TAHLEQUAH — Not all fathers and daughters can say they look forward to working together every day, but Vol Woods and Debra Brown do.

Working with leather was a boyhood hobby for 81-year-old Woods, who’s still making saddles in Westville.

Wearing a leather vest his daughter made, his cowboy hat, boots, and Levis, and leaning on a cane, Vol might move a little slowly, but he has no plans to retire. He’s made about 60 saddles, which take 40 hours each to complete.

His uncle, Tom Woods, used to buy used saddles and bring them for Vol to refurbish when he was a boy.

“I rode a horse every day, and my family bought cattle all over the county,” Vol recalled. “I wanted a saddle really bad, so my uncle bought me an old hand-me-down. After I fixed it up, he’d sell it and buy another one.”

In 1947, he won $150 in a rodeo. The next day, he went to Murphy’s Hardware and found a saddle he wanted. It had a little stain on the seat and was priced at $300.

“I asked about it, and when he asked how much money was in my envelop, I handed it to him,” Vol said. “He told me to go ahead and take the saddle.”

Making belts and purses, Woods put himself through college, and his career culminated in a stint as a director with the Department of Human Services. But Woods always kept a hand in saddle-making, even when he worked full-time.

“I looked at saddles like a young boy looking at pretty girls,” he said. “Now, I work when I get the notion. Sometimes I come out to the shop on the weekends and piddle.”

When daughter Debra Brown was growing up, she followed her dad everywhere, even out to feed cattle in freezing weather.

“Dad and I have always been partners, since I was a little girl,” she said. “We get along and work together well.”

When she retired from the Health Department 17 years ago, it wasn’t surprising that she began helping her dad. Soon she started designing and building purses. Her one-of-a-kind creations evolved from her making smaller accessories like wallets, belts, glass holders, tissue box covers, lightswitch plates, Bible covers, cell phone holders, chaps, saddle bags, breast collars, bridle sets and spur leathers.

She also covered a mechanical bull, but she doesn’t plan to do that again.

“Saddles are long-term projects, and take a lot of physical strength,” Debra said. “I like shorter-term projects, like purses.”

Her mother taught her to sew, and she used to make her own clothes. She also knits, does needle point and embroideries.

A third generation is joining the family tradition: one of Brown’s twin sons, Trent. A painter, he worked at Arvest Bank seven years before he decided to pursue other interests. He was always admiring the purses his mom made, but would say, “what if you changed this or did that.” He designs them and his mom engineers them.

“He had missed-meal cramps,” Vol said, teasing his grandson.

Debra said she heard that saying all her life, but only recently figured out just what her dad was saying.

“Trent and I work together well, so why wouldn’t you want to work with someone you like or love?” she said.

 Trent is bringing new technology to the age-old business of leather work. He’s giving the saddlery shop a place in cyberspace.

“The first purse I put on Facebook sold in less than half an hour,” Trent said, “so that encouraged me to make more.”

The family members take pride in their work, whether saddles or purses or accessories. The items will last a forever if properly taken care of, Trent said.

“We’re a family business,” Debra said. “Now we’re working on branding for our high quality and high customer service leather goods.”

She repairs designer handbags for which people have paid $400 to $3,000.

“They’re made of pleather, vinyl and cardboard,” she said. “People are paying for the name. I would like to see them pay that for something that will last a lifetime, like dad’s saddles.”

Most of their purses sell for $100 and come in every color. They do take custom orders, and she can turn boot tops in good condition into purses. Debra would like their leather goods to help people “go green” so they’ll consider buying fewer items, but those of quality.

“I hope our business will help people get to thinking that way,” she said. “In your whole life, if you buy for what will last, it’s better for business.”

If you get a leather purse, Trent said, you can get tired of it and resell it, or put it away and use it later on.

 They have all types of leather-working tools, including three industrial sewing machines.

Trent already plans to expand their line with a messenger bag – a leather bag for men, like they used in the Cavalry to carry mail and messages, Trent said.

“Younger professionals are replacing briefcases with these bags and backpacks,” he said.

They carry laptops in them, Debra added.

A variety of leathers and even stingray skin is used in making purses. Stamps using dye in the designs; leather cut in shapes of flowers and longhorn cattle; and heavy-duty equestrian hardware are incorporated to dress up the purses. Trent is learning to paint with dyes so he can do designs and pictures on the purses.

“There’s $15 in hardware on some purses,” Vol said.

Items in their shop range in price from $1 to $1,200 for some saddles. Vol makes everything but the saddle tree.

“Wood covered with rawhide is the best,” he said. “They make them out of plastic, but they break easier.”

When the National Basketball Association decided to stop using leather in lieu of something synthetic, Vol snapped up about 30 hides of the orange leather at half-price.

“For a while they stopped making basketballs out of it, but they went back to leather when they found out the other basketballs didn’t do so good,” he said.

Debra finally figured out a use for the orange leather: She’s made several purses OSU fans are fond of.

“I was starting to get a little tired of what I was doing. Then Trent came in and gave me some good ideas, and now I’m excited,” she said.

Now when she’s out and about, Debra looks at ladies’ handbags and notices the construction.

“Like a hairdresser notices hair, I notice purses,” she said. “When I was watching  [Prince William’s and Princess Katherine’s] wedding, I saw a handbag that I really liked.”

Mom and grandpa are so creative and knowledgeable, Trent said, and the three have good camaraderie.

“I enjoy being with family. And there’s no policy or procedure to follow,” he said.

Check it out

The family also operates Woods Country Inn, a small bed-and-breakfast on their land. To find Woods Saddlery, call (918) 723-5503 or email www. volwoodssaddlery.com