steveb leatherworks: the blather

of both my lower back and stowing wood…

SALE>spend $150+ @ my ETSY store and get 20% off, code SpringSale2015.        Running until: 5/3    

This is one of those stories that my close family and friends are not going to believe. They aren’t going to believe it because I exercised HUGE patience, found some restraint and dug down deep to find a sense of humor in it all, and once I did- it was all good. So, long story […]

Mark is a repeat customer that I hear from every now and then.  I’ve made him a belt, a pocket wallet, maybe another thing or two, and now another belt. I’ll say it again and I’ll say it every time stuff like this happens – my customers are loyal and they rule! “Steve,  The belt […]

Goose writes: Steve, You have truly outdone yourself!  I picked up the new wallet and belt today and am very happy with how much fine detail is in every inch.  The added details of the pennies with my year of birth, the  combination of stamps, and the subtle color variations are  great details that really […]

  I love people. I especially like crap talkers who take advantage of the privacy the interwebs allow (well not really, but read on). But first let me share the foundation of this rant.. Not surprisingly, on occasion, I peek at Craigs List for leather working tools that folks are getting rid of. A lot […]

This is the kind of feedback you want from your customers… It makes me think back to when i was just beginning to offer my work for sale, and the first time I got a note from a customer after a purchase. I held my breath when I opened the email. I was really afraid […]

I viewed with some amusement in the digitalmotouniverse, the proclamation that big bear choppers (BBC) is releasing a “new” machine. That bit of news caused  me to snerk ever so slightly, due to a few factors. The first important consideration in my snerki-ness is the moderately interesting and larcenous haze surrounding BBC, its owners the […]

You are going to tell me that keeping your pants up is not important? Please Do you want to be one of those no-shirt having, pants falling down around his ankle characters like in (the show) Cops. Hail no, you sure don’t ya’ll. What you want is a fine device like the one displayed here […]

So to continue on with the Proto-Manta plug belt saga.. I wanted to talk about color a bit. Black is the turd in the punchbowl when it comes to leathercraft. There isn’t a skilled leather crafter alive that likes to work in black. Black sucks – it soaks up detail like the dickens. Black, unless […]

I love the sound of  “proto-manta-belt”, feels like I could have a ray gun hanging from it, and not be out of place.  Well I don’t know that I’ll be slinging a ray gun any time soon, but i can say this – creating a good looking plug inlay with a skin like Manta ray […]

I get this today: Hi Steve, I’m a member at leatherworker.net and I remember your logo being pretty distinctive and I’m not sure if you are aware of it yet but it seems there is a guy on kickstarter who has taken a shine to part of it <snip> Being a graphic designer by trade […]

Customer-no-service from Tempur-Pedic… OK, here is a rant for ya! So, its like this see….I purchased a Tempur-Pedic travel pillow a year or so ago. Having a screwed up neck combined with regular travel, meant I had to do something as most pillows would leave me feeling “not-so-good” the next morning and to tell the […]

Wow – where to start – well, I couldn’t even begin to tell this story or where, why and what… but suffice it to say my friend Scott is in Russia and is trying to help this guy who has been his driver. This guy needs some BMW specific parts assistance and help. Now keep […]

I need to make the pilgrimage to Daytona this year for Bike Week. After this weekend i am out of here for a bit.  Looking forward to getting out, stretching the legs, getting lost a few times with the rental car and shooting some pictures of one of my favorite subjects – motorcycles! Actually there […]

So as many of you have noticed, i have let my foot off the gas a bit in terms of meaningful blog posts and heartfelt communications.  I have gotten a few people dinging me because of my slack ways. I have to admit – I have, definitely. Not being someone to let stuff “cruise” on […]

Beau hooked me up with these images earllier in the year while the fires were raging in the West.

Years ago I called this place home. This was a scary neighborhood and i remember feeling like I was living in a fort. Funny how things change and tides turn.

In the center of what used to be the “Polish” part of Buffalo, stands the Broadway Market. This area is now pretty dead from both commercial and demographic standpoints.  Even though it is a bit off the beaten track, it is worth a visit. I highly recommend visiting the Horseradish vendor found inside…