steveb leatherworks: the blather

I am not big on gadgetry when it comes to my own style of leather work.
I don’t like to add lots of “stuff and decorative items” on my work.

I try and keep it simple.

But sometimes, its nice to step out and get fancy..we don’t live in caves,  ya know!
Taking that need into account, this is my attempt at getting fancy... more examples to follow!

Butch has been beating these beauties for a couple of years!

Not too bad – check  ETSY for whats available and get to making your own patina!

I am not big on gadgetry when it comes to my own style of leather work.
I don’t like to add lots of stuff, I don’t use “decorative items” on my work.

I try and keep it simple.

Simple works, it functions, its durable, its straightforward, its not “bulky”, it’s just what needed.In that vein, I  support folks like GORUCK and admire their simplicity.. I love my GR1

But sometimes, its nice to step out and get fancy..we don’t live in caves ya know!
Taking that need into account, this is my attempt at getting fancy... more examples to follow!

Friend, neighbor, riding partner, local titan of business, TR is a good guy whose been kind enough to give me some business over the years. I’d made him a pretty unusual belt a year or so ago, a Scrapper that was pretty fun and good with jeans. It was a rugged belt that was more lavish in the manner of earth tones used with a variety of browns in full display…uh, yea!

Well this time around TR wanted something a bit dressier, a little thinner – 1.5″ and  black, black with  more black and well,  he pretty much asked for a triple black belt. Now, I am generally not a big fan of black, but knowing this had to be a tad dressy, i built up a pattern that’d play with the ambient light and would “shine and sparkle” without resorting to cheap gimmickry or appliances… Keep in mind this is a 10.oz veg tan belt – a thick and substantial unit!

TR really dug it and I think it came out pretty hotshit too. The deal with black is, let it breathe, let the design open up and don’t get busy.

How about you  pick a buckle and let me build a belt around it!

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 Alsop’s and a whole herd of extremely angry motorcycle riders (and suppliers)  who got financially hosed in the Alsop’s last go-round with BBC – something about deposits on bikes that were never delivered – some other fiscal malfeasance, who knows… who cares what the details are, suffice it to say – it wasn’t good for ANYONE.

So one might think,  these BBC people would just go away, like so many who’ve taken peoples money and have been caught. Huh? Hell no, this is the USA and its 2013 the era of : “reality” ya know – and remember – and as such we are all about reinvention, forgiveness and moving on right?  Well in that vein of “oopsy , sorry about that”, the Alsop’s have reemerged from this “messiness”, newly reinvigorated, looking good and are going to go kick some butt and relaunch BBC with some NEW products.

So that’s why i was snerky.

And then my snerky turned to “huh”? and then to “wha”? when i saw the new machine that BBC is rolling out with as the demonstration of its reinvention and relaunch, like a phoenix out of the ashes. What did they go and do? They unrepentantly ripped off my favorite bike, the H-D FXR(P), rebadged  it, bolted up a bunch of hipster style drama and furthermore have the gall to infer they are “finishing the job H-D started”.

Well, I am not so sure of that, on a few levels – first off being a small matter of business ethics and karma, but I wont go there (although others surely will). What kind of yanked my crank is that this is NOT new, this is NOT reinvention, this is STEALING and COPYING and where i come from, when you distill down all the mythical and stereotypical junk – bikers, we don’t steal, we don’t cheat – we are straight up inventors and crafts people and by this blatant ripping off of an H-D design, BBC has clearly shown they are not bikers, rather they are cheaters, in my humble, uninformed opinion, of course.

But BBC used Made in America parts, and are supporting the aftermarket in manufacturing this design, and its H-D they are stealing from, so it’s OK right?

So check it – its not cool to steal an idea or a design, its not cool to copy something in any way shape or form without expressed permission of those that invented it and its not cool to support people who steal, copy and cheat. I am surprised the aftermarket would support a venture – such as this, as they’d surely howl if someone did to them, as what BBC is doing to H-D. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander…no?

