Over the weekend I got a fella interested in a custom version of my "Bouquet" tooled strap. He's got a pretty killer 355 it's going on, and while the one in the store was a nice match, he need something in the 58-60 zone, and that one wouldn't cut it. So, after casing the leather last night, (wetting it down and sticking it in an ice cream bucket to keep it damp for better tooling impressions)... here we go! The beauty of this design is the texture and simplicity. Only two stamps required.
Not really a whole lot of brain power goes into this, only when the flowers meet up. But it's hard on the old arms, especially an extra long strap like this one. But I got it all tooled in a little over three hours, but had to take a half hour break half way through.
got the edges beveled out, and the first dye stage and then oiled it to sink that dye a bit deeper.
I'll resist coat it tonight after the game, one more time first thing in the morning and let it set for a until tomorrow afternoon. Last time I got a bit heavy handed with the black dye. I'm aimin' to try to keep this one more red than black, but still with black mixed in, but also keep some yellow and orange. Complicated business this one!
Ok, this afternoon I'm trying something different. I've been harping on this forum and others about how 2" poly starter pack straps are basically evil. But feels like sometimes I'm just hollering in the wilderness. So many companies make 'em, so many guitarists seem perfectly satisfied by the utility of them. But still my hatred burns deep, deep inside me.
Such a simple thing, yet I see the fancy ones from Europe with three bucks worth of Chinese ribbon sewn onto the poly, a few metal rivets and two metal loops, a stamped metal buckle, and they want like a hundred bucks for the things.
On the local buy 'n sell site I saw some dude had forty yards of webbing for sale, at 2.5 inches wide. I think maybe it's trucking webbing, probably for industrial strength tie-down straps. It's thick and super strong. A bit sporty/tribal lookin' too. Way tougher and thicker than your typical guitar strap or seat belt poly, a bit wider too, which I dug, so I bought it off him.
My idea was to take it and see if I couldn't create the ULTIMATE starter pack strap. Kind of like those cooking shows take like your typical pedestrian "franks 'n beans" dish, but then juice it up to turn it into a gourmet experience. "Elevate" is how they put it. That's what I wanted to try.
So, improvements I made...
- 2.5" HEAVY DUTY ABS Tri-Buckle and loop (no stamped metal or rivets),
- A bit longer than typical to go as long as 65"
- Padded in the shoulder area for 22", under 24" of BLACK LEATHER lining where it touches you.
- rolled the edges of the leather just slightly along the side so the poly won't cut into your neck
- added a good thick leather nose and tail.
It has the look of a poly strap. But to me it don't feel nothing like no poly strap. It's actually pretty wearable! One issue is, the padding makes is less adjustable than your typical sliding buckle strap. This first one only works from about 53"-65". I have two more half done, and will list all three together. Next two, probably going to be more like 45-60 which will suit more players. I think I'm going to see If I can add some elastic into the chain too... see if I can add a bit of "flex" to it. Really takes the hammer on your shoulder effect away. One other plus is I think the padding also helps this strap from getting all loopy/tangly like the thin starter pack straps often do - you know that annoying scene.
I've got another tooled custom happening tomorrow too, so double-header going. I'll see if I can finish the other two poly straps like this one, which I'll be calling "Gateway Drug" while I'm waiting for dye to dry or whatever tomorrow.
