steveb leatherworks: the blather

Yea – me an Ry-man hit the super duper weenie stand some time back to get a pre-dinner hot diggity dog snack. Doesn’t take much to get anyone in my family to break the rules when it comes to food. We just arent wired to say “no”. I will also mention that Guy Fiere came to this spot ALSO when he made the rounds locally and just like the Duck, wasn’t able to feck it up too much.

One of the things l like best about old towns is that they have history just about everywhere, if you care to look. Personally, I like to look, and found these pavement markers embedded in some quality sidewalk concrete in Buffalo. Amazing to think that these sidewalks have lasted so long given the weather extremes and lack of care. It also speaks to a sense  of pride when a craftsperson marks his work with his brand, engendering accountablilty.

I wish the lame-brain numbnuts who gouge up my local roads and then “fix them”, by filling the holes theyve created with black water tar, pea gravel and kitty litter, had the balls to mark their work with a phone number so you’d know who to call next time you lost a tire to a monstrous pothole that was caused by lame and shoddy workmanship….hmmmm.. 

Used to be we had local food shops all around  the ‘hood, at least i used to have stores like this nearby. I came from a place that had a lot of this…type of life and energy on the street.

Going to the Supermarket just isn’t the same as visiting the local specialists: bread, meat, cheese, pasta and mixing it up with your neighbors at the same time.

The local green markets are a step in the right direction of course correcting  “how we get our food” and I hope the trend of having them appear all around town continues.

This gent was showing consummate class slicing and dicing his way through NYC mid day blech. Watching him cut through the clutter was  a bit unnerving – it was obvious no one around him saw him coming…I dont know, it always seemed so dangerous to me, being on a quiet, stealthy bike in a traffic environment. I am not a big fan or believer in the “loud pipes” debate, but there is a certain aspect to making noise that is comforting when your navigating traffic in AC season.

Well after some pretty major rebuilding in the Spring , the TR6 has been back on the road and I must pay Freddy big props for doing it right. We’ve not gotten stuck or had a breakdown once this season.

ha, now we’re screwed, eh?

Anyway, Freddy’s had a TR in the family for years and this one with its suspension rebuild, motor tightening and overall clean up, is the tightest, best, quietest and least rattly TR I’ve ever been in. A roll bar would help stiffen things up a bit, but then the ride wouldn’t be as “comfy”. I’ve always considered the TR6 to be the Harley of the car world, just bare bones necessity and a torquey-ass motor

Well i have posted my 366th consecutive post. This blog is officially 1 year old today.

I stopped tracking site  traffic some time ago, it was kind of distracting, sort of like a compulsion to keep looking in the rearview..lol..I have to wonder, is it worth it, does anyone care…

If anyone has any suggestions, besides the usual, “yeah, shut the fuck up” …send em on….

so, I head into NYC on a pretty regular basis to get my dose of whatever it is that NYC provides. part of this adventure is waiting for the train..because driving just plain sucks 

Jon is one of my “special-needs” customers… being on the job and all, requires that his daily carry gear meet some specific specifications and really work as needed. Additionally, this stuff usually takes a beating – so it needs to be tough.

Well, Jon’s BlackBerry case fits the bill: it fits his 2″ wide duty belt, it looks  good, and it is tough as nails. Nothing fancy – all function, this case will outlast the device – for sure. 

Pupkin threw his annual July 4th party this year, as one could predict, it being an annual event an all. I captured some nice images of the local fireworks… and thought now would be a nice time to share and enjoy now that summer is nearly in the rearview. This summer flew by, holy shit. 

Ya know what they did? They tried fecking up Freddy and mine favorite shot and a beer joint the Duck – by showcasing it on TV, yes they did – but they DID NOT succeed.  Guy Fierie seems like a nice enough guy but when his “Diner, Dives & joints, whatever…” showcased one of my favorite go-to spots, I was concerned, know what i mean?

So when i watched the show/episode on the Duck – i couldn’t wait – this is gonna be good, i thinks, remember the Duck is the kind of place the Boss wont go into because it “smells & is gross”…. It does smell, its a bar on a barge that can suffer from the scents of low tide and it is gross, thats why i like it.

well check  it out – this show on TV wasnt MY Duck, no this was a Duck from another universe…. they had the cook in the back wearing a white coat and shit, he was lovingly coddling his meat patties, everyone was polite and smiling…huh? Where is the miserable bastard that serves me my drinks? What is this burger he is making? I was kinda bumming, but hoping that these cynical yankee con men bastards who run the Duck are just putting on a show of good manners for the cameras and marks with laptops and microphones.