So for those of you who are new to this dialogue… here is a little gallery of FXRP machines – all started off as stock and some have been customized.  Now I’ll freely admit, the FXRP is not the handsomest machine, but I like it and it is functional as hell. Its like Boxers vs. briefs – one isn’t better, they just hug you differently. There is a reason my beloved FXR has been rediscovered by the in-crowd and the re-inventors of history – who chase the latest craze and embrace it as if they invented it – its a great machine.

Now this is the BBC offering: does anyone see a problem here?

Bigger, burlier and fitted with modern parts – but it is still an H-D ripoff.

Ah yes, we’ve all felt it  at some point during the aging process – the dreaded shrinking belt syndrome, which is usually preceded by shrinking pants syndrome and shrinking jacket syndrome. Well some many many years ago, I’d made Chris, a beautiful flame  belt, as I called them – and he loved it and wore it and wore it and wore it some more.

During this time the belt “shrank” as did many of Chris’s clothes and so being a cheap bastard and a person who gets attached to his stuff, he recently pulls a brown paper bag out from under the table while we are having a “boys night out” dinner.asked me if I could “do something” with his belt.

He’s a classy guy, no?

I told him, what he could do is give it a well deserved rest and buy another from me, to which he responded, “but i like this one, and its paid for”. Really, I see his point… lol.. you can see my fix.

Most companies cringe when it comes to talking about their fan mail and comments from their customers.  Conversely, I actually have come to look forward to hearing from the people I do work for and for those in the “trade of leather”, so to speak.

At first , many years ago when I’d see an email (I have always worked electronically) I’d think “oh no” – somethings wrong.  Well, I’ve been offering my goods to people I don’t know personally and having an electronic presence for as long as anyone else in leather craft- and at this point – I’ve NEVER had an unhappy customer. Not a one.

And also, pretty cool – I’ve made some friends who are leathercrafters, although that’s a pretty small number.  Leathercraft dabblers and hobbyists come and go, partially because its hard to establish a commercial presence – it takes time and consistency and a willingness to work the interweb pretty hard.  Predictably, every once in awhile some lazy bones contacts me and asks some really meaningful question like:,”where do you get your tools ” or ” how do you do your coloring”? Duh.

…..and then every once in a blue moon, i get one of these….. making it even more worth it!

Steve,
I am an 53 year old educator who has been working non- professionally with leather since I was 12. Fairly good carver- I made a BB King guitar strap for my cousin that was a killer, and my stamped leather belt I made for my father- in law  lasted him 30 plus years, and I just re- stitched the buckle back on the belt for another go.

I have to say that you are a true professional-  your designs are amazing, and you have great sense for utility of the product. But as an educator, I have to say what really impressed me was your utility with words; your description of carving vs stamping was ” spot on ”  !
Rock on brother !
   B–

Many of my customers come to me for custom work after previously having had a “not-so-good” experience with leather hobbyists who do “work for hire”.  It’s understandable that this happens – as it takes time to get a handle on the art, the craft and most of all the materials necessary to make something from leather that not only looks good, but lasts.

There is no one course, no one YouTube video, no one book and no one person who will teach you what you need to know to be successful at leathercraft. Just as well, as far as I am concerned. But as we all have come to appreciate, a lack of knowledge doesn’t keep some people from venting their pie hole, now does it?

Recently I saw some leathercrafting ka-noodler, reference “stamping” as something that wasn’t as “genuine” as carving, he referenced to it as something for “amateurs”. I had to laugh, as both a carver and a stamper – I think that both have their place and are useful in different ways depending on the effect desired and the nature of the usage of the goods. Carving is when a swivel knife is used (for graphics or typography most often), stamping is when “patterned” stamps are used to create a design. They are completely different techniques, fish and fowl really. One is not better than the other ….except…

Carving is cutting -and leather is fibrous material. The more you cut leather, the more it weakens and doing this will make will make it more likely to come apart over time. Now a light touch certainly helps, but you really need to be careful when and how you use carving and the nature of the beveling technique you will use. For things that don’t get flexed alot, like motorcycle seats, carving works great. Peter Main and Christian Marsh are rockstar carvers, the best.   Those two have very easily identified styles and techniques -although totally different in every regard! If you are an IG’er check out El Mugroso, I like his carving too.

