Leathersmiths.....show us yer stuff, (#1) THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED

RollingThunder · January 03, 2009, 11:34:27 AM

Dang. I thought maybe I was on to some sorta seriously nifty secret there!

Marshal Will Wingam · January 03, 2009, 04:41:23 PM

That's a fine rig, Pete. I like the rich color with the clean lines. The spots and conchos really work on them. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Wiley Desperado · January 03, 2009, 05:04:22 PM

Very nice Pete beautifully done the coloring is great. Whoever gets that rig should be plenty happy with it.

ChuckBurrows · January 03, 2009, 08:50:44 PM

Reckon since everybody is in a cuff making mood here's a pair I just finished......

Marshal Will Wingam · January 03, 2009, 09:51:21 PM

Those are pretty striking, Chuck. I like the way you encorporated the spots with the stamping on the centerpiece. Thanks for showing us those.

HorsePen Henry · January 04, 2009, 05:05:00 AM

Chuck,
Those cuffs turned out real nice. Is the buckle and strap just held on to the cuff with the spots?
Horse Pen

santee · January 04, 2009, 07:34:08 AM

Liking all the two-tone being used on the cuffs. Striking.

JD Alan · January 04, 2009, 08:55:17 AM

WOW! Chuck, besides the design and workmanship, the final color of your products is really something to see. Sure glad you take time to show them to us. JD

RollingThunder · January 04, 2009, 05:32:21 PM

Bravo Chuck! Those are real straightforward slick! Love the spot incorporation, the lacing, the stamping! Everything! Nice work!

Irish Dave · January 04, 2009, 06:14:17 PM

Chuck:
Very nice, indeed, pard -- as always. Thanks for sharing.

Wiley Desperado · January 04, 2009, 07:31:41 PM

Chuck, I think the craftmanship the layout, stamping, spots, lacing, wrist straps, stiching, and the coloring are outstanding! Thanks for sharing pard. I love this site I learn something every time someone shares their work.

ChuckBurrows · January 04, 2009, 08:52:38 PM

Howdy folks and glad ya'll enjoyed the look see.

HP - the buckle strap is held on by the spots - I used the 1/4" round head spots with extra long 5/16" legs from Standard Rivet Co. The body of the cuffs is a: 5/6 oz bark tan outer with a 3 oz upholstery leather liner (whihc I rolled over to the front on the wrist end, makes cuffs real comforatble), and the buckle strap is 3/4 oz bark tan - the prongs were plenty long to clinch over real good.
The idea was to give it the look of a bunk house repair to match the spots which were also a bunkhouse "addition".

The bark tan cuff body was dyed with coffee (a full jar of extra dark roast INSTANT coffee cooked up with two jars of water) after stamping and sewing on the liner. I then applied a coat of Lexol Conditioner followed by a well rubbed in coat of Tan Cote, the latter to act as a resist for later aging. After drying I folded and bent them in all directions to crackle the Tan Kote. The straps were dyed in dark walnut and then dipped in baking soda mixed with water - the latter helps to fix the dye and darken it a mite - I use about an 1/8th cup of BS mixed with a pint or so of water - I seldom measure, just go by eye and "feel".
After the straps and all spots (pre-aged) were attached I "washed" the whole piece in walnut dye - the crackled Tan Kote allowed the dye to absorb through at the crackles and resisted elsewhere. Once dry I added some "stains" with a few splatters of vinegaroon. To finish up I burnished well with a piece of canvas, then applied a coat of Lexol followed by Montana Pitchblend.
It took a bit more than that to get the final look, but that's the gist of it - wish ya'll could see tham in person - even better - cause the camera just doesn't pick up all the nuances of color and texture, nor that indefinable odor!

FWIW - this my first project of the new year, but most likely the last time I make cuffs! I promised these quite some time ago and finally sat down to do them - for whatever reason(s) cuffs are one item I REALLY don't enjoy making........

Dr. Bob · January 04, 2009, 09:00:42 PM

Chuck,

That customer of yours is one real lucky feliow! The LAST pair of cuffs that you made! I'm not much into cuffs, but I would be real proud to own those!

santee · January 05, 2009, 04:43:04 AM

Coffee? Wow, I never thought about that as a dye.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · January 05, 2009, 06:39:58 AM

Howdy Chuck

Like every body else, I really appreciate you sharing your fine work, and these Ropping Cuffs are outstanding, I really admire your technique and style, you can spot your work anywhere.

tEN wOLVES

Wiley Desperado · January 05, 2009, 09:53:31 AM

This either takes guts or stupidity to show right after Chuck and I think it is the latter. This is a 1911 rig for a law enforcement friend working on the Texas/Mexican border. He didn't want a strong western look so I kept it kind of plain.

JD Alan · January 05, 2009, 11:17:00 AM

Anyone would be proud to wear that rig. That's professional looking in every way. I've not seen a buckle like that before. (not that I've seen a lot of buckles to begin with) It looks real good on that belt.

Thanks for sharing, JD

Marshal Will Wingam · January 05, 2009, 11:27:24 AM

That rig looks good, Wiley. The texturing in the center of the belt billet looks nice. Everything has a clean look to it. Most appropriate for your friend. Thanks for the pics.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · January 05, 2009, 01:37:37 PM

Howdy Wily

Nice work pard, you don't have to feel bad about this, your an artist in your own right, and your friend will love it for sure.

tEN wOLVES

RollingThunder · January 05, 2009, 08:29:21 PM

Really great color and finish there Willey! Love the deep color there. Just really looks pretty nice on that belt.

As for Chuck's coffee/BS (took me a second look at that one ... "did he really hand rub a cow patty there? oh wait! Baking Soda! DOH!") recipe ... I just KNEW there had to be a better way to get that old leather look and feel.

Mind if I experiment with your recipe on this next one Chuck?

I have a friend who was involved in the leather restoration work at the Cowboy Hall of Fame when they did their big renovation (a good friend of hers, Richard Rattenbury wrote the book, Packing Iron: Gunleather of the Frontier West and she was kind enough to lend me her copy of it. Lots of great stuff in there, and I think that's what really hooked me onto the whole bunkhouse look, because some of that stuff just looked soooooo nice.

Sorta like a copper roof needs a patina to look good.

So waddya say, chuck ... think I might just co-op your recipe there?