gearJunkie
Shredder
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Mine in scheduled for delivery sometime today. 
Tales from.. ..The StrapLab!
- Thread starter TVvoodoo
- Start date
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- 185
Not if I hit the lottery first LOL! Actually, I don't play the lotteries. Biggest gamble I tend to make is ordering in $600 worth of leather, and fantasize about somehow being able to make $550 worth of goods out of itHolleee Straps Batman!
Just peeked at the store and man, I need to hit the lottery to buy all the guitars so I can then buy all your straps.
Yessir, the store is a good general guide to see what I'm been up to, but about 30% of the work I do is custom stuff that never shows up in the store, or gets listed and picked up immediately. It's the ride I'm on. I do this full time, managing to make a rather unimpressive go at it financially. Not hand-to-mouth living, but sustainable if I'm careful on expenses, and put in the 50 hour weeks necessary.
I enjoy the bespoke jobs making other people's strap desires come true, because it's a surer, more steady source of income, but they
take more shop time, and I don't get to benefit from economy of scale by doing three or four of the same at a time.
Stuff like this I just can't do four at a time, as much as I'd really like to!
I'm in love with the idea of putting out a whole bunch of unique one-only straps, but that's a tough go. Better that I've developed some lines where the pieces each remain unique, but follow a certain pattern, like the "End Times" or "Shock & Awe" series. Much like a guitar manu custom shop. Work with general designs that are solid, proven entities, just give them different treatments and appointments.
When there's a break in the custom action I find myself torn between restocking several style lines I have of regular sellers, or forge ahead into new creative territory (which definitely is the most fun, but highest risk unless bespoke). Right now I have sidelined a new series I've been hoping to get too called "Denim Demon" for about five months. I'd like to also develop a new "Desperado" line loosely based on the embossed strap in my previous post. Plus all the
other stuff goes with any operation, comms, supply stock, packing 'n shipping, paperwork etc. Even taking pictures of listings and putting them up on the platform eats up a lot of time. The shopify/Etsy internet marketing dream they sell, where I get to drink a lot of coffee, take photos, surf the internet and make bank is pretty far from the reality of things.
Being your own boss is alright though, if the boss is not a real arsehole about everything all the time.
Mine in scheduled for delivery sometime today.
I hope it compliments that blue monster you showed me magnificently!
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gearJunkie
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,531
Received the package. The strap looks absolutely spectacular. The blue suede underneath looks and feels great. Very happy.
p.s. Thanks for the Cheezies.
p.s. Thanks for the Cheezies.
- Messages
- 185
@gearJunkie You're very welcome! Those things are frickin' addictive tho LOL! Someday post a pic of the strap with that Ernie Ball! Though getting the sparkle to glitter hard in photos, believe me I know! LOL
Today working on something I haven't made for a couple of years, and only build to order. Cowboy Prayer! Basically think a traditional floating pad strap, but instead a very heavy duty one, with a padded 3" pad, (NOT 2")
some tooling and some brightwork. There is more padding, they feel way more "secure" and the pad won't be slipping all over the place the way I build.
Cut the bits out of 9 oz vegtan leather, case it overnight, which effectively helps put the lotion on it's skin
He wanted a monogram stamped up front, great initial set LOL! about an hour and a half of simple stampin'
Tool in what I call a cowboy border, in the western style on all the bits Then a little fancy knifework, dresses up the letters a little bit. Then I round off the edges with a bevel tool
while the leather is still slightly damp, I like to dye. It helps even out the dyeing process, keep from getting blotchy. Not so apparent with black, but you really see the difference with browns or whatnot. Triple dyed none more black.
Let this sit overnight, oil it tomorrow morning with neatsfoot oil, then let 'er sit for most of the day to soak in deep. I'll burnish edges, buff it all out maybe get one coat of protective finish on tomorrow, brightwork the next day.
