Double U Leather

Bob aka Hidepounder.....I put the closure strap underneath in order to not cover my initial on the top flap. I'm not sure how I'm going to like it. I'll know more after a few rodeos and miles. If I do wind up moving the strap, I will put it up high, right where the initial is, and have it be on top. Time will tell. Thanks for your feedback. When I win the lottery, I'm headed to your place to camp out for a couple weeks so that maybe by osmosis I can learn to be the leather hand you are. Your work amazes me.

Thanks all for the comments, compliments, and critiques. And, I agree with every critique given. Those are the exact things I said I needed to do differently on the next one. Those, and the construction issues. I tried to load a couple more pics last night, but this friggin' puter wouldn't cooperate. I'll try to add a couple more now. Thanks again for the comments and for the encouragements. Here's another.

Here's a briefcase I just finished. It's the first one I've done. I can tell you this...I learned alot from this little project. Construction issues more than anything else. I had to hand sew a helluva lot more than I wanted to I'll assure you. Anyway, take a look and let me know what ya'll think. I appreciate the feedback. Thanks.

Ray, Here in Colorado, I use a basic propane heater combined with an electric space heater. My shop is only about 10' X 20' at the most. The third element I use if it's really cold and I have work to do out there is the trusty Carhart method. However, Carhart's can be quite binding and cumbersome, so it makes tooling far more difficult!! That's it.....I've just stumbled onto something. If I tool a project that doesn't turn out right, I'll say it was because I was wearing my Carhart's!! Kinda like when I play golf....I always try to play on a windy day so I have an excuse for why the ball doesn't got where it's supposed to.

Thanks for the compliments gang. Rookie, I'm like you....it would take a pretty bad cat to wear those on Tough Enough to Wear Pink night!! I think some big ol' burly bulldogger would look just special in 'em...LOL. Could you just see Rod Lyman wearin' 'em?!

Here's a pair of spur straps I just churned out. The girls should go wild over 'em. Let me know what ya'll think. Thanks for lookin'.

WOW!!!.......Thanks Hidepounder. You're one of those Masters I was referring to. I can only hope to take my leather work to your level. Thanks again for the compliment. It truly means alot to me to have one of the Masters give me an "atta boy".

Luke........I think they are actually spindles or something used for stair railings. Or you might try looking for table legs. I think in our HD, the table legs and these are in the same area. Art....thanks for the vote of confidence, but I still think the name fits. Especially when compared to all the Masters that are in here. But, I do thank you for the compliments. MADMAX....sorry I didn't reply to you sooner. Actually, they are quite comfortable. Obviously, they aren't like your recliner at home, but at a rodeo or camping or whatever, they are pretty nice. And, they're pretty sturdy. My son (16 yrs. old, 6'2", 198#) sits in his all the time, and as of yet hasn't hit the floor!!!

Beener......I got the legs at Home Depot, and our very own UKRay sent me the tri-bolts. Ray was also gracious enough to send the patterns for the stools themselves. You might want to hit him up. And, BTW, thank you for the kind words.

Thanks for the compliments. Manfrommuc.......a can smasher is a rodeo slang term for a barrel racer......lol

Here's another camp stool...this time one for the can smashers. Let me know what you think.

Nice work Dink..."bubble" outlines around words can be a pain sometimes no?

Thanks Cuda........I'm not sure I was really going for the "homemade" look though........LOL

Here's the Lady in Waiting chaps that go with the other queen chaps I had to re-make the other day. I think these turned out pretty well. The bottoms were a bit tricky, and thank goodness a person can only look at one leg at a time!!! You'll notice the bottoms don't match due to the fact of the initials and the angle. I talked to the young lady who will wear them though, and she doesn't have a problem with it. Lesson learned....when working on opposite legs, don't mess with angles.......keep everything in straight lines. Anyway, take a look and let me know what ya'll think. Here's a couple more pics of the chaps. P.S. The pics aren't any too whoopie..........oh well

That's a very good question TwinOaks....one I hadn't thought about. I'd seen several pair of suspenders built just like this using scissor snaps as hooks. I never even considered your point. I guess Dad will just have to stand up all the time........LOL

OH Randy..........you make me sick!! I'd give my left @%^ for a shop like that. Actually, I have to say congrats. I know how much time, effort, money it would take for something like that. To me, that indicates the discipline that I frankly sometimes lack. I've seen some of your work, and that discipline is evident there as well. Again, congrats, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the work space.

Thanks Ray. AZ.....I think there's enough give in the elastic. I sure hope so. Mom was measuring an old "regular" pair for me over the phone. As for construction changes, I'd made the mid-back piece smaller. That would allow for more elastic and just look neater I think. I'd probably also taper the straps so the mid-back piece wouldn't have to be as wide. I dunno. Like everything else I do, I jury rig things along the way. The next pair might turn out completely different.....LOL. Anyway, thanks for the kind words.

Thanks AZ. I'd been studying these kind of suspenders for a while on this board and on some ol' fellers at church. I figured I had a good enough mental picture of them to give it a whirl. They didn't turn out too bad. I do think the next pair will be constructed a tad differently, but nonetheless, these will work.

Thanks Dbar. They turned out alright. I wanted to do more with 'em, but she said that was how she wanted them. And we all know.......the customer is always right!!

She just picked these up......she was thrilled!! Kinda odd, since the only thing different was the bottom. She acted like she was getting them for the very first time..........LOL

Here's a pair of chaps I made last year, but then the gal won the title again in '09 so I had to re-do the bottom panel. The good thing is that the Fair Board like the first pair so well they want me to make a pair for the Lady in Waiting. I'll post pics of those when I get 'em done. Again, let me know what you think. Here's another pic of the chaps.

Here's the first set of suspenders I've ever built. Made 'em for my Dad for Father's Day. Let me know what you think.

Man......as the younger generation would say "That's phat" or perhaps "That is a sick organizer". At any rate, it's friggin' gorgeous. I'd love to be able to do that in my lifetime. Seeing your stuff sometimes makes me want to try harder, other times, it makes me want to hang myself. You do incredible work.

Bruce, Bad news pard.......seems the goat tyers now all wanna carry their strings in PVC tubing. So much for the tooled goat can market. Ray, The money to play the rodeo game isn't real good. 90% at least of the guys that play the game do it for the love of the game. Very few make a substantial living at it.

LOL Ray.....that's funny. Lemme see if I can explain. Lefty/righty = left leg/right leg. SOL= sh*t outta luck, tying dummies= practice equipment for calf ropers, tying your foot= practice equipment for calf ropers prior to the invention of tying dummies. Hope this helps. Us rodeo type folks have our own language apart from typical English.