I don’t know of any rockstar stampers though, as its a tough way to express individuality. My aspiration is to be as good at stamping as the best carving talents are at their technique. I am on my way, I have achieved an easily identified style that seems to please, but I have very far to go -and its that journey of improvement I have a passion for, that self inflicted trek to “better”.

On things like wallets and belts – items you wear on your person that see constant flexing and dirt and moisture/sweat, I prefer to use stamping to decorate the materiel with a design, given a choice. Stamping compresses the fibers of the leather and does not violate the integrity of the skin, as cutting it does.  Stampingt doesn’t make it stronger, but it doesn’t weaken it as cutting does and it doesn’t break the top layer of the skin.

Stamping is a tough art to master. I liken it to my other passion, playing electric bass – it is easy to pick up and ka-noodle around – but to really put down a solid line, to create compelling designs with stamping, is tougher than it at first appears. I love stamping, it fits my brain function as where carving graphics – not so much – its much tougher for me to get my idea down exactly with carving, whereas stamping just feels natural to my spirit, its my thing.

Furthermore most of my stamps are not off the shelf tools., Same as with a musical instruments – there is a difference between Guitar Center product and a guitar made by a skilled luthier,  a Made in Mexico Jazz Bass, versus a Custom Shop version, if you will.  That’s not to say you can’t do some shitty work with good tools, but as you master the craft, every bit helps make the end result something you are proud of putting your name on.

All of this leads to my message – my work lasts and it looks good while its lasting. There is a reason I use the expensive cuts of leather I do, there is a reason I construct belts the time consuming way I do – and there is a reason my work costs what it does. Its not cheap, but it is a VALUE and it is utilitarian, it is comfortable and it is something people will notice.

So, know that there is a clear reason why my customers come back , its why they let me know after paying a premium price – that they are happy

Dig it, I got this (and the pics)  from Mark, (a customer I made two belts for, a few years back)  the other day, out of the blue… very nice!

Steve, I wear both belts (you made me) every single day, the one belt that is a tad narrower I wear with my suit, my suits are classic three piece   Saville Row style English suits and it looks great with them.  The other belt I wear when not at work with my jeans and it too looks great which is why I am going to order a third from you real soon, best,   Mark

See whats available in the store right now!

Keeping pants up is serious business and I take it seriously – believe it!

This ultra thick 12oz veg tan belt is for Chris – who will wear it every day for work. This belt is replacing a belt I made him 6yrs ago, which quite honestly is just about worn to death. This new version (as are all of my belts unless specified from now on)is made of 12oz veg tan, a cut of which is specifically designed for making strong straps.

Wear it in health Chris!

I cant get enough of these, people seem to like them and seeing mine every AM when I am pulling on my droopy drawers makes my heart sing with joy. You can see whats available here, and remember – Custom orders are accommodated!

Cheers!

To a person living in the Northeast when the phrase “hatbands” is uttered , well, it conjures up visions of  a weird musical unit. For the most part we don’t wear hats in the East, we wear caps and so I’ve not been exposed to things like “real hats” in any great way.  Well wouldn’t ya know my friend SP, purchased himself a real hat, well…  its mostly a real hat  – not a Western heehaw, but a nice urban looking thing.

So I took off the cheap, icky plastic band thing that you’d not want on your person  – and replaced it with this classy addition. The colors on this piece go all kooky and chameleon depending on the light – its pretty nuts and much more interesting than a flat color. SP’s been getting all kinds of compliments on the hat, so i think its working!

I’ll be coming out with a few  3/4″ as well as some 1″ hatbands in my ETSY store that will be trimmed, glued and screwed together with a cool brass concho.

Hat folks- stay tuned.

If you bought one of my wallets and wore it hard everyday for 5 years, what would it look like?
Well, this is what Jon’s looks like. Pretty damn good
He sent this to me along with an order for a guitar strap.

Thanks Jon!!

click image to see whats for sale @ ETSY

I’m a fan of color & texture.
In my world, it should feel as good, as it looks,  as it works.

