steveb leatherworks: the blather

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, at an event with your pals) included in the jpgs you send – that’d be great too!

steveb@steveb.biz

ok – here’s mine-> a fin I’ve had in my wallet for 3+ years – still looking good…loved and worn. The tribal design was an experiment in trying to create something that was as dramatic to feel as to look at. I liked the way it came out, but don’t like carving leather that deeply because I feel it weakens it – so in wallets that followed I cut a little “less deep”. My worries might be unfounded though because as you can see, this puppy has taken some lickin’s and keep on tickin’ in hi-style. Got to reconsider my thinking in this regard…i think.

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 method, carry comfort, protection vs. ease of access, securing the phone as well as the case with flaps, snaps and all manner of conveyance, etc, etc. Seriously, take a good look at your phone case with a critical eye – and think, does the case accommodate your needs or have you accommodated its design?

I am always noodling with my phone because it has my email, calendar, contacts, text,  etc – so i need a case that allows the phone to get free with no secondary actions necessary, like snaps and flaps, a case i can get to easily – belt mounted, that protects the phone – especially in the case of an iPhone because they are fragile. So  when i got my iPhone i whipped up a case for myself – a prototype really. Well as in the case of most all of the things I make for myself, this prototype became “my” case and i never found the time to make another. Shoemakers, shoes.

Whilst partkaing of the rauccous festivities at the Grease Monkey mayhem lot in Sturgis this year, I became friendly with Bryan, owner of TPJ Customs..located in Lodi, California (poor guy, you got to see his industrial view…he may as well be in New Jersey…ha!) and he saw my iPhone case. Stuck in his mind it did – so when he purchased his own device, he rang up you know who to make a case like my own, but a bit improved and refined as my own was a bit Flintstones. One challenge – I don’t have an iPhone like Bryans and since i wet mould all my cases, i had to figure out how to make it work. A quick trip to the local Apple store showed me that my phone would work but it needed to be about 5 business cards “thicker” to match the new generation iPhone. Problem solved, I mocked my phone up with the added width and we were off to the races. If the case needs to be adjusted, i can talk Bryan through it.

heavy duty materials, simple design

Nothing fancy – just functional

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 and buy a thing. It is much cooler when that thing is a custom thing, and that is special made, one of a kind thing!!

As it turns out , this very fancy belt was a special anniversary gift for Mr. Man, from Mrs. Man. we got Dark Brown Roman Numerals of significance. We got Red tribal flames, we got a bit of my urban chicken scratch graffiti font stuff going on in a natural flesh color and the coup de gras is the beautiful rare as a hens tooth, hand cast thistle bronze buckle with a celtic theme all around the front.

When this big banana wears in, it is really going to sing – as all the colors will mellow a bit. I lay dye on a little hot and bright, knowing that a few months of wear tones it down a bit…and friends,  that is the look i strive for…problem is if you start with that “o-so mellowed look”, in a few months, the colors look weak..and that just plain aint right, know what I mean?

Ya know, come to think of it – I wished more of my customers would send me pictures of their stuff after wear and tear…leather always looks better after its been spanked a bit… I know all my personal gear looks better with age, I suspect theirs does too!   Anyway, in response to the fading issue, i bump up the “chroma” good word huh?  knowing what will happen as you wear it.  More than you wanted to know, i know…. thanks for indulging me!

that is a great buckle, cast bronze, hand made

belts lend themselves to long thin graphics - something vertical like a roman numeral is tough, but it can be done

alot going on with this belt

flames, smooth and deeply carved

chicken scratch sub-urban graffitti

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. paint job and don’t want to change its appearance, just make it mine, if thats possible.

So the StreetGlide rocks as far as style (ok, ok-one-mans opinion) but it isn’t really set up for long distance hauling like the Ultra is. Well, I do alot of touring (as much as i can squeak in and stay married) and so need to make some accomadations – a big bag on the back is ok, but nothing beats the convenience of a tourpak aka the burrito maker.

 I just didn’t have the heart (or scratch) to burden the shiny penny with a big box all gaudied out with yet more anniversary paint, but wanted something out back to hold my special stuff. I had noticed the smaller leather bound RoadKing tourpak and thought that would fit the bill nicely- which it did. I hunted the sucker on eBay and got all the special docking stuff from my local HD dealer.

Hmm, the docking stuff?  Well – I am kind of new to the whole concept of “detachables” – being a kind of old school “4-bolts-4 nuts” guyl and was in for a rude shock when i finally had the whole modern system of fitment and hardware explained to me by a friend who should have majored in rocket science, he is so smart. So anyway I labored over the part numbers, i got advice, i read FAQ’s, I even asked my dealer and so in the end got it ordered…it was in-stock too, can you believe it…amazing – I should have bought a lottery ticket right there.

