steveb’s leatherworks: daily blather

Oh man - newbies - all i was missing from this scene was the “vroom vroom” sounds.
We’ve all been there. Got to start somewhere, I guess. Tough to be badass in a polo shit and khaki’s, but if you got the cake……you can do pretty much whatever the hell you want.

I visited a disturbing place recently on a demo & destruction tour - a staff dorm on the grounds of an abandoned mental institution in my neck of the woods. This facility was open back in the day when workers at the hospital had no nursing or mental health training, were hired from the community and were not professional, in any sense… they may as well have been working in a factory for the amount of training they were given….one can imagine how they handled the stresses of working with the mentally ill….

I’ve dug into the history of this place as of late, and my gut instincts were right - this place was a freak show, that pretty much embodied the worst that mental health institutions had to offer during the last century.

“the Hills” had a fearsome reputation in its day, and from what I can see - it was well earned. Hydrotherapy, cold packs, electro shock therapy, lobotomies and chemical restraints - all blended together, made a horror movie look tame, I’d think.  This place brings the movie “one flew over the cuckoo’s nest” into clear focus, and brings me to the conclusion that peoples cruelty and ignorance knows no bounds…shame on us.

Could you imagine being here? Having a loved one here? The thought stops me cold.

To see more of this adventure, click here.

I think i saw the ultimate guest house, or escape crib or refuge or whatever you might want to call it, tucked away on a little piece of rail in the middle of the woods, behind a not-so-big house. How cool is that? How beautiful is that view? What a great idea…the riggers who installed the car must have thought the guy was nuts…”…you wanna do what?…”

hey now — well I was finally able to deliver on my promsie to improve the hardware on my Pocket Wallets. I have teamed up with Duckbill Designs, maker of the duckbill money clip seen here, to up the level of the utility, durability and functionality of my Pocket Wallets. The new money clip is a bear, very heavy duty and virtually  impossible to overload… not that any of us are “overloading” our wallets these days…. come and get ‘em!!

Bobby Q - Got to love the name, real jokers! The food was actually pretty good..edible for sure and with a good taste to boot. Freddy & I jumped in here the other day hoping, on the off chance, we’d a hit it big…I don’t know if i’d put it up against any of the real deal killer stuff out there, but for this neck of the woods… it aint bad… and the price isn’t a killer either.

Sent out the Icon Fin Wallet to a new customer the other day. I really liked that wallet, the stamping pattern was really odd, the leather had a nice scar and the colors were killer. I would have kept it, if i didn’t already have like 20 others (which i need to get rid of).  Good score for Butch the new owner. When he got it he was kind enough to let me know….and said:

Got the wallet today. It is even more than i expected from the picture on your site. Great work. Before long will have to get with you about a belt.   Thanks   Butch

So - another happy customer and a happy steveb, I really think this is my favorite part of the whole deal…for me it is kind of like watching someone’s face when they open a present they got from you. Very Cool.

Icon Fin Chain Wallet

Plain and simple - this neat little Benchmade fixed blade needed a special sheath for daily carry. Cool Burgundy color, wet moulded and red thread all add up to something different!

saw this 1980’s era BlackHawk the other day. In use by the NH National Guard, these guys were on a rescue mission looking for a lost hiker, using a ski resorts parking lot as a spot to land and get fueled. What a complicated piece of machinery..and the newer ones are even more complex. Amazing…I am no way near smart enough to understand how these work, but am glad there are folks out there that are….

Bill’s is one of those places I love - homey, local, good food with a wry sense of humor and resignation.  There is a place in Riceville, IA that i stopped at years ago on a bike trip heading back east that had a similar feel to Bill’s. Shank and I busted up to Bill’s not too long ago, during one of those rare, not raining days back a few weeks ago. I dig it when my stuff is wrapped in wax paper, somehow it just feels right, know what I mean? 

20yr old cop hassling street vendors

I hate when people abuse the little bit of authority that their job gives them, or should i say, lends them..

Unless you sucka’s live here in my ‘hood, i respectfully have to posit that you don’t know shit about bread….real bread. “B” you says - i DO know shit about bread honest.

Well…I says ya dont. This is real bread and it is right from the mother of all sources - Arthur Ave, in the Bronx, NYC.

This sad house is just about disappeared, soon to make way for a strip mall, no doubt. This is a pretty common occurrence in area that have grown up from rural beginnings where “everyone” lived on or just off, the main road. 

It’s all about Artur Avenue in the Bronx, - thats right N-Y-C- and no I dont mean the tourist-y part either - ok, ya don’t got a problem with that? doya? This area is home to the very best italian food in the tri-state area, hands, down bar none, fact - plain and simple.