My customers seem to agree…

The SteveB Valet is made, by me, right here in the USA,  of two 10.0z squares of seriously heavy duty vegtan leather between which is another sandwich of chrome tanned leather from Langlitz. This whole shebang is glued, stitched and riveted together – so you know this unit will outlive the roaches and will be passed down as an heirloom.

The Valet makes a really nice gift for a family entrance, a man-cave or the top of your bureau.

This is the place you want to put your keys, your wallet/change and your glasses – not your cap, not an old ashtray, not on the night stand – you put them here!

Special orders and requests are available!

I was thinking this morning… …it’s really nice to get feedback  about the work we do. Its useful (but not fun) when that feedback is critical, but even then, it can spur you on to do greater things and produce better work. Its even nicer to get feedback that is positive – and so, I wanted to share something I got yesterday…

I just received my wallet. Absolutely spot on, AMAZING! I work construction, I have no doubt that I’ve found a wallet that will finally stand up to the abuses of my trade. I’ve tried to instill in my two kids that we have a choice each and every day, where to spend the money we make. Spend it on crap, or spend it on good old fashioned Made In America quality. The wallet you made for me will be high atop power poles, and in the bottom of mud filled ditches. Each time I pull a buck out of it for a cup of coffee, I’ll see true quality and be reminded of my favorite past time………cruising across the countryside on my Indian!
Thanks,
Jeff

In this day and age where we have a zillion choices about where and how we spend our money, it is nice to know that folks still are willing to take a chance and vote for the small guy, the independent craftsman. My work isn’t cheap and when you get a great note like this from a customer who just got the goods, it is affirmation that yes, you’ve got something good going and that you are on the right track with your work. How cool is that?

Thanks Jeff, it means alot – and thanks to all of my Customers!

You can see the work I have available on ETSY

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 to lend a hand in matters of maintaining on-air hi-style fashion. If you are going to prep for your reality TV broadcast debut, you want your pants to be staying up, …know what I am saying?

Try one of these really handsome belts,  so when the nice pepper-spraying, K-9 officer picks you up off the ground, he can do it in style….

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 it is hot-stuffed latigo type material also fades and turns to a gray/grey/purple-y baby crap kind of color that I don’t find very attractive. We all have a jacket./toolbag /set of saddlebags that has turned this color and although mink oil and potions might work to darken the material – it aint right.

What does “turd in the punchbowl”  mean you might ask? Well after putting a ton of work into creating a detailed item with intricate stamping beveling and finessing, you, the creator of this minor miracle in craft,  then douse it in a color so dense that all you can see are the most bold of highlights and details. How much does that suck – to have taken the time to do it up, only to see it disappear.

With that said, I used to live in black. it just so happens these days the only things l like that color are my bikes, their tires and the business end of my boots. I think that this is a function of two things: a deep love and appreciation of leather craft and the second is, color is fun and since the older I get, the less I care  what others might think – it frees me up to pursue my whims, and color is one of ’em.

This manta ray was a gift of Paul Cox, sometime ago he gave me a bag of bland, off-white, weird sized manta ray scraps to “do something with” and this is what I’ve come up with so far – using them as inlays (as well as pretty badass knife sheaths). Dying ray is a tricky adventure, requiring a light touch and a sense of humor – after a bunch of impressive failed attempts, I began to get the hang of the technique required to get the look I wanted out of my head and working in the real world. I probably should have asked or researched the “right way”, but that’d not be nearly as much fun.

So check this out – something new to consider when you order a belt from me…. and hey, lighten up and lay off the black  – will ya? The second shot is of a veg tan lined belt, reminding me why I use black, mission grain pigskin as the  linings on the belts I make for my valued customers – it LOOKS good and doesnt stretch or stain.

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 is not so easy, but boy, it sure looks good when you can pull it all together: dying, cutting and sewing.

With this belt,  I think I’ve finally gotten a handle on the magical triumvirate. I don’t know I fully appreciate or understand all of the properties of plug inlays and working with ornery skins like manta, but I think this belt came out pretty hot shit.

This belt is a 3-pc Scrapper (thieves and cheaters note: my name and invention) Belt – and the inlay runs across the back part. Its a deep plug inlay that backed up with a veg tan leather belt lining. The leather making up the window is 10.oz beefy burly material that has enough substance to hold together and make for a durable frame for the Ray.