So anyway as it turns out,  the HD docking stuff is outright crap, it doesn’t fit right, ya have to bend, twist and basically force the new stuff that is designed for “your specific” application to get it on the bike. Forget taking it off once you’ve accomplished installation, thereby negating the idea that this crapski is “detachable”. I should have known better…ha! Took me an Dan-o two hours pulling and tugging to make this junk fit. Almost felt like I was building a bike myself.,..lol…it was such a sweatfest.

Anyway – back to the Tourpak – it is a great little piece, fits the bike great, holds just the right amount of stuff and it is a kind of unusual piece to see on a StreetGlide. BUT it has some built in cheese, namely the strap conflabulators – which look like pimped out shite-ski from the crap-a-torium, and don’t match the nice, quiet, understated look of the box – so off they came and i replaced them with what you see below. Match these stinkers up with my pimpin’ seat strap and your cookin, with gas.

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 look good. Mission accomplished –  you can see pictures below.

So as any self respecting rider would do – i thought it prudent to go out and pressure test my new tourpak straps and lo and behold, found myself at my favorite crossroads, the nexus of city and country, a few short miles from the batcave.

East Coast Rules

remember when no one you knew owned a windshield, let a alone a dresser and there were maybe even a few shovels traveling with you?

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 have done on our own.
Designs can be simple and not boring, making the small touches stand out even more – like the stark white of the stitching, the flourish on the point of the wallet, or the red fade interior.

color in the lines!!

Simple is good, being open minded and listening is good too.!

This usually happens once i get into it with someone, i mean why order a plain wallet when you can get one that is really made specially for you – distinctive, know what I mean.? Well Casey bit the hook and we wound up with this…custom hand drawn font, weird spider web background, burgundy’s ,browns, its all good with a fade/gradient interior color…and heavy antiquing to make the design pop.

Casey was happy with his wallet.

Casey's Fin

 close up

spidey back

fade interior

So, old #7 needs a new belt for the jacket (that was too big for me) I sold him , like 10 years ago. Seems the “cheap junk” wore out after 10 hard riding years so #7 says to me – ” i need a new belt for the jacket – and then hands me a worn out strap with the buckle broke off.. “here, take it – its broke”. So I put my hand out like an idiot and take it, hot potato..new project! To boot, it is a wide sucker necessitating my having to cut a strap special for it…ha!

Ok, so i got my way in the end…seems #7 wanted a black belt – and i just try and avoid black these days..it is so flat and dense a color..browns are so much more interesting

…so i give the belt my usual black border treatment, but dye the belt center a super deep chocolate brown with a burgundy hit and top it off with a black overspray finish coat. In this way, as the belt ages, the deep brown/burgundy will show show as aging marks…nice!! The pics don’t really show it well…sorry.

He got it shortly thereafter, all packaged up nicey nice…another happy customer by the sounds of it. Enjoy #7!!

taper from 2 to 1.75

pattern closeup - clean and killer

a big belt is needed to go around a jacket

no problem, good to go!

So, I went to Sturgis this year. Got radical, didnt bring a bike.

the big flat

I know I know – why?  Well, I got my reasons- but for the most part it comes down to the fact that if I brought a bike – I’d be on it and not doing what i set out to do, which was reconnect with friends in the VTwin industry, make new friends, meet some customers and drive out from the  Tri_State sprawl and to SD to hang with my friend Seeger Jr, a shiesta brother if I ever knew one.

professionals, paying attention

If I had a bike, I’d be gone daddio, gone…and not hustling…which is what i kinda needed to do

we live in a beautiful country - aight?

So we left the urban sprawl in the dually/trailer gehtto rig and made out way to SD. A few grins, a few giggles, a few weird Hotels, a Hardee’s meal I’d rather forget, got to try Culver’s a new fasty food joint to me…ate a lot of tamari almonds and raisins

So we got to Sturgis and I spent a week at Bike Shows, sitting on my ass drinking beer with Industry Illuminaries and basically eating BBQ and having lots of fun meeting a rats nest of new friend

steveb (love that shirt), satya kraus, lisa taylor, brian schimke

British Steve, Sy and Chris (check out the size of the can in his hand...ha)

brian klocks vrod meets fxrt meets flh in one amazing package that flows from front to back

Saw a great number of wonderful  bikes, some really good stuff. The AMD show was a good one, but the very best one was the show i had right in front of me. The Grease Monkey Lot had the very best and diverse collection of bikes throughout all of Sturgis…in my opinion of course!  And ya know I  can’t help but mention the 700 gallons of water i sweated and passed through my system in a week. The heat in Sturgis can get a little nuts and it did.

SeegerJr and Decker

So, I could go on and on about the bikes, but suffice it, I was really there for the people. Meeting Jeff Decker was a treat. He is some talent and wow a real smarty pants – what a guy to talk to…really has some …ahhh.. interesting ideas…. He is a character I am glad to have met and hope to meet again..

I love America, land of the heavy hitters!