When it's done, it's gonna look something like this, but with a major twist. Not sure if he wants the contrasting stitching,
but it does add a little something something. Buckle on the back for this guy. But I may be making another soon for another fella with a front buckle.
Today working on something I haven't made for a couple of years, and only build to order. Cowboy Prayer! Basically think a traditional floating pad strap, but instead a very heavy duty one, with a padded 3" pad, (NOT 2")
some tooling and some brightwork. There is more padding, they feel way more "secure" and the pad won't be slipping all over the place the way I build.
Cut the bits out of 9 oz vegtan leather, case it overnight, which effectively helps put the lotion on it's skin
He wanted a monogram stamped up front, great initial set LOL! about an hour and a half of simple stampin'
Tool in what I call a cowboy border, in the western style on all the bits Then a little fancy knifework, dresses up the letters a little bit. Then I round off the edges with a bevel tool
while the leather is still slightly damp, I like to dye. It helps even out the dyeing process, keep from getting blotchy. Not so apparent with black, but you really see the difference with browns or whatnot. Triple dyed none more black.
Let this sit overnight, oil it tomorrow morning with neatsfoot oil, then let 'er sit for most of the day to soak in deep. I'll burnish edges, buff it all out maybe get one coat of protective finish on tomorrow, brightwork the next day.
When it's done, it's gonna look something like this, but with a major twist. Not sure if he wants the contrasting stitching,
but it does add a little something something. Buckle on the back for this guy. But I may be making another soon for another fella with a front buckle.
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- Messages
- 185
Finally completed the latest version of "Cowboy Prayer" this afternoon, on the way to Minnesota tomorrow. Made quite a few of these over the years, back around 2018, they were kind of a thing for a bit for me, was a little rush on them. Haven't taken an order for quite some time on them, suddenly have two. Something about the cowboy style, always seems to work, and my take on the old classic allows some customizations. This particular one a decidedly darker version, with horny demon embellishments, staying with the western theme hadda name it more appropriate
This is my take on the very first "real" guitar strap type invented by Bill Lee, I believe in the late 40's. He was a gigging musician himself and he grew weary of the old shoestrings and belts and ropes guitarists were of the day were using. Things were changing in how show and dance hall bands were suddenly expected to stand up to play, (or at least the better, more exciting ones did), so he decided to invent something for himself. Other musicians got wind of his strap, and he eventually left his music career behind hand-making each one himself, and hitting the road selling them to music stores which was also becoming a thing. Company called Ace stole this idea, as well as his next strap idea, the basic ribbon strap and, using mass production methods, totally dominated the market he developed and undercut his prices. Read somewhere it drove Lee near crazy that other companies would just outright steal his designs, but he never ever moved to patent his work.
Notice my skinny strap goes THROUGH the pad, not over the top through a bunch of loops. Much cleaner look. The Well-Hung version is also amply padded inside for comfort unlike most others. The leather pad is six inches longer than you'll find on the classic version, about an inch wider too. The skinny straps are 1-1/4" wide, heavy leather too, but also backed/reinforced with more leather. No worries about strength here!
Genuine hand-tooled (not machine stamped) with a cowboy border, hand-dyed, hand-buffed, burnished & buffed out. This one has a monogram too. It's a simple stripped down look, but the reserved amount of brightwork really dresses them out for some "notice me" handsome elegance.
He initially was wanting upside down crosses, saying he felt burning sensations whenever he entered a church LOL! I gave him options out of what I had here in stock, and I'm kind of glad he went with the demons on each end.
This particular Cowboy Prayer version is an easy/fast to adjust back buckle affair with a heavy western buckle set, 50"-60" - I can do front buckle as well, but this limits the range of adjustment down to about 4 or five inches. If you know where you need it, hardly a problem. Front buckles are notorious guitar dingers, though. I know that don't bother some guitar badasses out there who wanna look cool and live dangerous.
