Guitar Strap With Roses

[Frederiek]

Hi everyone,

I thought it was about time to post my first topic here From knifemaking I got into leatherworking by chance about 1,5 years ago and this is, apart from some smaller decorations, my second carving project.

I started working on this strap in December already, but we all know how 'priority' works. I really enjoyed making it but I had a rough time making proper pictures, it's really hard to catch the colours and I still think it looks better in reality.

Here it is on my strat:

Some pictures with my charming assistant ^^

I really hope you like it of course, but comments of any kind are most welcome!

Frederiek

[Hi Im Joe]

I think you did a great job!

Did you go off a template or just kind of wing it?

[Rohn]

That is absolutely beautiful.

[St8LineGunsmith]

very good carving!

[LilyLionLabyrinth]

That is absolutely gorgeous! I know pretty much nothing about guitar straps, but that element you have at one end where another strap is woven through a few times? It really helps set off the roses (which are wonderfully done, too!).

[WScott]

Nice!

[Cogs]

Very nice job, Frederiek! Love the 3 tone stain and the green leaf accent. That adjustment strap is nicely done. Great attention to detail. I can appreciate to effort you put in to that. It was well worth it!

Thanks for sharing,

Bill

[Wishful]

Very nice!

[BDAZ]

Beautiful carving. What strikes me as odd, is that you have colored the leaves but not the roses, so the eye tends to gravitate to the leaves and it almost looks unfinished to my eye. I would have at least some color in the roses and used moe of a wash on the leaves.

Cya!

Bob

[Wild Bill46]

Very nice Guitar strap,

The ROSES are nicely tooled.

The green and brown colored leaves and stems are a nice touch.

And too, I like the colored edges on the attachment strap.

[Basically Bob]

Great job!

... I especially like the way you colored it.

[Allan1972]

I really like a tooled guitar strap, nice job.

Allan

[DuaneS]

Very Nice!

[joquarter]

Nice strap.

[Ken Cook]

I think it looks great. I like the colors too. It brings out the roses, I think.

Nice.

[Frederiek]

Thank you all very much for your kind words, it's much appreciated

Joe; something in between. I took measurements from my own strap, looked at an old Stohlman design for inspiration and then just went with the flow. I don't like to work completely unplanned but a bit of freedom often works well

Bob; I first thought of dyeing the roses red (to match my guitar), but to me the 'white' stood out so nicely I kept it like this. I guess it's in the eye of the beholder But it is certainly something to think about, what to colour/emphasise and what not.

[BDAZ]

Don't get me wrong, I think the strap is killer but even a slight translucent red in the roses would work better for me. I am a former fine arts professor so I guess I can't help going into critique mode.

Again, fantastic job!

Cya!

Bob

[Colt W Knight]

Your tooling looks great. I have used the two tone strap adjustment deal before, bit yours looks outstandi ng against your main strap. I might steal your color pattern!

Wish I could tool flowers. Im awful at flowers.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Colt W Knight

[Frederiek]

Hi Red,

The narrow end of the strap usually has two holes. Thsi one went to someone who's really tall (nearly 2 metres if I'm correct) so I did not bother with that second one since it would make it too short anyways. Then the narrow part has a broader ending with a slot, it sort of makes a loop and then you can weave the rest through the slots in the main part of the strap. If you want to have a longer or shorter strap you simply move it up or down. It looks like this:

I'm 6' myself and I wear this strap at the lower hole and at it's shortest setting (how high or how low you carry it is a matter of preference), so you can safely presume that the standard size will do for your nephew If you send me a pm I'll send you a pdf with the basic template.

[MonicaJacobson]

That's a very nice strap! I love your tooling job, and the green really makes you notice the leaves. I see an argument for red, but I rather like that there's only two colors going on. Makes it less crazy.

[Frederiek]

Thank you The new owner (I don't think it's his guitar) just sent me this:

[Brushpopper]

Nice work!

[eby]

Fantastic job! I love the carving and coloring. How do you do the two-tone adjustment strap? I'd think I need to try that on my next one.

[Frederiek]

Thanks!

I don't have a neat trick for the colouring unfortunately, just brushes and patience To finish it off I used tan antique, just to fill in all the creases I didn't reach with the dye.