So anyway, i let the dust settle a few weeks and Freddy & I went back for a sniff, lunch to be exact…and maybe to call them out a bit on that “white coat shit”. So we went in and the same bastards are working, the same greasy shirted cook is in the back. The place still stinks and the “new paper placemants ” have been put away until next time the cameras come a calling. The food is still solid. The beer is cold.

I’m good with that, save the white coats and the fancy placemats for the TV hosts.

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American hero, a bit of a nut, he was brilliant,  he was an iconic architect and notably  he was a  designer. This is a guy who is a national treasure.

This house, The Martin House is worth seeing if you are ever in the Buffalo area. Don’t be a know-nothing, check out Wrights work, it is cool and distinctive – worth a sniff, for sure. Ya don’t have to be about Mission Style to appreciate that this house is an amazing piece of sculpture.

When i lived in Buffalo some many lifetimtes ago, i recall this house not being in very good shape at all, so was heartened to see that a preservation society had raised the funds to do it up and do it in perfect synch with what was there before. It looks perfect.

I had an experience I wanted to share…check it out here….

Here’s a little backstory. I was out tooling around “the Valley”. It was a beautiful day, I felt like busting out of the shop for a bit so i grabbed my camera and beat feet. I really didn’t have a specific agenda and didn’t pack for an expedition – just had the camera, no tripod, no nothing..

I headed North to the  Valley…I  am enthralled with the Valley – it is so damn rich in industrial history and lore – if you can get to it and get near it. I found myself following train tracks and rivers and happened upon as sketchy a scene as i’ve ever run into – that was between me and my mark. Ansonia Copper & Brass – as ancient and huge an Industrial Complex as ever was built.

Well, by sheer willpower and balls of steel I found myself in a machining and metalwork shop that was up until April – a running, viable business. It was freaky folks, it was sad and it was an eye opener. I am rarely at the scene of the crime before the body  has been laid bare – and here i was looking at a cold corpse – but still intact. Gloves left on machine tools, end mills, carefully sorted and oiled, custom tools with makers marks. This is where people worked folks, no offices, no Aeron ergonomically correct chairs. How about a Bridgeport Mill to call your partner for 25 years?

These folks went to lunch one day – and never came back, this was the Twilight Zone.

The scene took my breath away. This is the effect of our Political and Financial policy’s. This is the effect of Mergers & Acquisitions. These once mighty machine tools and machining centers and the proud, skilled and viable men and women who operated then will no doubt find themselves out of work or sent to Asia by years end. Sad and sickening. I captured what I was able to and left, a sadder and more educated man.

But I still think to myself… Where are the men that worked the monster machines?  Where will they go, what will they do?

quiet machines

I love seeing things like this pull out of peoples garages. It gives me hope that America still has some of what made things like this possible: craft, ingenuity, pride, money and love.

The new pocket wallets with the Duckbill Designs clips are the shit folks – these moneyclips are the very best I’ve seen – ever!! Bundled up with a pocket wallet – you’re covered! Pocket Wallets are available in a few different types/styles of leather.

About exotic skins….If you have a skin you want to use, let me know – because I will say this – Alligator is pricey stuff. Now I know why an Alligator wallet cost $500 @ retail. But in defense, the material is tough as nails and looks fantastic all the time, no matter how you treat it-  the good stuff, it aint cheap.

Back about 10 lifetimes ago, I worked at a bar call the Continental. This place was the epicenter of punk rock, cheap drinks and a good rowdy time in Buffalo, NY, a place i called home . My best friends at the time worked and/or partied there and it was 2 floors of nuttiness…

Bud, the owner (now long dead) gave me a break when i really needed one and for that I will be ever thankful. He also gave my band a break and man, we sucked, but it was great – those were good silly times when we had not a clue what lay ahead – nor did we really care. I look at that skinny kid with the ponytail and the Continental t-shirt and i have to ask – “who are you?”…

Good friend Don & I were in Bflo some time back at the same time and decided to stop by the Continental and see what was left of our most favorite of places. Aint much left, this is the last spot standing on a grim gloomy block…its gonna be next to fall…. This storied and famous place is gonna disappear. What a damn shame…

Here’s to rock & roll, crazy bars, the people that inhabit them and being young, clueless, careless and stupid! *clink*

Not a tremendously complicated piece, Val’s cuff didnt take a particularly long time to make, and wasnt much of a technical challenge for me… but like every cusom made piece, it took a bit of thought, clarity on what my customer wanted and a bit of care…in design and in production.

Val wanted a cuff – and not one of my more elaborate “gunfighter cuffs”, Val wanted a nice, clean and simple cuff for daily wear..no buckles and stuff, just one snap…she described a plain strap wrapped around her wrist…hmmm… I can do better than that!