I’ll talk about color next time….

I made a wallet (nice images Walter, geez!) for Walter (owner of Kickstart cycles and founder of the Gypsy Run) to auction off , the proceeds of which are to help pay for the run….  I don’t support a lot of events, but I dig Walter and I dig the Gypsy Run.

I can’t  support with cash, but my work fetches a pretty penny…. in the end  – its all good!

People say – where have you been, what have you been doing?   To which I respond – I’ve been busy here, hey!

For example – this new stinker just got bagged and tagged and is ready for consumption – and it was no mean feat getting that accomplished, it fought me!

This is a 3 ply toolbag that can be clamped to a motorcycle. This bag measures: 6″ tall, 3.75″ deep and 12″ wide.

The body is a sandwich of fine Garment leather (the exact leather that Langlitz Leathers uses for it’s jackets) and 10oz Veg-tan leather. The Veg tan was a piece of ornery stiff, thick tough stuff that I just didn’t know what to do with until the cow that it came from, spoke to me in a dream.

The cow, said to me in clear English (with no identifying regional accent) “B – you need to use me up, get me off this topmost shelf and get me moving down the road on 2-wheels, make a toolbag out of my rump – wouldya?“.

So, being a good listener when animals speak to me in my sleep, I did just that. This bag is tough, beautiful and about as heavy duty as is reasonable for utility – any heavier and it’d need wheels and a hitch of it’s own, if you get my drift.

Just because 3-ply wasn’t excessive enough, I also added a patch on the back that will further strengthen and help promote everlasting longevity.

The 1.5” wide  straps are 8oz veg tan and lined with pig as are all of my belts – so you KNOW it will take a pounding (UV, water, heat, dirt) and always look good. The buckles are sweet and they are made of brass. Copper rivets hold some pieces and parts on the bag and brass bolts (as well as glue) hold the two ply gussets (lambskin and cowhide) together.

This toolbag is available for sale.

This weeks sale unit – the AllStar Travel Wallet,

This is a travel wallet to hold travel/on the road documents and receipts. It has an unusual and unique stamped design. It is thick and substantial, it is one of a kind and measures 8.5″x 4 5/8′. It’s designed to be able to slip a passport, plane tickets, license, receipts, maps and all the paper one accumulates – in one durable, hi-tone place.

Every single part of this durable piece is lined with pigskin, stitched, copper riveted and glued together, the snap hardware is brass. This is an heirloom, you will pass down if it doesn’t get lost.

The wallet fits perfectly in a jeans back pocket, but it is big, OR a inner vest pocket or a suit. It fills the pocket entirely. I slip mine into any case I am using: backpack, briefcase, saddlebag – rather than carry it on my person – but to each his own.

All my customers, suit and tie guys as do pilots, some in the military, use these!… It’ll last a lifetime

NOTE:  Every week – I am going to offer up a single item from my store, picked randomly – for a 1/3rd off.

I will offer the item and let it run through to the next week – if it sells, its gone, if it doesn’t – it goes back on the “shelf” at full retail.

How does that sound? Fair?

This week, up for dibs is the All Star

the OLD SHOE, a generation 2, belt fob – check it out – a tried and true design. I wore it on my belt as I do all of my designs to insure “structural viability and integrity” (only the most rigorous tests on my stuff will do) and now that the design is well vetted, I am ready to pass this broken in unit on to a new owner, cheaply rather than let it sit in a drawer to rot… It’ll last a lifetime!

If you ride a motorcycle, you need to know the stuff you carry, the items you wear  – as well as the bike you ride – are all rock solid. If you want some really well made, nicely designed and unique leather items to wear on your person – take a look at what is happening at my ETSY store… it’s a blowin’ up! I  dont talk about riding, I ride – and if what i design doesn’t cut it on the bike – it doesn’t make it to you.

The Fobs I make are some of those things  – super simple, beautiful, functional and tough as nails.

the 2-Too, a generation 3, belt fob – check it out – a new design – only made 10 of these and will probably not make more of this design, so get one of this limited run while ya can!@