Dees to attach saddle strings are often fitted under the rear conchos and are used to secure slickers and saddle bags.

If your rear conchos are fixed by screws, like this one, the job of fitting is easier than if your saddle has silver conchos.

However, do not despair, as this type of concho usually has a woodscrew soldered to the back.

Your problem is to remove this concho.

Sometimes pressing down with both thumbs and turning in an anti-clockwise direction is enough to move it.

Professionals  have a metal tool with a cup end fitted with rubber to move these. A homemade alternative is to glue some rubber to a wooden handle.

However if they are very tight you may have to grip the concho very gently with a pair of slip joint pliers

Once the concho is out you will be left with the leather concho.

Often these rear conchos do not have any other fixing but sometimes they will be stapled, nailed or screwed. Remove any extra fixing as carefully as you can. If they are nailed just hope the nails are not ring shanks as these can be very difficult and sometimes have to be cut off.

Once the concho is out you can place the saddle dee and clip in position and rebuild.

To install the saddle string the easiest way is to loop it around the dee.

For an alternative see also Bleed Knots and Slit Braid