So anyway – this weeklong meet & greet culminated in the grande finale party and then i went through a trip home flying that I’d not care to repeat anytime in the future. So it was all good, glad to have done it. Now i got to go do my laundry, pay the bills that collected and change the cat box…excuse me.

Bill is a fire guy, big shot – a Chief or something like that – I forget. Anyway – he is important enough to have to carry a radio. I mean thats pretty important right? They dont let everyone carry a radio do they?

Anyway, Bill wanted to pimp out his radio rig, having been a customer of mine previously, Bill knew what to expect – a bulletproof, good looking piece o’ gear to hang his trusty stuff on, while fighting fire or talking shit in the fireshouse with his crew.

Took some 8/9oz veg tan with a firm hand, stamped it up with one of my off the cuff whack patterns, lined it, stitched it and attached all the buckles and  fingadinglers to spec so it would play nice with his whole ensemble. and fit the intended radio usage.

Thinking about Bill, I have to wonder – he is a fire guy, a bike rider…i wonder if he jumps out of planes for fun too…

update: Bill responds::::

Just to clarify - I'm a Fire Engineer which means I drive the big red
truck and pump the water for the firefighters on the end of the hose.  
I'm tryingto get promoted to Captain which is the company officer
 the guy that tells everybody on the fire engine what to do and where to go.  
I'm not a chief.  Just a 25 year veteran flunky.... for now. 
Thanks Bill for the "factual update"....steveb

Friday afternoon…..another holiday here is here, heralding the end of summer..hmmm…a good time to scheme getting some “last licks” road trippin’ in, what do you think? Can I squeak another one in? I feel like a kid scheming his next cut class.

Got a bunch of work waiting for me on the bench, the “events” agenda is clear (except for the work I could be doing), the bike is ready to roll..I think Zeb is available and good to go….always good to have a partner….always good to roll with Zeb… hmmm..the new iPod “bike specific” playlist is ready for a test.

This might be a done deal.

update:********************************************************************************************************

Sunday night recap: so Pupkin and i burned up to Southern VT on a cloudy, but dry afternoon – not a lick of rain…a novelty as it had poured like the dickens the night before and was rainy that morning. Took the great collections of slab up North, Merritt Parkway, Route 8, 84 & 91. Only bummer heading up was a traffic snarl due to an accident on the Merritt – a scenic parkway, narrow with nada for shoulders..so we had to split lanes for about 45 intense minutes..well it was  intense for me anyway..ha

seems all these pissed off people stuck in cages (i am sorry they had to do that, I am) with their screaming little Johnny’s and Jane’s were not loving the fact that we were on air cooled machines that need to be moving before they nuke themeselves from heatstroke…soo it goes like this…

we are both on baggers..pupkin comes up splitting lanes in the center of a tight two lane road with me in the rear…pods of SUV’s Hummers, minivans all stuck in the fracked traffic.. begin to try and knock us off our bikes…i shit thee not..these crazy people actually tried doing us harm, just not the usual childish behavior of blocking our way (that never works now does it?..)..unreal..get over it folks

fun, oh yeah

got so bad that pupkin began cursing these loons, he’d pass ’em by and so, they tried taking it out on me…lol…good thing i have years of NYC city evasive training. Fun, oh yeah.

Other than that it was great, we had the road to capture our attention, my new playlist was good stuff, grabbed a lunch in a backwoods joint and had the world to enjoy to ourselves due to the cloudy weather and got to our friend Ren’s new house (to him) in the woods after negotiating some dirtbike challenges on our 800lb behemoths..fun, oh yeah..

 I am really happy for Ren, it’s a great place – perfecto.

Ren's House

Went to dinner at a local ski resort joint and crapped out for the night. Next am we got up, went for a local diner breakfast and headed out killing the day slowly taking may “not so shortcuts” and saw some new backwoods stuff..great, really good day – weather was freaky great – comfy cool with a warm breeze. Pupkin is my favorite riding partner, we have the same ideas for the most part when it comes to road trippin, making it easy.

Got home, took a quick shower and got to work and there ya have it – a quick overnight blast to VT, close to 800 miles.

Thanks to Paul Levey at marcom   http://www.mcc2.com/   I have a fancy new front end on my site – thanks Paul, you rock. I will say it again friends, its better having a friend who can help manage this devil box powered electronical stuff than it is a Dr. in the family, or a lawyer for that matter.

Reminds me yet agin, no man is an island, we all need our peeps – know what I am saying?

Sent another belt out, this one is a piece o’ work – concho’s, florettes, fancy buckle set with tip and keeper, its all here. Two departures from the norm for me with this belt – the first being i riveted through the belt and lining (normally I’d try and avoid putting holes in the lining), but i wanted to make sure the conchos/florettes were really secure) and the second was that i didn’t stitch this belt, simply used the nuclear glue, since in this application the stitching is more for decorative purposes and i wanted to use as wide a florette as possible, which would have interfered with the stitching.