Doc Holliday on the front of the individualized coasters and leather frames. Wyatt sells these products at each of his presentations. Wyatt, my friend, is an interesting, funny, and kind gentleman. I hope you get to meet him one day. I am honored to work with him.I made coasters and leather frames for the museum store at the Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, AZ.Recently, I completed a special project for the Former Texas Rangers Foundation & the Texas Rangers Association and Museum. Winchester Repeating Rifles created two Special Limited Edition lever action rifles, the Model 1895 Repeating Rifle, for the Former Texas Rangers Foundation. Winchester created these two rifles, one in nickel plate, one with special bluing, each with intricate metal scrollwork on the receivers emblazoned with “Texas Rangers 200th Anniversary”. Each rifle, as an individual Limited Edition model of the 1895, will be marked with the serial number 200. Never to be reproduced again. I was honored to make two special Limited Edition leather rifle scabbards with leather inlays celebrating these one-of-a-kind Winchester rifles. The Limited Edition Winchester rifles and my Limited Edition scabbards were auctioned together in Kerrville, TX, on November 2023 to raise funds for the new Former Texas Rangers Foundation and Texas Rangers Association Museum in Fredricksburg, TX. The two Winchester Rifles, each paired with one of my scabbards, were each the high bids at the auction. The day before the auction, The Former Texas Rangers Foundation honored me with membership in the Foundation with the rank of “Captain”. To work with the legendary Texas Rangers, Winchester Repeating Rifles, the Texas Rangers Association and Museum, and the Former Texas Rangers Foundation has been a dream of a lifetime and one of the greatest honors of my leather art career.On August 11, 2023, I presented and gifted my Model 1895 "200th Anniversary Texas Rangers” Limited Edition Rifle Scabbards to Joe Davis, the President of the Former Texas Rangers Foundation. Joe is a retired Texas Ranger.The scabbards are constructed of genuine Texas Longhorn hide, with hand-tooled and hand-colored leather inlays on the front and nose of the scabbards. On the back are two leather inserts: a ribbon celebrating the Model 1895, Winchester Repeating Rifles, and the Former Texas Rangers Foundation Logo.Thank you for purchasing my book. I hope you will come to love leather working as I have.Larry MeeseOwner, American Rider Custom Tack™Read more about this authorRead less about this author