steveb leatherworks: the blather

I am always on the look out for old stamps, and have a small but frequently used assortment. Cowboy stamps from the turn of the last century are a favorite..here are some of mine… These stinkers are really old and I try to use them as cornerstone images on pieces that it makes sense. I wish it made sense […]

You’ve heard me in past posts refer to the fearsome Splitter, the handy as heck (almost a necessity) tool for a leather-crafter to have, and as dangerous a neighbor as you’d ever care not to get close to.  This is a tool with a Dahmer/ Gacey like personality…. yet another tool that doesn’t come with an instruction book, rather, it should come with a “call 911” […]

Clearing out some stuff in the shop…. like this beauty of a belt, worn once…really-> ONCE Black belt with red tribal graphic highlights – 1.75 taper to 1.5 wide, no wear, brass hardware, white stitching, fully lined as usual,  measures 43 based on this diagram. http://steveb.biz/belt-sizing.html If it fits, make an offer.

Big deal, this…mallet vs. maul question. I used to be a mallet man, then went full time maul for a number of reasons, ergonomics being one. Went so “maul” as a matter of fact,  that I asked Wayne Jueschke to make me two special mauls, a light one for beveling and lighter “detail-y” work, and a heavier one for pounding thick cow […]

The Javier Belt done back in September 05 was the start of a run on flame belts that has not stopped. Folks love my flame belts! I’ve been through the gamut of flame styles, close C, open C, tribal, narrow, entwined, etc, etc. I never tire of flame belts, the forms are fun to work and its a […]

Got a gander at this tank panel/pouch i made 4 years ago, just the other day whilst visiting. This piece has taken a for-real beating and still looks more than pretty good. I tried a few new things when I made this unit, as it was for a friend – like the funky tail on […]

Clearing out some stuff in the shop – A few pieces of lightly worn prototype gear… like this: Brown belt – belt – 1.3/8 wide, seen very light use, brass hardware, tan stitching, fully lined as usual,  measures 38 based on this diagram. http://steveb.biz/belt-sizing.html if it fits, make an offer. Lousy pictures sorry – they don’t do the belt […]

Straight up, I dont do repairs. Shit, I dont even repair my own stuff, i just make new…it is almost always easier. I pay props to those who get involved in repairs – from a bike tech to a shoe guy – repairs are a tough way to make your money, because in large part…the […]

Businesses like to target customer satisfaction as a metric that can be used as a marker to gauge success. They spend all kinds of money measuring from all angles, trying to break the satisfaction quotient into sniplets that allow them to cut anything that doesn’t add to this “quotient”. This is called identifying efficient spending […]

Sometime ago, I bought a splitter…someday i will address the Splitter, in all of its sharp bladed, bad tempered, hard to handle glory, but for now I will focus my attention on this strap cutter that i got as a freebie when i bought said Splitter. So the strap cutter is a handy device that […]

  Big Bob wanted a big wallet. The Super Squire is the biggest wallet that I make, so we went with that. The triple 3 on the front was Bob’s request, the flame was my addition.  I really like the way the texture over the wallet came out, lot of stamping to get that effect…funny how the simplest things are often […]

I work with a wide range of customers, really keeps things interesting for me…and alot of fun…OTR Drivers, Dr’s, Lawyers, Bikers (in all their glorious flavors), Criminals, Oldsters, Cowboys, Soldiers, Cubicle Jockeys, Cage Drivers, Construction Workers, Line Workers, Car Mechanics…ah, “auto repair technicians, sorry…..I just never know. Anyway, it was requested I craft this wallet […]

Spent some serious time on this beauty of a belt – some purposeful “font management”, clearly attentive deep carving of the letter forms, clean stitching with 277 thread –  and hey, who doesn’t love the red as blood tribal flames? A special feature on most of my belts and another invention from yours truly……The removable […]

So here i was cutting a piece of leather tonight with one of my my older’n dirt headknives (one is  from 1900, the other, about 1928)  – and realized right quick, my blade was dull, flipped it over and still not so good. Not a good feeling when your bearing down on a piece of […]

Getting the chance to produce a collection of various items for a customer at one time is a treat. It doesn’t happen very often, but when the opportunity arises, I am all over it, like water on a hot, greased skillet. For this special customer I had the pleasure of making a Slip Sheath for […]

Terry asked for a “triple black” belt: black background, black graphics and black thread. I gently suggested to Terry that he consider some contrast worked into the belt, to make it pop a bit and because, in my humble opinion, a black belt tends to just look like a black strip around your waist… and it absorbs the detail of the graphics, in this case […]

of note…I’ve been using a new heel buckle with my last few belts and I am liking the look alot.  Has that added buit o’ fancy pants class and is comfy with a nice curve and appear well made. I got a few in both nickel and solid brass. I suspect they are made in China, because as you know – […]

Hey all  – got a request for you all – please send me a pic or two of the leather I crafted for you, I’d like to see how its holding up & what it looks like. Consider it research if you will. If I can get a shot of you (on the bike, in your shop, […]

I like simple and i like functional. Although i dress up my work with as much ornamentation as a person can stand – the piece has to work to a high standard, my standard. Something as simple as a phone case presents a myriad of choices if you take the time to think about it – which i do… shape, material, mounting […]

It is alot of fun coming up with something that is a surprise gift. I think it really says alot about the gift-giver, thinking that far ahead, going through the added hassle of connecting with me (not that that is a bad thing, right?…right?) and working it out. It is alot easier to go to a store […]

So, I am looking to develop a few items that are easy to bolt-on and change up from the o-so-popular modern FL series, the goal of which is to help make the ride more distinctive. Since i have an 08 StreetGlide, I have a vested interest in coming up with a few bits and pieces.  I bought an Anniv. […]

Had one heck of a storm blow through here last night, while i was in the shop working, only to awake to bluebird skies and a little bit of stuff blown around. Ran to the local hardware emporium early this AM to get a few bits and pieces to make the new tourpak strap set i made work well AND […]

So every once in awhile I am not able to convince a customer to let me go nuts…I hate when that happens!! But sometimes being open to influence results in the unexpected, and that my friends is the magic of art and collaboration. The give and take between me and my customers results in things that neither of us might have/could […]

So I have some customers who are the salty types, some are military, some are LEO’s, many of them bikers, some…  well who the hell knows. So I get a request from Casey (who is military) for a plain black Fin wallet, well after a little back and forth via email, we ended up with this…not quite the plain black […]