Goes against the very fiber of my being, but I'm now designing my own version of the "Slash" skinny strap, to come in the next month or two. My version can be customized like this one with some small conchos/ rivets / studs or brightwork elements. Other manus do similar, and I know I can make a killer one (literally) for all you, "I gotta feel the pain when I play" guitar masochists out there.
Leave you today with a word from Jason on Spud Island
This is my take on the very first "real" guitar strap type invented by Bill Lee, I believe in the late 40's. He was a gigging musician himself and he grew weary of the old shoestrings and belts and ropes guitarists were of the day were using. Things were changing in how show and dance hall bands were suddenly expected to stand up to play, (or at least the better, more exciting ones did), so he decided to invent something for himself. Other musicians got wind of his strap, and he eventually left his music career behind hand-making each one himself, and hitting the road selling them to music stores which was also becoming a thing. Company called Ace stole this idea, as well as his next strap idea, the basic ribbon strap and, using mass production methods, totally dominated the market he developed and undercut his prices. Read somewhere it drove Lee near crazy that other companies would just outright steal his designs, but he never ever moved to patent his work.
Notice my skinny strap goes THROUGH the pad, not over the top through a bunch of loops. Much cleaner look. The Well-Hung version is also amply padded inside for comfort unlike most others. The leather pad is six inches longer than you'll find on the classic version, about an inch wider too. The skinny straps are 1-1/4" wide, heavy leather too, but also backed/reinforced with more leather. No worries about strength here!
Genuine hand-tooled (not machine stamped) with a cowboy border, hand-dyed, hand-buffed, burnished & buffed out. This one has a monogram too. It's a simple stripped down look, but the reserved amount of brightwork really dresses them out for some "notice me" handsome elegance.
He initially was wanting upside down crosses, saying he felt burning sensations whenever he entered a church LOL! I gave him options out of what I had here in stock, and I'm kind of glad he went with the demons on each end.
This particular Cowboy Prayer version is an easy/fast to adjust back buckle affair with a heavy western buckle set, 50"-60" - I can do front buckle as well, but this limits the range of adjustment down to about 4 or five inches. If you know where you need it, hardly a problem. Front buckles are notorious guitar dingers, though. I know that don't bother some guitar badasses out there who wanna look cool and live dangerous.
Goes against the very fiber of my being, but I'm now designing my own version of the "Slash" skinny strap, to come in the next month or two. My version can be customized like this one with some small conchos/ rivets / studs or brightwork elements. Other manus do similar, and I know I can make a killer one (literally) for all you, "I gotta feel the pain when I play" guitar masochists out there.
Leave you today with a word from Jason on Spud Island
- Messages
- 185
In between other things in the shop, I try to keep my head moving on what to build next.
Sometime around Christmas I took advantage of a boxing week sale, picked up some leather that
I figured I could use, but wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. Trying some stuff over the last couple days.
It's a nice calf leather, has a pretty common Sheridan style cowboy roses 'n scrolls whatnot emboss on it,
but probably the reason it was on sale was it's a relatively dull browny gray, as you can see
in the lowest part of the photo below. I took it upon myself to try to redye it and make it a
little more interesting, so I did a set of three, one came out brown, and two in plain old black.
I was actually hoping for more a burgundy result for the brown one, as I used red
dye, but that's how it came out, and I not unhappy with it. That's the trick with re-dying,
sometimes the results are quite unexpected. It's a bit more work, to deglaze, then dye,
then recoat with clear finish, but it being able to do all that gives a fellow a little more versatility...
with the same hide you can make a few different colour combos, take some risks, try some stuff,
and come up with some finishes that that are uncommonly seen.
What I decided to try with this is to highlight the emboss with a super gentle
brushing of metallic, just hitting the upper bits, takes quite a bit of patience
to get this, but I'm getting better at it.
Here we have gold, light aged bronze, and pewter
After some a few light coats of protectant to lock that new finish down,
gives it all a nice contrast, and the texture jumps out even a bit more
I'll be letting that clear leather finish cure over the weekend and probably do
something fun with these next week.
