Danny Whitaker

When our beltmaker Danny Whitaker was young he read a book about American frontiersman Kit Carson. The book told the story of how when Kit was preparing to venture west he went to a saddlemaker to learn leather work and how being able to work with leather was essential to Kit’s later success.

For years Danny loved and cared for horses in Michigan and when he retired from working for Chrysler as an engineer he began taking lessons in saddle making from Phillip Hawk. The student became an enthusiast and Danny has made a few saddles and rebuilt many more, learning along the way how to make saddle bags, reins and all kinds of horse equipment. When Phillip retired from making our bridle leather belts, Danny took his belt making business on. Danny now works out of Royalton Kentucky near where both his parents were raised. In addition to being a skilled leatherworker, Danny is an excellent flat picking guitar player with a love of bluegrass.