bruce johnson Report post Posted December 24, 2008 It is close enough to Christmas I guess I can show these and not spill the beans. I am attaching some pictures of some of the more unique things I have done this last little while. These rope cans are mostly variations of some popular styles for me. The rope bag is the first I have done in black. The wall hanging is the last rope and glove used by a cowboy at a cattlemen's day branding contest. He died from cancer not too long after that. His buddy ordered this done and wanted his buddy's brands tooled on it. It seems like you get one really special project every year, and this one was mine. Misty eyed cowboy picked it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dually Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Hi Bruce, I hope this does'nt sound patronizing, or that your stuff was anything but great before, but your work just seems to keep evolving and getting better and better! I really admire your work. I especially like the memorial piece. Very nice. Merry Christmas to you and yours, Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Randy Cornelius Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Great work as usual Bruce, Have a great Christmas to you and Rudy Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Great work as always Bruce! I think this is the first time I have seen a pocket on a rope can...what a great idea! The black rope bag is very good looking...it'll really stand out in the pen and the memorial is really special! Looking forward to seeing more stuff! Happy Holidays! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RocknBLeather Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Hi Bruce, Simply amazing!! I Love your wood tooling that you did on the Memorial peice. What an inspiration, I have so much to learn. May you and your Family have a great Christmas Holiday!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwwright Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Very kewl stuff Bruce. I admire your work. JW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casey Jordan Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Very nice job Bruce!! I like the one with the cutout brand, nice and unique touch! Casey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Thanks to all for the compliments. Dually, there are so many here who do so much better work I can only hope to keep picking up on what they do to keep improving. Thanks to all of them. Bob, I have been putting pockets on rope cans for a while. One night a customer and I were sitting around and he complained about powder getting in his wallet and watch and stuff when he put them in the center well. He asked if I ever saw a can with a pocket, rope bags have had them in or out of the bag for years. Nope, and I'd seen a few cans. (My first can was metal with the star embossed in the lid). He was ordering a can for a guy who had kept him mounted that fall. We stuck a pocket on it. This guy went to the buildings all winter, and I was getting a fair amount of orders off it. I called up Smith Bros to order a pretty good sized lot of cans. Cole had seen that first can somewhere back there, and credits me for the first pocket on a can he knew of. A blind sow will root up an acorn once in awhile. I was putting hoofpick pockets and baby powder pockets on can straps too. Some of those guys got back to TX and OK after the spring rodeos out here, and pretty soon a lot of makers were doing all of it. I am sure someone had done it before me too. Not much we do is new, just new to us. Merry Christmas to everyone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Randy Cornelius Report post Posted December 24, 2008 Hey Bruce, do you happen to have a picture of the back side of the black one. Interested to see what you done on the back side. It looks like you sewed it together without doing the inside out thing. The last one I did I sewed everthing together inside out then turned it right side out through the zipper so all the seams are inside the bag. Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtwister09 Report post Posted December 25, 2008 Bruce, The memorial is great! Understandable about the misty eyed cowboy. I do think that the black one will stand out in a crowd. Your right I have seen lots of pockets and hoot pick, knife holders and rosin bags on the straps even. I think that I like the CL can of the natural colors the best of this bunch. I like the cutout over the hair on as well as the difference with the tooling and spots around the outside edges. Have a Merry Christmas! Regards, Ben Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dually Report post Posted December 25, 2008 Hey Bruce, I'll echo Randy's question, and take it a step further...would you share the steps to make a rope bag? Seems simple enought to you pro guys, but, I'm learning everything as I go, and its a HUGE learning curve.LOL As I've shared with you before Bruce, to complicate things further, I only have a flatbed machine, although its a good one (Artison), it does limit me some. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites