The Butcher

This is a seat my wife, Cathy, is doing for my 83 Harley FLH. She's done tooling and is ready for stain. We'll keep you updated on progress....Hoping to get the whole bike done within the month including some custom airbrushing I'm doing on the faring and tank. I've also attached a phote of a guitar strap she made me as a surprise birthday gift. She would love any critique or suggestions Gino

Thanks Bill, The bike will be used regularly......whenever I have built a custom they are for show and go both......I was going to use the original seat pan, but decided to Fiberglas form a new pan and use the closed cell foam to recreate a moe form fitted seat to my particular bike. I appreciate the advice......I was thinking of the two different weights for the top and sides, as well. I do have a passenger backrest but think I have that planned out.......the seat was the biggest concern I had

Hello, I am planning on totally re-doing the seat on my 1983 Harley FLHT. Anyone who knows the FLH line knows these seats are quite a bit larger and much more "shapely" than a solo or a pillion seat. I am really looking forward to customizing this bike to be a real killer and wanted to do a seat that will look bad-to-the-bone as well as be functional for two people since my wife rides with me a lot. Question is, what helpful tips can anyone here give me as far as what guage leather works best on a seat that has many bends and stretches to it, but yet can be tooled too........I have a great design in mind for it. Also, what pattern works best when doing a touring-type seat?......should it be a two piece, three piece design, should I plan on stitching or lacing it.......(I really want to keep the connecting points small and flat if I use lace, so I'm not sure what lace pattern to use. I am so comfuzed!!.... Got big plans for this old girl and thought you people would be great to turn to for some solid advice. Thanks in advance.

I sure wish I was better as this here computer technology.....I am not so good at downloading pics to the forums, but I thought a link may be more convenient. My wife and I do leatherwork as a hobby and as an expression of art, not to put food on the table. We do special orders, but as it turns out, we become attatched to a lot of the stuff we create and never try selling it! Anyhow, please check out our site and tell me what you think. For some reason, again being computer illiterate, the pics in our website won't allow you to click on them to enlarge them. I have to do some research and find out how to go in and make that change if I can ever figure out how to do that........ Check it out........ lillydinardosleather.com

Randy, I do motorcycle seats as a hobby. I have doine only a few that were actually for sale and sold, but I am experienced in the leather crafting field from retail to repair work to hand tooling. I am an automotive refinisher by trade and can usually get away from my business more easily during fall and winter here in the northeast (Ohio). It sounds like you're in a bit of a crunch to find folks. I just became a member and am trying to get my computer to cooperate and let me upload some of my work for critiquing and comments, etc. Let me know if you could possibly use someone like me. Gino

Hello all and Happy Holidays. My name is Gino and I am from Medina, OH. I wanted to introduce myself, as I am re-finding my passion for this type of art. I think this site is great and I see tons of talent here. I have been crafting on and off (mostly off) for about 7 years. Leatherwork and shoe repair have been in my family for the past 200 years and my father ownes and runs a shoe repair / leather repair shop for the past 43 years. He and I make a great team and as is turns out my wife became interested in the trade of crafting and is better gifted than my Dad and I put together! Damn, I hate when that happens. Motorcycles have been in my blood for many years so I gave the seat-thing a go around on bikes I built, etc and it was so cool I became hooked. I own and operate an automotive spot-refinishing company and do custom paint on the side. Metal-engraving and leatherwork have always been my favorites, though. Been floundering lately with work, holidays, the weather, etc and got disconnected from my love of leather work. I just recently came back to the hobby and look forward to getting to know the community. Take care, The Butcher