Something new in my long-neglected "Dark Cowboy" series I think
Sometime around Christmas I took advantage of a boxing week sale, picked up some leather that
I figured I could use, but wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. Trying some stuff over the last couple days.
It's a nice calf leather, has a pretty common Sheridan style cowboy roses 'n scrolls whatnot emboss on it,
but probably the reason it was on sale was it's a relatively dull browny gray, as you can see
in the lowest part of the photo below. I took it upon myself to try to redye it and make it a
little more interesting, so I did a set of three, one came out brown, and two in plain old black.
I was actually hoping for more a burgundy result for the brown one, as I used red
dye, but that's how it came out, and I not unhappy with it. That's the trick with re-dying,
sometimes the results are quite unexpected. It's a bit more work, to deglaze, then dye,
then recoat with clear finish, but it being able to do all that gives a fellow a little more versatility...
with the same hide you can make a few different colour combos, take some risks, try some stuff,
and come up with some finishes that that are uncommonly seen.
What I decided to try with this is to highlight the emboss with a super gentle
brushing of metallic, just hitting the upper bits, takes quite a bit of patience
to get this, but I'm getting better at it.
Here we have gold, light aged bronze, and pewter
After some a few light coats of protectant to lock that new finish down,
gives it all a nice contrast, and the texture jumps out even a bit more
I'll be letting that clear leather finish cure over the weekend and probably do
something fun with these next week.
Something new in my long-neglected "Dark Cowboy" series I think
- Messages
- 185
Back at the workbench after a bit of egg huntin' this one was started last week, now all buttoned up. Since I was making a couple bespoke versions of this strap, I decided to make another for my store as well, but in an alternate colour and design. Meet Cowboy Prayer, "Sunrise" version in a deep mahogany brown -
This is a beefed-up, fancied-up floatin' pad strap you can trust to:
1. Not have that pad fall back or forwards all the time making you look and feel like a total clown
2. Have a wider pad at 3", longer too at 14" for more Well-Hung padded comfort
3. Be trusty with 1-1/4 skinny straps, both reinforced with suede, and sewn, with trusty hardware.
"Sunrise" sports a rising sun motif in nickel rivets on the front and back, and a single nickel concho
Since it's pretty heavy duty, you can count on a long useful life for a strap like this. Heirloomy-like.
Both the saddle and the "reins' sport hand tooling stamping for that cowboy style vibe.
This one now up in the Reverb store, but I can definitely craft something similar if this is your vibe,
maybe you want a monogram, different border, different dye colour etc.
Today saddened by the loss of Joe Flaherty. I spent many hours in the studios of ITV Edmonton,
where SCTV was first taped.
This is a beefed-up, fancied-up floatin' pad strap you can trust to:
1. Not have that pad fall back or forwards all the time making you look and feel like a total clown
2. Have a wider pad at 3", longer too at 14" for more Well-Hung padded comfort
3. Be trusty with 1-1/4 skinny straps, both reinforced with suede, and sewn, with trusty hardware.
"Sunrise" sports a rising sun motif in nickel rivets on the front and back, and a single nickel concho
Since it's pretty heavy duty, you can count on a long useful life for a strap like this. Heirloomy-like.
Both the saddle and the "reins' sport hand tooling stamping for that cowboy style vibe.
This one now up in the Reverb store, but I can definitely craft something similar if this is your vibe,
maybe you want a monogram, different border, different dye colour etc.
Today saddened by the loss of Joe Flaherty. I spent many hours in the studios of ITV Edmonton,
where SCTV was first taped.
norminal
Rock Star
- Messages
- 5,354
Absolute legend!
- Messages
- 185
Three new ones hit the Reverb store today... I'll bet you have a guitar that could use one of these, and I know for sure your back will thank both you, and me, after your first rehearsal or gig.
Dress for Texas series... in Aged Pewter on Mahogany, Bronze on black, Old Gold on black
All built on my regular 3" wide black leather platform with three carefully chosen and placed padding that will ride on the road of you like a luxury Cadillac, baby!
