Products

PRODUCTS

Click on photos to view products

IMPORTANT NOTICE-PLEASE READ

Well, finally after about 30-31 years in the Saddlery trade I have almost stopped trading-but not quite. As the work slowly dwindled and people simply didn't want hand made saddlery or enough to keep me solvent anyway, I looked for alternative things to make. Using more modern man made materials I as you may know, I have made the Locatas since 2007 but I am now discontinuing those. I tried for years to get them in to the main stream and had some success selling wholesale job lots to an Equestrian wholesaler but they only wanted to sell the hi vis Yellow with black strap version. This of course limited their selling potential. That fizzled out after a year or two and I don't have the time to make any more now, big thank you to Debbie Smith who was selling them as my only retailer until recently and supported me wholeheartedly.

I also make the hand made leather conditioner, that goes all round the world but again in limited quantities. I make nylon cockerel collars, now they seem to sell well but not enough still for me to live on, sold over 5,000 of those over the last 3 years and again, all round the world. The cable parachutes I make are also selling in limited quantiies. I can't live on promises and fresh air and I knew I was going to have to go back to being an employee sooner or later but at the age of 58 it would be hard to not only find work but convince any prospective employer I was up to it. I have tried for the last 2 years on and off to find work , very few replies from people and when I did get a reply it was simply, thanks but no thanks. It does get you down but I soldiered on, then I saw my good friend Karin Hackett and her OH Paul Taylor go out of business, very sad day that was. Another 2 saddlers having to give up and so highly trained and skilled too, such a shame. Now I join them. I still work in the Saddlery trade but it's very, very limited I make the cockerel collars which sell well on ebay and anything else I currently sell I will continue to do so but it takes me weeks now instead of days to make anything it as I am IN work again elsewhere!

Since January 2019 I have been working (contracting out) to a company who own and manage a waste transfer and recycling station. I am still self employed which I prefer.

I go out on the bin lorries (17 and 32 tonners) emptying very large wheelie bins (1100 litre trade bins not domestic size) and up to 16 yd skips, that's a 4.30 am start for some days but I have to get up at 2.15 to get everything done before I leave.

I physically move by hand up to 7.5 tons a day, hard work!

UPDATE: . I have cut my hours down from 50 to 40 as SO tired and I am slowly gearing up on the Saddlery side again. I have some ideas for new products that I want to get going with. Monday's I spend in my workshop making and designing things.

I am looking for part time work instead, 2 or 3 days a week or less.Something I could do locally in SA38 area, if anyone knows of anything please let me know and preferably still on the self employed system where I invoice them at the end of the month.

IF you want any products please be aware that I still cannot make them very quickly, you may have a 4 plus week wait.

Thank you for all your support over the last 31 years.

I am no longer using Paypal on my website, any products you want can only be paid for by bank transfer.

Ordering information HERE

Thanks, Austin

ALL goods are made to order only, warning LONG waiting times.

Please consider writing a review for me here, thank you

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/unicornleather.co.uk