First, I selected a sweet piece of veg tan skirting, left it “rough on the inside” rather than line it as I normally do. I left it rough due to the fact that it will break in from the backside with some help from the oils from her skin and will get nice and mellow…it will feel good to the touch and wear smooth. Additionally, I hate putting any chemicals against skin, like glue – and if i were to line this, the sweat from her arm would certainly break down the glue. Not so cool.

I love the colors – feminine without being girly and the stamping pops nice too. Made a raised bead along the edge so Val wont have a rough square edge to deal with against her wrist.

Last I heard, Val likes her cuff very much.

I have got to have a good Italian bakery near where i live… and lucky for me, I do. Welcome to DiMare bakery. The make it all folks, even my super special most favorite of all deserts, Italian Cheesecake – made with Ricotta, rather than Cream Cheese.  They even fresh fill my cannoli’s right there – insuring a crispy shell – no soggy pastry for me!

I grew up with cars like this. They ruled the roost. In NYC, where I grew up we had alot of urban hot rodders. Most of the fast baddass cars we young male teens all boned for, were like this beauty sitting here. I dont recall many  of the old style cut downs, slammed, chopped or channeled rods. Most of the cars we victimized were late 60’s/ early 70’s cars for the most part…. it ‘s what was available and affordable.

a little side story here…….

In 1977, I had my license for awhile and was looking for my first car….as borrowing Mom’s Chevy wagon (the equivalent of today’s minivan for you kids) was getting old and I had a hankering for a $400, gray primered, 2-door, 68 Impala, “trashcan” Cragars in the jacked up rear (using shackles of course), hacked in the floor 3-speed, front bench seat,  I think the engine was a small block 8 or maybe even a 6. This car had been owned by a series of older kids in my neighborhood… it was making the rounds…making it a perfect car for a young wannabe car guy like myself – it looked dangerous with the mags, air shocks, primer and all the chrome trim peeled off (hence very very cool), was mild-mannered performance wise and there was a ton of help i could get from the big guys in my neighborhood to keep this shit-can rolling. parts were plentiful and there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be scrounged from a junkyard (remember them?) down by Shea Stadium.

Well, my old man, bless his cold black heart, vetoed the idea of the Impala and instead I got saddled owning a car that had less than zero cool, was a bitch to maintain and ruined me financially – a goddamn Volvo. I mean who the fuck in 1977 has their kid drive, let alone BUY a 1972 Volvo 164 – and this was when there were these things called FOREIGN cars. Metric tools, special parts, who knew how to work on these beasts, no one thats who. What a maroon. I hate him to this day for demanding ” I get a safe car” like that POS Volvo…the car sucked me dry in 6mos, I wound up being indebted to him for like a grand to keep that shit-barge running…huge money in 1977 dollars.

Well being the little worker bee that I am, I worked my ass off for a year, paid him back, moved out and closed the book on him and Volvo’s  – I learned my lessons. Fuck’em both.

More random images from my rambles through Manhattan. Grand entrances, mysterious/odd store fronts and the absolutely normal, as ingested every day seen through my lens. Hope you enjoy these utterly common and mundane images as much as I do….a celebration of our ecosystem.

When this man isn’t installing floor coverings for a living, you can find him here selling some fine dogs. The truck is clean, the kraut and mustard fresh and tasty and the buns soft – perfect.  And he’s got cream soda!

It is well known that i am a big fan of the venerable FXR.  I have had my 1986 vintage for many a long year and can really only say good things about the bike and its design. It is a super flexible model offering the crafty owner a few opportunities to make his mark without screwing up the bikes best traits – its weight and geometry. Ya dont want to mess with the frame of an FXR and you dont want to add crap to it, if anything, if you can pare it down further – you will be richly rewarded with a hi-style, karate killer of a urban assault vehicle.  Just take a look at what the bad boys used to ride…FXR’s thats what!

So anyway – Jason, my northernmost operative and friend forwarded this to me, a bike owned by one Mr. Billy of Biltwell. Tasty, hi-style and totally un-fucked with. The only things i’d say to Billy would be… get that toolbag off your regulator and keep a look out for a dual disc left front leg – it is a good improvement over the single disc up front –  other than that…this bike is niiiice!  Thanks Jason and if any of youse have pics of FXR’s – send em on!

I am a big fan of this artists work, a combination of leatherwork, sculpture, casting arts, design, finishing- you name it – i think he is brilliant and a top master at his craft. Even if this isnt your thing aesthetically, you can still admire his ability, cant ya?

brilliant

Stunning color!