Heavy black leather nose, ladder and tail, plus a no-slip lining. It's just the best strap, don't ask me,
check what my over 1,010
FIVE STAR Reverb feedbacks have to say, from
a fast-growing Well-Hung Warrior Tribe of repeat customers.
You will most likely NOT find yourself shorted out on the last rung of adjustment. These all go to approx. 58" long,
which is about 8 inches more than the typical ladder adjustment style you'll get from guitar stores and most famous brand name strap companies.
A link to my reverb store is in my signature. Turn your phone sideways to go see these and more!
Dress for Texas series... in Aged Pewter on Mahogany, Bronze on black, Old Gold on black
All built on my regular 3" wide black leather platform with three carefully chosen and placed padding that will ride on the road of you like a luxury Cadillac, baby!
Heavy black leather nose, ladder and tail, plus a no-slip lining. It's just the best strap, don't ask me,
check what my over 1,010
FIVE STAR Reverb feedbacks have to say, froma fast-growing Well-Hung Warrior Tribe of repeat customers.
You will most likely NOT find yourself shorted out on the last rung of adjustment. These all go to approx. 58" long,
which is about 8 inches more than the typical ladder adjustment style you'll get from guitar stores and most famous brand name strap companies.
A link to my reverb store is in my signature. Turn your phone sideways to go see these and more!
- Messages
- 1,663
Fyi, sigs don’t show on mobile.
norminal
Rock Star
- Messages
- 5,354
- Messages
- 1,238
They don't show on my phone either, in portrait or landscape mode!Apparently sigs don’t show on MY mobile.
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OK, they DO show up in landscape mode on my phone IF I am logged in, otherwise they do not show in either mode. They never show on my phone in portrait mode.
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It’s all part of the @norminal ing. See a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen. Side effects include mobile irritation and cravings for more luxury guitar straps.
- Messages
- 185
Today in the shop, calling this sort of a prototype, proof of concept sort of deal. I've wanted to tackle this famous "Randy R." style strap for a few years now, but I'm guessing his was unpadded, just regular leather and no lining either as I understand it. Rivetwork and Sharon both just pounding away on the poor guy.
I want to offer a padded version which make the brightwork quite a bit more of a challenge. Then, I was poking around on the web for photos, many black & whites, research led me to discover the version we see in the old photos was not actually nickel or chrome brightwork, but done in what appears to be brass or antique brass.
How can so many strapmakers have had it so wrong for so long? Anyway, not looking ignite another divisive RR "controversy," I just went after three different looks of my own style on the bench today. Took me all morning just to get the metal bits on, about a hundred of the little buggers on each strap.
Left to right, Gunmetal (black Chrome), Antique Brass, and regular Nickel versions.
Still have to get the holes punched in the ends and singe off loose threads etc... but these should be up in the Well-Hung Reverb store tomorrow sometime, or the weekend. As these are prototypes, I'll be changing small things in the design if/when I do this again. So these go up at a lesser price because this won't be the final Well-Hung version - They still have great leather front and back, and padded in the Well-Hung way, so I'll bet already the most comfy version of this pattern in existence, bet on it!
I'd like to shoot for getting the rivets to lay a bit flatter on the top in my next try, not so much of a quilt effect. Though I gotta admit, the quilty plush look makes this strap a little bit more interesting. The side lighting here kind of accentuates that, but it's there. There'll be more photos under different light in my Reverb listings.
Have you ever wondered about Well-Hung Pro-Pins? both Brian and I say leave the relicing to the custom shops, amateur relic jobs can look well, so amateur.
I want to offer a padded version which make the brightwork quite a bit more of a challenge. Then, I was poking around on the web for photos, many black & whites, research led me to discover the version we see in the old photos was not actually nickel or chrome brightwork, but done in what appears to be brass or antique brass.
