Colt W Knight

Customer got his strap today. He was very happy with it.

Neat, I would have never thought to use the barb wire like that. I love coming to this place and see how folks think differently. Gives me all kinds of ideas. When I first got into leather work, the first stamps I bought were a barb wire set and an alphabet. I basically barb wired everything I made for a year or so.

Cool strap. I can just see that I would have been cussing a lot trying to figure out which color goes where on the "celtic knot" part of the dragon. I have had to get creative on a few guitar straps because guys tell me they don't want a country/western or cowboy guitar strap. The first time someone asked me that, I hadn't realized that my guitar straps were "cowboy" guitar straps, I just thought that is how guitar straps were supposed to be made.

I can honestly say I have never seen anything like that before. I can also say that I like it, a lot.

Thanks, normally I would just tell someone no that asked for something like that, but knowing the guy and where he will be using the strap. They are more like badges of honor, not just a bunch of random crap like the crazy people wearing lots of buttons. Appreciate it Chief.

Awesome elephants. This is my attempt at an elephant

Thanks Billy Tooling those tiny Arizona National letters was tough. I didn't think I would be able to do it, so I finally broke down and bought one of those 3/8" barrel pro swivel knives with the 1/4" angled blade. That thing makes tooling smaller stuff so much easier. I wish I had bought one a while back.

Thanks Rohn.

A friend of mine is a pharmaceutical rep for a major livestock vaccine company. He is heavily involved with the cattle industry in Arizona, and asked me to create a guitar strap that has some the important brands he is involved with. I wasn't real sure how to go about putting a bunch of logos on a strap, so I broke them up with some basketweave. My first basket weave His brand, the University of Arizona, Arizona National, and Arizona Cattle Feeders Initials, 4-H, and Arizona Cattle Growers Buckle Set I couldn't carve the FFA seal, so I decided to sandwich some FFA color wool felt as a strap lining.

Very cool. How long does it take you to make something like that?

Love those letters

A gentleman contacted me today, and would like me to make him a Santa Clause outfit belt. He wants a fairly simple 3 or 3 1/2" belt with a plain silver buckle. However, I have no idea where to to find a buckle that size.

I made my dad a belt for Christmas last summer, and I tooled his entire name upside down. Didn't catch on til I put the buckle on. Had to remake the whole damn thing.

Back in the day, servants put on mens battle gear, i.e. belt and sword, armor, etc. Buckle was placed on the right, so servants could use their dominant(right hand) to manipulate the buckle. Similar story for buttons. When fashionable buttons first came about, only the rich had garments with them and men would dress themselves, so that's why the buttons are on the right. However, women had servants dress them, so buttons are on the left so its easier for the servants.

Basically, this is amazing. Wow.

Here in Tucson, it is not uncommon for it to be over 100 with almost no humidity. I generally tool outside so I don't disturb the neighbor and folks inside, but tooling outside is super tough in the summer.

Nice bag, what are those brass corner pieces called, and where can I get some?

Joe, neat design. Do you ever glue linings in on your wallets?

I swapped over to long wallets, when I realized I could keep a ink pen (cross thinline) in my wallet, but I quickly realized that long wallets don't get as fat and hard to sit on as regular billfolds. Before I switched, I always had to take my wallet out while driving, which led to me forgetting it in the truck quite a bit. Always embarrassing to have to tell the clerk, wait right here while I go get my wallet.

Awesome, love that snuff can mold.

Both sets of friends got their books/covers today. They both were very happy, and sent me great emails. Made all those hours lacing well worth it. Plus, lacing doesn't hard my fingers like stitching. I can see myself doing a lot more of this lacing stuff.

I had a wallet painted with Acrylic my grand dad gave me, and the leather on the corners wore out. The paint was still going strong.

Ive only made two book covers, but I used 4-5 ounce vegtan lined with pigskin or goat skin. Seamed like the ideal weight, In my opinion. I made the inside "pockets" about 3.25 - 3.5" wide.

That is impressive tooling.