hushnel Report post Posted February 6, 2009 I've been fooling around with leather for at least 20 years, I should be much better at it than I am but I can't stay focused and tend to drift and dabble into other skills/hobbies. I always come back to leather work because I need stuff that is made out of leather. Such as stuff for the motorcycle, knives, guns and pistols, bags, cases, wallets, belts and off the wall stuff like gourd instruments with rawhide heads, musician related junk, like pick holders and straps. The regular stuff nothing too fancy. I got busy a few years ago when the chopper motorcycle thing was big and I was asked by a buddy who owned a MC shop to do a few custom jobs for his clients. The motorcycle seats took over my life for a few years, man I'm glad that has passed, it was crazy, then all of a sudden every leather worker in the world started doing the custom tooled seats and I couldn't pull in the big bucks as often as I had, thank you, truth is I don't like making the seats, the pans always seem un-symmetrical, making pattern making and the art insane. I did some work for Billy Lane of Choppers Inc. and had a chance to meet Paul Cox and talk with him about the craft, the guy has some of the best beveling I've ever seen though he doesn't draw it out, rather leaves it as a channel, which is kind of cool too. Anyhow I still have a web site I put up during this time and have kept it, though it has drifted into other directions some of the leather projects are still posted on the first three pages or so, www.barclaycustoms.com if you're board to tears and need a distraction. I still get asked once in a while to do a custom leather job and that's fine with me. I finished up one on Tuesday and have to wrap up another tomorrow and then the calendar is clear for a while, a good thing, I need to make up a couple old style fretless gourd banjos and fix my band saw. Dang, I have an inlay I have to wrap up for a ukulele maker up in the North East, nothing fancy but the guys waiting on the uke until I can get it cut, assembled and shipped up to the maker, hate to make the guy wait any longer. I know, I waited a year for my custom Kepasa Ukulele but it was worth it. Anyways, I'll be popping in from time to time, helping where I can and asking dumb questions when I must. Mike in Homestead Finding fossil shark teeth in the Peace River Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Nice stuff, Mike. Dang, there's alligators in the Peace River - I used to go canoeing on there. You should be panning for baby gators for future leather projects. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luke Hatley Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Welcome.............Thanks for sharing........a lot of History there........... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hushnel Report post Posted February 6, 2009 A little over a week ago I was up at the Alafia River Rendezvous and bought a 5 foot gator hide from my buddy Dale at the Creative Aztec. This is an Oak tanned hide and very well done, Dale used to be a rocket scientist and I'm almost convinced that what it takes to tan gator Here are a few things I made out of the last one I got from him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luke Hatley Report post Posted February 6, 2009 ''ALAFIA RIVER RENDEZVEOUS".....are you a BUCKSKINNER......HISTORICAL TRECKER... OR JUST VISITING. Not that it makes any difference to me, just glad to make contact. "SEE YOU ON THE GREEN" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyandclaudia Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Your work is awesome dude! I just played the sound file for Claudia of your Ukulele and it put a huge smile on her face. How beautiful she said. We'll start saving for one. Wow! Dig all of it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hushnel Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Hey Luke, we've been Rendezvousing since the mid 80s and I've been shooting the black stuff since the 70s. We make the Alafia every year for 9 days and make it up to the Southeastern every once in a while. Here I am posing in my new vest just a few short weeks ago. Yeah, that darned uke turned out better than I had a right to expect, I'm one lucky dude. I made it out of a gourd with sitka spruce soundboard and bracing. The finger board is purple heart and the neck is curly Honuran Mahogany, I got both of these woods from the local Ace Hardware store . Sound File Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raven Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Love those pick holders! They look like something even I might be able to do How do you attatch the strap, do you rivet it in? I would love to make a few of these for some good friends of mine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCKNIVES Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Hi Mike,good to see another Floridian on here.I have a friend that went to Alafia, and I was supposed to go and do some shooting but my plans fell through.He said a great time was had by all.Don't know if you heard about Billy Lane, he killed a guy while driving drunk and now his shop is shutdown(I drive by it daily) and he goes on trial Monday. Your work looks great bud.Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hushnel Report post Posted February 7, 2009 (edited) Thanks Raven, the strap comes up the back through a punched slot and through a keeper. The strap is attached by two stitches at the bottom of the back, there are 14 stitched total, at 7 & 8 the strap attached, the keeper is attached on the front at stitch number 3 & 4 on one side and 11 & 12 on the other. The shape of the pick holder is cut with three punches of a 1 1/2" strap end cutter, look at the picture again and it will become clear there are 4 pieces not counting the split ring to attach it to your key ring. I've made hundreds of these and get 15 to 25 bucks apiece depending on the skin I use. I give away as many as I sell, often as an extra with custom guitar straps or to musician friends and players I want to remember me. Hey Dave, the rendezvous was a blast, it always is plus I get an opportunity to snatch up leather working stuff without hazmet fees and look at the leather and hides before I buy, this year I bought a buffalo hide and a hair on cow hide for some projects I've been wanting to do. I know about Billy, he blew it, I probably shouldn't say but I believe the guy has a problem with alcohol, every time I've seen him he was so toasted it was pathetic, I know because I was like that up until 14 years ago when I stopped doing all that crap. Edited February 7, 2009 by hushnel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raven Report post Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) Dang, totally missed that reply! Thanks Mike I made a pick holder today for a friend - wish I'd got a strap end cutter, would've made the job easy. Anyhow, here's what I came up with... The back and strap are all one piece with a rivet holding the strap in place and providing somewhere for the split ring. I'll probably just put a couple of stitches in next time though, the leather I used is really light and even the small rivet was really too large for it. Edited March 7, 2009 by Raven Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hushnel Report post Posted March 8, 2009 Cool, it looks like it will work pretty good. I like to use 5 to 6oz. I make up a bunch and then carry the parts around as stitching projects when I'm waiting or bored. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