How can so many strapmakers have had it so wrong for so long? Anyway, not looking ignite another divisive RR "controversy," I just went after three different looks of my own style on the bench today. Took me all morning just to get the metal bits on, about a hundred of the little buggers on each strap.
Left to right, Gunmetal (black Chrome), Antique Brass, and regular Nickel versions.
Still have to get the holes punched in the ends and singe off loose threads etc... but these should be up in the Well-Hung Reverb store tomorrow sometime, or the weekend. As these are prototypes, I'll be changing small things in the design if/when I do this again. So these go up at a lesser price because this won't be the final Well-Hung version - They still have great leather front and back, and padded in the Well-Hung way, so I'll bet already the most comfy version of this pattern in existence, bet on it!
I'd like to shoot for getting the rivets to lay a bit flatter on the top in my next try, not so much of a quilt effect. Though I gotta admit, the quilty plush look makes this strap a little bit more interesting. The side lighting here kind of accentuates that, but it's there. There'll be more photos under different light in my Reverb listings.
Have you ever wondered about Well-Hung Pro-Pins? both Brian and I say leave the relicing to the custom shops, amateur relic jobs can look well, so amateur.
- Messages
- 185
Great looking harem of Well-Hung instruments sent in by Collin out in Ontario
Brand new in the store today... a couple of "Concrete Python" guitar straps. Ordered this leather in from Italy, it's pretty nice, though the hide was a bit smaller than I was hoping. This is made from lamb that was printed, finished, then a run under a laser to cut out the scale pattern, revealing gray suede underneath the top layer of skin. I think I'll safely be able to get four out of what I go. This is one of the first couple. 3" wide as usual, heavy black harness leather on the ends, Cadillac-padded in the shoulder. This would wrap nicely around a silverburst, I think, or anything in the gray/silver realm. The scales even have a little glitter to 'em
Speaking of Cadillacs... got these photos in from Paul in Las Vegas last week...
I sent out the Circling Ravens strap without a hole in the tail strap, which threw both of us for a loop! Thankfully with minimal instruction, he was able to perform a successful hole-making operation, and is now enjoying a Cadillac-worthy luxury ride for both his Deans!
Brand new in the store today... a couple of "Concrete Python" guitar straps. Ordered this leather in from Italy, it's pretty nice, though the hide was a bit smaller than I was hoping. This is made from lamb that was printed, finished, then a run under a laser to cut out the scale pattern, revealing gray suede underneath the top layer of skin. I think I'll safely be able to get four out of what I go. This is one of the first couple. 3" wide as usual, heavy black harness leather on the ends, Cadillac-padded in the shoulder. This would wrap nicely around a silverburst, I think, or anything in the gray/silver realm. The scales even have a little glitter to 'em
Speaking of Cadillacs... got these photos in from Paul in Las Vegas last week...
I sent out the Circling Ravens strap without a hole in the tail strap, which threw both of us for a loop! Thankfully with minimal instruction, he was able to perform a successful hole-making operation, and is now enjoying a Cadillac-worthy luxury ride for both his Deans!
- Messages
- 185
Cut my finger real bad this morning so can't type too good. But, I did manage to complete this Cowboy Prayer "Blackstone" version that'll be going into the Reverb store tomorrow
Rare Superduty floating pad strap, non-slip, strong, hand-tooled, 15" pad, 3" wide.
Front buckler for show, goes 49"-57" - Good quality Western flavored buckle set
I don't think those are real stones, LOL but they look pretty badass
Good strong reins! This was a custom job, but then the dude changed direction on me.
Won't be playing any guitar for a while. :-(
Rare Superduty floating pad strap, non-slip, strong, hand-tooled, 15" pad, 3" wide.
Front buckler for show, goes 49"-57" - Good quality Western flavored buckle set
I don't think those are real stones, LOL but they look pretty badass
Good strong reins! This was a custom job, but then the dude changed direction on me.
Won't be playing any guitar for a while. :-(
