Here's somthin' http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/articles/brooks.htm

Don't use an angle grinder if you're making nice round, curved cuts. They're great for making straight cuts and also for grinding off bag loops. I've been using a dremel tool with a small diameter cut-off blade.

Here's one of my chop jobs on a Steamroller. This is the Brooks Professional:

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...0489Medium.jpg

i cut mine using an exacto knife. it looks factory.

i love dremel tools, but i'm afraid to perform such delicate surgery with a powertool.

I used a box cutter. I masked off the line I wanted to cut with some tape and then scored the line repeatedly until it was done on one side. Then I traced the line, copied it to the other side, and repeated. I think the results look great. I ride both the chopped b17 and an unchopped pro. Both are comfortable (b17 slightly more so than pro), broken in, and I havent noticed the chopped one sagging at all. Weight saving, is, of course, minimal.

A box cutter huh? I think I'm going to go with the utility knife plan, and use a dremel cutter to get the bag tabs off. How did you trace the line to the other side? Cutting the two sides unevenly is my biggest fear here.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...ig/brooks2.jpg

This is what I'm going for, but looking at my brooks I have no idea how he was able to cut the back like that without trimming the frame - altogether far more than I want to get into.

ooops, sorry somethingawful only image host, let me find another. - should be fixed now

BTW, those are photos of my saddles among others I sent Bill and Dennis for their sites.
Yes, I had to grind off the ends of the metal frame on that B17 narrow to acheive that look. :)

As far as tracing the line to the other side, use the cut out of one side as a template for the other side. In fact, to acheive good symmetry, eyeballing is the best method.

Well that is a sweet looking saddle, mad props.

I bnroke down and bought a B17 special w/ copper rails and rivets this weekend for my irose---

I love this thing---never has my arse been so comfortable.

OK fellow weight wee-nees...How about some before and after weights. :D

I am planning on picking up a B17 from my LBS pretty soon. It has been there forever and they help me out when they can so I hope it is reasonable. There is a local leather working shop in my town and I am wondering if I should totally DIY this thing myself or look for the help of a pro. I don't know what he charges but he helped my friend with a halloween costume last year and barely charged her anything.

looks like **** man! way to go!

Just shot Wallbikes an email to return my Team Professional. I tried to like that thing so much but it just wouldn't work for me. I gave it 150 miles.